Ecclesiastes 12:10

  Any runner, cyclist, or truck driver will have experienced this phenomenon. When you are going into a headwind, you notice it. The wind buffets your efforts, you feel every moment of discomfort and pushback. However, when you go back in the other direction when the wind is at your back, you don’t much think about how it pushing you along if you are even are mindful of it.   The headwind is constantly fought and on your mind; the tailwind isn’t as noticed and quickly forgotten.   It’s not just a wind issue. The problems and difficulties of life tend to be right in our face, a constant reminder, yet the blessing we receive, the good parts, we tend to let slip away.   Is it any wonder we are miserable?   Right now if I asked you to tell me things that are wrong in your world, you could answer in a moment and probably have a hard time limiting them to five. However, if we really sat down and thought about all we have and how we have been blesse...

Marwidge It is what bring to this quiz today... Before what event did Jesus say people were marrying and were being given in marriage? The destruction of Isreal The flood of Noah The feast of booths The 12 plagues What beings do not marry? Apostles Angels Priests Bishops According to Paul, forbidding marriage is an example of what? Rules for church leaders Unenforceable matters Wise living Doctrines of devils What good king of Judah allied himself by marriage with one Israel's worst kings Ahab? Jehoshaphat Josiah Hezekiah Asa From what tribe did the men of Israel refuse to give wives to in Judges? Dan Philistines Benjamin Asher What king had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines? Ahab David Darius Solomon Why was Jesus at the wedding when turned water to wine? His mother told him to come It was for one of his disciples He was invited to come He happened by on his way to the temple What noted hairy hunter a...

  In the book of 2 nd Kings 2, we have one of the most unusual, violent and curious passages in scripture. It involves the prophet Elisha siccing a couple of bears on some kids that were mocking his bald head.    As a guy that is a little light on top that has been around some surly kids, I can feel for the guy. But seriously a bear attack? On kids? What is going on? ….young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!"  When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number. 2 nd Kings 2:23-25  It might help to explore the passage a bit more. The baldhead statement: This was an identifying mark of the prophet as opposed to Elijah who was hairy (1st Kings 1:8) a jab to say you are not him. The taunt to go up: Elijah has just been taken into heaven by the Lord a sight seen by ...

Prepare to Die Whatever your name is, answer how each prepared to die Who responded to God's call to set his house in order by praying for God to extend his life? Elijah Ahab Belzhazzer Hezekiah Who chose to have his armor bearer kill him so he would not be abused by Philistines? Saul Abimelech Jael Jonathan What man assuming he was about to starve to death, sold his birthright for some stew? Jacob Esau Lamish Kaylor What chariot commander coup only last seven days before he burned his palace down with him in it? Omri Nabol Zimri Elah What former advisor to David killed himself when Absalom didn't heed his advice? Hushai Zadok Ahithophel Ahimaaz What man on his deathbed had his son make his favorite meal before he was to bless him? Jacob Isaac Laban Lamech What man wrote to his protege 'the time of my departure has come' ? Elijah Moses Paul Peter Who wrote, "that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminen...

   You may have heard about how the Cleveland Indians Baseball franchise is removing the longtime mascot Chief Wahoo from its logo. For some, the caricature was a racist stab at Native Americans. Some wonder if it won’t be long till the club changes its nickname as well since some view it as an offensive term. They might have ground since it started that way.  The story begins with a player Louis ‘Sock” Sockalexis. [i]   He was a teenage phenome from Old Town, Maine. He was a member of the Bear Clan where his grandfather was a chief. He was recruited to play baseball at Holy Cross College and then Notre Dame until he was stolen away by a scout to play for Cleveland. His legend preceded him in Cleveland. Many, even to this day, argue he was one of the best to ever play the game. He added to the legend on his first game when the opposing pitcher flatly stated he was going to “strike out the Indian”, Sock rather slapped the pitcher’s first curveball over the fence....

