Text: Daniel 1:8a But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s rich food or with the wine which he drank. If this were a sermon about resolving to lose weight, I would be unqualified to preach it. Monday of the past week, I didn’t go to the gym and I said to myself, “I can’t believe I didn’t exercise today. That makes 5 years in a row!” In…
Text: Revelation 21:10—22:5 This Sunday we are looking at the theme of blessings. What exactly are they? Is there any place where they are not important? The idea of blessings lies at the heart of the Prosperity Gospel, which has swept South, Central, and North America. Its central tenet is that the more faithful we are, the more God will bless us with material possessions and good health. This message has obvious problems because it essentially blesses the current…
Text: Matthew 7:7-11 Our text this week is the well-known “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find…” saying of Jesus about prayer. Another well known text about prayer is John 14:13 “I will do whatever you ask in my name.” Some folks conclude that they can ask for anything, add the phrase “in Jesus’ name,” and get a blank check from God. I tried that once. “Dear God, please give me a new Ferrari. …
Text: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Our topic today is “boredom.” This past year of enforced inactivity has induced boredom in many of us. Here’s an idea: if your really bored, look up the difference between “your” and “you’re!” Boredom in religion, however, is more serious. When I was a rotten teenager in Pittsburgh, we had a senior pastor who was truly a loving man of God. Unfortunately his sermons were so boring that we used to say, “Dr. Skuce would…
