United Series, Week 4: Love is Loyal – September 16-20
Loyalty is a key component of unity and it’s difficult to achieve without sacrificing one’s own preferences and desires. It requires putting aside selfishness, greed, and ambition, and instead focusing on a greater purpose. The story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz portrays love and loyalty at its best. Ruth’s devotion to Naomi caused her to cast…
United Series, Week 3: Keep Calm and Carry On – September 9-13
How we respond to others when we feel we have been wronged reveals our heart condition. Some common responses include expressing anger, seeking retaliation and holding grudges. While understandable, these are not the behaviors Jesus would encourage. He spoke of and modeled the importance of being peacemakers and peacekeepers. King David once found himself in…
United Series, Week 2: Breaking the Ice of Unforgiveness – September 2-6
Forgiveness may be the hardest thing many of us do in our lifetimes, but because none of us is without sin, forgiveness is essential if we want to love and be loved in this life. Unforgiveness is one of the deadliest forces in the world; it causes much pain and suffering and creates division. Forgiveness…
United Series, Week 1: Loving When It’s Complicated – August 26-30
As Christians, our love for each other is to be unconditional and unwavering no matter what. In Scripture, we find a person who comes from a very different background, yet models this kind of love for someone who really should have been his enemy. Jonathan’s friendship with David is the epitome of how to “love…
How to Make a Fool of Yourself August 19-23
Solomon spends a lot of time describing the fool. In fact, the words fool and foolish appear in the Book of Proverbs close to 80 times. Solomon states numerous ways that we can make fools of ourselves: be self-reliant, don’t seek counsel, don’t consult God for guidance; don’t learn from your mistakes; make sure others know…