Ecclesiastes 12:10

   All boys at some point in their life try to be just like their dad. They comb their  hair like dad. They put on a tie like dad. The talk like him, walk like him, emulate him in what he does.  Then at some point they do just the opposite, they distance themselves trying to be their own man.  However,  most grown men will tell you that even after that they still have a lot of their father in them, for better or for worse .    In John 8:44 Jesus condemns a group of people for acting like their Father; You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies .    Here Jesus is warning these men that in rejecting the truth about him and creating lies about him, they are showing who their true father is. Not the God of Heav...

Magic has always been an interest and hobby of mine. So for the last few years I have been working at ways to incorporate my hobby into my work.  I making a series of video that might be of use to someone that is looking for a way to add a little "magic" to their lessons. These might be of use to a Bible class teacher as an illustration or visual. Now I don't give away the trick in the video but I will help you out if you are wanting to do it on your own. Hope you enjoy!   

  Why do we hurt the ones we love?  Maybe we just don't realize what we are doing.  I think you can see that in the story of Joseph.  Jacob had several sons but his favorite was Joseph (Genesis 37:3).  He spoiled the boy with unique gifts.  Joseph got preferential treatment.  Even as the younger child he had status over his older brothers.  When God revealed the boy would rise to the top of the family, Jacob beamed.    But his brothers brooded.    You see all the “special” treatment Joseph received caused his brothers to hate him. They hated he tattled on them. They hated his dreams. They hated he thought he was better than them. They hated him so much that when they had the chance they almost killed him and they did sell him off as a slave.  That’s a lot of hate.    I don’t believe Joseph was a bad person in all this but let’s be honest, I’m sure he didn’t help the situation.  I think Jos...

     Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred ninety two.  Every good boy does fine.  My very excellent mother just served us nine planets. The Great Lakes are HOMES.    You may recognize these mnemonic devices from your school days [i] , the little memory trick you employed to keep those random facts in your head.  The repetition does something to your brain, making those easily quickly forgotten facts somehow stick.    It however can seem a little childish. I know as a preacher, I blush a little when I still sing my books of the Bible when looking up a passage. While the simple technique may be effective, we might dismiss it as somewhat immature.    That is exactly what Isaiah’s critics are doing in Isaiah 28:9-13; " To whom would He teach knowledge, And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?  "For He says, 'Order on order, ord...