Ecclesiastes 12:10

I see it sometimes in preachers.  I listen to them talk about their previous works, how the elders didn't support them, how the congregation wasn’t spiritual minded enough to understand their sermons, how the deacons refused to get on board with their ideas, that’s why they had to leave.  I see it sometimes in students.  They complain about how all the teacher were overly critical of them, how the other students mistreated them, how the administration was bias against them, that's why they do poorly every year.  I see it sometimes in constantly unemployed people.  The boss was too demanding, the corporation didn’t treat me right, my coworkers were intimidated by my ideas, that's why I don’t work there anymore.  Do those things happen?  Of course, they do.  But what does it mean when they happen over and over to the same person? I try not to give the conclusion to my articles in the title, but this one seemed to work better that w...

There is an old story about a young man that bought a horse from farmer.  He paid the farmer one hundred dollars and agreed to come by the next day to pick up his new horse.  The next day as he drove up the farmer said, 'Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the horse died.'  The young man replied, 'well, then just give me my money back’.  The farmer said, 'Can't do that. I went and spent it already’.  The young man exclaimed, ‘What am I going to do with a dead horse!’  The old farmer felt for the young man and said, ‘Here is what you should do, go into town and tell all the folks you are having a raffle for a horse.  If you can sale a hundred and one tickets at a dollar a piece you can get your money back.’  ‘Why a hundred and one tickets?’ the young man asked quizzically.  ‘Well,’ the farmer explained, ‘the guys who wins the raffle is going to be pretty upset that the horse is dead, you will have to give him his dollar back’  ...

            Over the last couple of weeks our home has been infected with Olympic fever.  We have been enthralled with the Olympics Games.  It is easy to get hooked on the competition. Many races come down to the millisecond, matches to the last point, games to the last second buzzer beater. It is amazing to see the athletic skill of so many different people in so many different events.  Even outside the competition there are so many interesting stories of the competitors and their struggle and dedication to becoming the best in the world.             These type games are not however just a modern day fascination. People in the first century were very familiar with their games as well. The Corinthians had their own races known as the Isthmian games which occurred every other year and was second only to the Olympic games.  Paul uses their sports awarenes...

              Salt isn’t what it used to be.  Today it is the enemy of the healthy eater and the heart doctor. They all will tell you the dangers about having too much salt in your diet.  In the ancient world however salt was a most valuable commodity.  In the book of Ezra those that worked for the king were described literally as “eating the salt of the palace” (4:12) and salt was used as a form of payment (7:22). Many think our modern word salary came from a Latin phrase describing the practice of giving Roman soldiers payment in the form of salt.  Salt was not only used as a flavoring but it was essential, in the days before refrigeration, as a preservative. In fact, there was a Roman saying, "There is nothing more useful than sun and salt”.             Jesus refers the nature of salt in his day in Matthew 5:13 when he says " You are the salt of the ...