Tag: SermonBytes

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The Muslim Jesus – Part 1

bibleMost of you probably already know that Muslims believe in Jesus, but do you know the differences between what they believe about Him and what Christians believe?

While many seem to believe that Islam and Christianity are pretty much the same, there are actually very marked differences that people – especially believers – should understand if they are to make an honest assessment of their beliefs.

Here are several beliefs about Jesus and how they compare and contrast between Christianity and Islam:

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Lighthouses and Mixed Messages

lighthouse-168132_1920I love lighthouses. There is something fascinating about those tall towers that provide guidance and hope to travelers tossed around on the waves of the sea. Unbeknown to the casual observer, lighthouses do much more than serve as interesting tourist attractions and beacons of light.

Each individual lighthouse can be configured to emit a specific pattern of light that synchronizes it with navigational charts. Without any other instruments, sailors can determine their position simply by observing the light. Each lighthouse is also painted uniquely in case the light is not easily seen or is broken. And in the case of very poor visibility, a unique foghorn signal conveys the same unique information.

As the United Methodist Church (UMC) struggles with its spiritual identity, I can’t help but wonder if they have forgotten that they are called to be a lighthouse. In one of the most famous passages of scriptures, Jesus related the idea of the importance of our uniqueness:

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A Word About God

faith-507810_1280It’s a huge risk! I could lose half my readers in the very first paragraph of this blog. But, still, I have to say it! THEOLOGY! I know that many people avoid that word like the plague, but the truth is, you are already learning and practicing theology every day of your life – even when you don’t know it. The important questions are, what is the brand of theology? Is it correct?

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Are You Boring Your Angels?

angel-428077_1920One of the great promises of God is that He assigns angels to watch over and protect us:

For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.  In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.  You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. Psalm 91:11-13 (NKJV)

Have you ever questioned where angels were when you needed them the most? Be assured that they were there keeping even worse things from happening. But perhaps they could have accomplished even greater things, if you had just known how to activate them.

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The Not-So-Good Samaritan

file000827134112While traveling in South Carolina last week, I had the opportunity to watch a few minutes of the local news. One of the stories was about a tow truck driver who responded to a stranded motorist. Upon arriving on the scene, the tow-truck driver began the process of hooking the woman up for the tow when he noticed a Bernie Sanders for President bumper sticker.

In an interview with WLOS-TV, the tow truck driver said, “Something came over me, I think the Lord came to me, and he just said get in the truck and leave.” He went on to say how good he felt about his decision to leave the handicapped and infirmed woman to fend for herself.

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Magnificent Moms: Ten Biblical Attributes

mothersdayHappy Mother’s Day to all the great Moms! You make us who we are and we are grateful!

Today we are going to take a look at some of the Biblical attributes of Magnificent Moms. I doubt anyone hits all of them perfectly, but I know a lot of Moms – including four very special ones in my life – that get awful close. (Four? – For those wondering, I have a great Birth Mom, a wonderful Adopted Mom who married my Dad, A Blessed Covenant Mom I got when I married my Wife and of course my Wife – and Mother of our two girls – is one of the greatest Moms I know.)

Now that we got that complicated explanation out of the way, here are Ten Biblical Attributes of a Magnificent Mom:

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The Things that Moms Do

flowersAs we prepare for Mother’s Day this coming Sunday, it is appropriate to reflect on the importance of Moms. Through many counseling sessions with both men and women over the years, I have learned much about the positive and negative effects of Mothers. George Washington also seemed to grasp of how important Mothers are. He once said,

“My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.”

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What Islam is Teaching Me about Christianity

knowledge-1052010_640I have undertaken a serious study of Islam. There are so many messages in our culture today about what it is and what it is not, that I wanted to know the truth. One historian said that when he started researching Islam, he felt as if he had been sucked in a black hole. I can relate to that. Although it is getting a little better now, moving beyond the platitudes and myths was quite overwhelming at first.

There are many things that this study is teaching me about my own faith journey and people in general, but I will focus on one particular area today. After cutting through the surface rhetoric, I found that there are at least three kinds of Muslims:

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Pressing Through Fear

pressingthroughfear1It is often said that without the Apostle Paul, much of the doctrine of the Church would be absent. This executioner of Christians, turned faithful witness of Jesus, wrote most of the New Testament and is known for his seemingly fearless and bold witness that took him around the known world to plant churches when the Church was in it’s infancy. Yet, despite the courageous portrait of this great man of faith, we know that Paul faced fear just like the rest of us.

I am almost certain that many will consider the above statement to be provocative and some will take exception. After all, Paul faced imprisonment, torture, and death on many occasions. How could someone go through all of that and still be such a powerful witness if he struggled with fear?

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Rising Above Ridicule

risingaboveJust in case we ever forget – which I’m sure we do not – the election cycle is certain to remind us of the power of ridicule. Every year the name calling and rhetorical slander gets worse and worse.

What astounds me, is how often two politicians can go head-to-head with each other, throwing some of the most abusive verbal mud-balls imaginable, and then end up supporting each other, or even running together, a few months later. It’s like a really bad version of Jerry Springer marries Oprah. With all the attention on bullying these days, you would think that these middle-aged and older “leaders” would grow-up.

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