Sermons from July 2022

PROBLEM And even after walking with Jesus for quite a while I still find that when it comes to prayer, I’m a learner. I still feel like such a rookie sometimes. I’ve learned a lot about prayer, but I still also have a long way to go. But that is how everyone feels about prayer. It’s like asking Jacques Cousteau how much he knows about the ocean. But as important as prayer is, it is also pretty difficult, isn’t it?…

PROBLEM – Why is mercy so hard Grace is what God gives us – Mercy is what we give others – Compassion is what people deserve (fine line). Opposite- ruthless, cruel, inhumane. Judge and executioner Do you ever think to yourself, Is my life really pleasing to God? Mercy isn’t natural for me, complaining is. Pizza guy  GOD – But it’s what we do A story of mercy Matthew 18:23-35 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who…

PROBLEM Lots of people seek the spiritual for help. Apparently, the religious website Beliefnet sends out more than 8 million daily emails of spiritual wisdom in various flavors to more than 5 million subscribers. Generic inspiration is the most popular 2.4 million emails, followed by inspirations from the Bible with 1.6 million. But there are 460,000 subscribers to the Buddhist thought of the day, 313,000 Torah devotees, 268,000 subscribers to daily Muslim wisdom, and 236,000 who get spiritual weight loss…

The fastest way to kill something beautiful and unique is to compare it to something else.  Comparison is the thief of joy Teddy Roosevelt  Matthew 25:14-30 14 Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man…

Problems leadership was a blend of competence and character. Until a friend remarked, “Did you ever stop to think that most failures in leadership are failures in character and not failures in competence?” If character is the reason most people fail, what causes most of our character failures? who I think I am is not who I am. Who I say I am is not who I am. Character is this: who I am at my core is displayed through…