The presents have all been opened and the tree is taken down. All the lights are stored away and all the joyous music fades into the cold winter. The parties are over and its back to work we go. The laughter and the excitement of the season has come to a sudden end. Christmas is…
In Jeremiah 1:4-10 we learn of God’s call on the life of Jeremiah. In that context we learn how God is calling all of us to Himself both for faith in Him and for serving Him in this life. We also learn how God always prepares those He calls. He never sends us out…
God never calls anyone to anything without adequate preparation. If we want to be successful in fulfilling God’s call on our lives, there must be preparation. Robert Shuller said, “Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.” When God called Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:4-10, we see that God did not send Jeremiah out blindly. God…
In Jeremiah 2:4-10 we read of God’s call on Jeremiah’s life. There is often great confusion concerning what it means to be called of God. There is even more confusion relating to the will of God and God’s specific plan for the life of an individual. There are some who confuse God’s will and God’s…
Paul’s thorn in the flesh mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 is certainly unlikely to be a sin problem in Paul’s life. However, every believer in Christ still struggles with sin. Just like the thorns of physical ailments and the thorns of relationships, we all have nagging sinful tendencies that we are constantly fighting against. Perhaps…
It is probably 90% certain that Paul’s thorn in the flesh mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 was some type of physical ailment. However, Paul had many enemies. He had people in his life that frustrated him. Though the thorn referred to in our text may have been a personal physical problem that Paul had, he…
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said…
On July 4th, 1776 the declaration of Independence was signed and the United States of America was born. Freedom is a precious jewel. It is experienced by only a few as most nations of the world do not enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy here in America. As great as living in a free nation…
H.G. Wells, famous historian and philosopher, said at age 61: “I have no peace. All life is at the end of the tether.” The poet Byron said, “My days are in yellow leaf, the flowers and fruits of life are gone, the worm and the canker, and the grief are mine alone.” The literary…
Everything we do and everything we are hinges on our attitude. Attitude is defined as: “a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior.” Chuck Swindoll said, “Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitudes toward life. The longer I live…
Just like most things in life, giving is a choice. For the believer and for members of the local church, giving is an expectation, however, we still have the choice as to whether or not we fulfill that expectation. We give, not because it is expected of us, rather, because our heart is aligned…
Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there…
Giving is not something that we typically enjoy talking about. We are constantly bombarded with requests to give to various non-profit organizations. Therefore, when we go to church the last thing we want to hear from the pastor is a sermon on giving. This feeling of dread that we may have when we think of…
One of the most painful things in life is knowing that you have been betrayed. A parent suffers tremendous pain when a child rebels. A wife is scarred for life when her husband cheats on her. A man is hurt when his friends abandon him in time of need. Jesus suffered the ultimate betrayal on…
Over the years I have counselled with young men who felt the call to serve in ministry particularly as a pastor. My response has always been out of a heart of love and concern that those men follow whatever God calls them to do. In answering the question ‘do you want to be a pastor’.…
Pastor Chris Noland 