THE BLOG
Topic
- Anxiety 2
- Beauty 1
- Bible 6
- Blessings 1
- Body of Christ 1
- Burden 1
- CEO 1
- Christian Living 164
- Christlikeness 6
- Christmas 12
- Commandments 1
- Community 1
- Conflict 1
- Cults 1
- Culture 1
- DDM 1
- Death 2
- Discipleship 5
- Emotions 6
- Eternity 2
- Evangelism 7
- Faith 2
- Forgive 3
- Freedom 1
- Fusion 1
- Gather 1
- God 2
- Gospel 3
- Gratitude 1
- Hebrews 11 1
- Holiness 1
- Holy Spirit 1
- Homosexuality 1
- Humility 1
- Israel 2
- Jesus 6
- Joy 2
- King of Glory 1
- Lying 1
- Missions 3
- Outreach 1
- Pastor Jeff 1
- Perspective 2
- Prayer 8
- Psalm 119 3
- Reading 1
- Salvation 13
- Sanctification 1
- Satan 1
- Scripture 3

David Played for Saul (Samuel 16:14-23)
Family Worship Card: David Played for Saul (Samuel 16:14-23)

Learning to Lament
It is likely that we’ve all experienced a time in our lives where after sharing our pain and turmoil with someone, they chose not to enter into our grief and sorrow to weep with us. Instead, they responded with cold truth that lacked compassion, tenderness, and love.
Our Lord is not like that. We serve a risen Savior who is defined by compassion and empathy (Ps. 103:8; 2 Cor. 1:3–4); who weeps with us (John 11:35; Rom. 12:15); who collects our tears in a bottle because they are precious to Him (Ps. 56:8); and who experiences our pain and sorrow with us (Is. 53:4; Rom. 8:26).

Samuel Annointed David (1 Samuel 16:1-13)
Family Worship Card: Samuel Annointed David (1 Samuel 16:1-13)

Emotions
Several weeks ago, Gail and I were preparing dinner for a family get-together only to discover that we were missing a key ingredient for the meal. So, I jumped into the car (Gail’s car…) and made my way to the grocery store.
As I pulled into the parking lot, a car suddenly backed out of a parking spot and crunched into the car (Gail’s car…). I was of course bummed that this happened, but I initially felt a gracious calm come over me as I figured we would just exchange insurance information, and the damage could easily get repaired. Everything was fine for about five seconds, until the driver of the other car attempted to flee the scene.

Saul Disobeyed God (1 Samuel 14-15)
Family Worship Card: Saul Disobeyed God (1 Samuel 14-15)

My Mom and Death
This past Sunday morning at 9:45am, while I was preaching about the Lord of the local church, she went home to be with Him. Just eight days after celebrating her 88th birthday on May 31st, the Lord called one of His own to Himself. Those eight days were both painfully short and strangely long—short because her decline came so rapidly, long because she lingered when it looked like the end had come. Monday evening was the last time I heard her sweet voice after hospice took over.

Saul Rescued Israel (1 Samuel 11-13)
Family Worship Card: Saul Rescued Israel (1 Samuel 11-13)

Compassion
One of the many remarkable virtues our Lord and Savior radiates is compassion. He teaches us so much about the display of His compassion throughout the gospel accounts.
In Mark 6:33–44, we see a powerful glimpse of the compassionate heart of Jesus. After a time of hard ministry (healing, preaching, rejection, fickle crowds, Herod Antipas feeling threatened, John the Baptist’s death), Jesus invites His disciples to retreat and rest (Mark 6:30–33). But as they withdraw by boat, the crowds anticipate His movements and arrive ahead of Him on foot.

The Israelites Wanted a King (1 Samuel 8-10)
Family Worship Card: The Israelites Wanted a King (1 Samuel 8-10)