Cliffs of Insanity These questions will drive you crazy. Who scribbled on doors and let his saliva run down into his beard in order to fake insanity? Abram David Daniel Herod What talking animal did Peter say 'restrained the madness of the prophet'. A mule A donkey A snake A dog What king, driven mad by God, lived in the wild till his hair and nails resembles animals? Nebuchadnezzar Saul Jehoahaz Omri What official accused Paul's great learning of driving him mad? Agrippa Felix Festus Bernice What caused Jesus' family to think he was out of his mind? His cleansing the temple His baptism The sermon on the mound People were claiming he was working with Beelzebub What prophet that told Jehu he was to be king was called a 'mad fellow' by Jehu's servants? Elijah Amos Elisha Joram What book of the Bible tells of the author actively seeking out madness and folly? Revelation Jude Ezekiel Ecclesiastes Who's pra...

  We don’t think we have a problem with idolatry today. Idolatry is an Old Testament problem, no one today creates an idol, gives it praise and expects it to be something that will change the world even when deep down we know it is not.   Yet we do. I could give you a couple of examples, but let me talk on one I think is at the top of our populace right now, Celebrity.   We worship celebrity. Stars are the number one followers on Twitter. We devote shows and magazines to them. The pinnacle of success is now defined not by accomplishment or wealth or power but by fame. People follow after it and crave it as much as any religion. We look to celebrities to shape our world. The tell us how to vote, what to accept and the causes we should support. We literally idolize them!    This isn’t just in the world either, it is in the Church. Watch how we respond when a famous person says something positive about Christianity. We put them on a pedestal, eve...

 A classic scene amongst many classic scenes in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, involves King Arthur asking a question to a peasant. “Old women”, He cries! The man then turns and replies, “I’m not a woman”. Arthur rebounds, “Man, sorry. Old Man..”. The peasant interrupts, “I’m thirty-seven, I’m not old! The king frustrated clamors, “Well I can't just call you man". The peasant then wonders why he doesn’t call him Dennis since that is his name. Arthur explains, “I didn't know you were called Dennis.” Then Dennis the peasant point out, “Well you didn't bother to find out, did you?”   I wonder if this scene is something akin to how many approach God. We cry out to God thinking him something he isn’t or thinking he will do something he doesn’t. Yet God tries to reveal his nature and his will to us but we are too hung up on our own desire to give it much attention. So we grow frustrated with God wondering why He isn’t responding ‘correctly’ to us. All the while G...

Mostly Dead See if you can answer these question about people that died but got better... Contact with whose bones caused a hurriedly buried man to come back to life? Jesus Elisha Elijah James Who was brought back from the dead by Paul after he fell from a window during a long sermon? Eutychus The widow's son Haaman A lad from Ottceia What seamstress was raised from the dead by Peter? Tameria Eudia Helen Dorcas What unusual response did the child Elisha raised from the dead have when he returned? He spoke in a strange language He sneezed seven times He shook for a hour He jumped in his bed What was the name of the synagogue official that Jesus raised his daughter from the dead? Hopni Josiah Jairus Crispis What was the name of the town where Jesus raised a widow's son? Nain Shunem Zarephath Bethany What was the name of the town where Elijah raised a widow's son? Nain Shunem Zarephath Bethany What man was raised from dead af...

  For those of you that don’t know it, I have a fish tank in my office. It was my sons, which passed down from his sister and now resides in my office. I had three fish in it.   Had.   A few months back, I was going to be gone for the week. Normally I feed them every day but when I’m going to be gone I put these little tablets that feed them for a couple of days or a week depending on their size. I was out of the week ones but I figure that if I feed them the day I left and the tablet worked for the next three, that would only leave them unfed for a day or two. No problem.  So on my return, I went in to feed my three fish. But there was only two. No sign of the yellow one. Now it possible that someone came in and stole on little yellow fish and nothing else, but I think we know what really happened. That little fish became lunch. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." But if you b...