fisher of men

For most of us, the word peace has a certain wistfulness to it, an “if only” quality. “If only I could go on a vacation.” “If only I could get a better job.” “If only I had married someone who was easier to get along with.” “If only my kids would listen.” “If only I could retire.” This sense of wistfulness arises because we can think of countless things that prevent us from experiencing the peace we desire. Each of us can come up with our own list of “if onlys”—of the situations or the people we would like to change so that our lives wouldn’t feel so rushed and anxious and stressful. Such lists, of course, imply that peace is situational. We will experience peace once our troublesome circumstances are resolved, once that difficult person moves on, once we find a new job. Circumstances do, ...

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. – Romans 4:18–21 Growing Strong in Your Faith By Mark Altrogge In Romans 4, Paul tells us Abraham “grew strong in his faith” and urges us to walk in Abraham’s footsteps. To believe like he believed. How do we do this? Look to God’s promise, not your circumstanc...

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1) Plantation owners in the West Indies worried Bible verses such as the one above would incite their African slaves to rebel against bondage. On the other hand, certain passages of Scripture encouraged submission to authority. Rather than withholding the entire Bible, some masters allowed their slaves to have the Slave Bible, which was compiled from selected parts of God’s word to inspire submission. What is the Slave Bible? The earliest copy of the Slave Bible was published in 1807, an “astoundingly reduced” Bible which “contains only parts of 14 books,” Brigit Katz reported for SmithsonianMag.com. Sections that were removed included the Exodus story, which showed God in...

The World Economic Forum has released a fresh batch of stats on who is using social media the most. No real surprises in their overall findings (the younger the generation, the more it’s being used), but there were some important updates. Currently more than 4.4 billion people have access to the internet. The current world population is 7.7 billion.  Generation Z, as well as Millennials, are spending increasingly less time on social media. The average time per day for all North Americans is a little more than two hours. Using multiple platforms, or “multi-networking”, is still on the rise, but could be plateauing. In terms of choices in social media itself, Generation Z prefers YouTube and Instagram, and Millennials are still tied to Facebook. Interestingly, Baby Boomers are showing t...

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’” Matthew 4:1-3 (NIV) My mind had just traveled down an all-too-familiar path. Absently wandering onto it while chopping vegetables for dinner, I felt frustrated with myself for traversing it again. Ever since third grade, when a popular boy gave me a compliment, I have used fantasy as a soothing escape in lonely moments. Fantasies of the PG variety, like the pretty romances of Hallmark Channel movies. Nothing too bad, I convinced myself. Just myriad replays of real interactions or imagined meetings, when a Prince Charming would affirm, rescue or ...

Omnipotent Definition and El Shaddai Meaning “Omnipotent” derives from the Latin omnis meaning “all” and potens or “powerful.” Omnipotent is not a word used in the Bible, but “almighty” appears in virtually every book of the Old Testament, often dozens of times. El Shaddai, a Hebrew name for God, evokes His omnipotence as the Almighty. El Shaddai means God most powerful or God Almighty. God of the Mountains Another possible meaning of El Shaddai is “God of the mountains,” according to BibleStudyTools.com. After leading Israel out of Egypt, Moses met El Shaddai on Mount Sinai in order to receive His commandments. This is perhaps why “God of the Mountains” is one definition for El Shaddai. Overpowerer Another translation of Shaddai is “Overpowerer.” This evokes the notion of God the hero who...

Down-size MeJohn UpChurch Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.– Matthew 5:3, ESV You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope.  With less of you there is more of God and his rule. – Matthew 5:3, MSG Let’s try to regain the shock value in the way Jesus opened His Sermon on the Mount. We’re too familiar with the statements and too far removed from the time to hear it like the original listeners. Imagine going to a fast food restaurant, ordering an enormous value meal, and the cashier hitting you with this question: “Would you like to down-size your meal for a dollar less?” Or imagine a car salesperson pausing before you sign the papers and saying, “You know what? T...

The Celtic Cross comes in many forms. Some are plain, while others are quite ornate. A simple description of what the Celtic Cross looks like is a cross with a circle. However, the ornate ones are decorated with insular art, also known as Hiberno-Saxon art. Sometimes the Celtic Cross is put on a tall base to make it look more like a traditional Christian Cross. In medieval times it was used as a public monument, and if marking a holy site, they had longer stems and were called Irish high crosses. Deciphering what the Celtic Cross means is not as simple as describing its looks. What’s the meaning of the Celtic Cross? There are varying stories to consider. Let’s look at the origin and possible meanings of the Celtic Cross. Origin of the Celtic Cross The Celtic Cross originated during the ear...

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. —1 Corinthians 10:31 A New Way to Walk in the World By Scott Patty We need wisdom to walk this way. There are many issues and opportunities in life that require us to think about the best way to glorify God. At times the questions of life have a simple, straightforward answer. Don’t steal, murder, or commit adultery. Do honor your parents, love your neighbor, and tell the truth. At other times, things are not quite so clear. But that doesn’t mean we have no guidance for a way forward that brings glory to God. First Corinthians 8, 9, and 10 give us wisdom. I encourage you today, or this week, to read all three of these chapters. From 1 Corinthians 8, consider what bui...

The Great Commission It all starts here. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commands His apostles, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”  Christians are called to participate in the mission to Go, Make Disciples, Baptize, Teach or Preach as the Gospel of Mark puts it (Mark 16:15). Does This Mean Every Christian a “Missionary?” There are at least two schools of thought on this extra-Biblical term. 1. Every Christian Is a Missionary “Every Christian is a missionary or an imposter.” Charles Spurgeon’s famous quote asserts that any true worshipper of Jesus Christ would desire that the world know Him. This definition could include anyone using their ta...

Here’s the second message from the book of Ruth: Back to Bethlehem. Don’t give up on God just because things have gone badly for you.  We need this message because our sin can’t cancel God’s grace. PS Click here sign up for the free email sermons.

Your Spouse’s Wins Are Your Wins By: Amanda Idleman  “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4 How many times have you read this verse in the context of marriage and just skipped on past the part about love does not envy?  Envy isn’t something that is talked about when discussing married life but is one of those sneaky deadly sins that can squash love.  Marriage means working together as a team but assuming different roles or jobs.  Each person is gifted with different talents and abilities. Each family has different needs that requires unique sacrifices from each person in a marriage.  A couple becomes one when they say “I do” and that oneness is a merging together of two very different indivi...