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Showing posts with the label Fruits of the Spirit

Stop Complaining

This morning, I was reading from Numbers 11 where the Israelites complain about life. Why don't we have tastier food? This manna is getting dry and a little old day after day. God was not impressed by their complaints. It reminded me of another Scripture in Philippians 2:14 which says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing." This is a some great advice from Paul, but sometimes difficult to live out. So, are you a complainer? I tend to be a positive person, but occasionally I begin to complain to myself or to my wife. My kids (like most kids) complain about food and other things off and on throughout the day. As I read God's Word this morning, I started to wonder why we complain (we are no different than the Israelites--we would have been complaining too). What makes us complain? Here are a few things that came to mind. I complain when I feel like I am not getting what I deserve. It usually has to do with being selfish. I want something, don't g...

Family Worship

I am excited about this weekend as we are having Parent/Child Dedication at our church and Molly is going to be dedicated. It will also be my first opportunity as Associate Pastor to be involved in this special event. I am enjoying meeting with families to talk about the significance of their role in the faith development of their children. Let me share a little about what I am learning about family worship. I had heard about this concept before, but only used in a negative sense and most often associated with the word, "boring." I also realized that as a father I am to be actively involved in the spiritual training and instruction of my children. I cannot delegate this important responsibility to the church alone. But I have also come to understand that the "how to's " are lacking. It seems the church has challenged the family in this area, but resources are not readily available. However, I discovered several resources that are helpful. First, I send a...