Speaker: Brian Loughmiller
Have you ever asked, “Why is the book of Ruth in the bible?” It is a beautiful Hebrew short story.
In it is a story of the devotion of a Moabite widow named Ruth. It is a love story and a tragedy that has a fairy tale ending. And it is only 85 verses in length. However, the book is more than just a love story.
Speaker: Brian Loughmiller
Have you ever been in a position where someone asks you for a reference to get a job and you find yourself in an awkward position? You don’t want to lie and telling the truth will hurt them.
Sometimes we give good recommendations and and there are times we can’t. However, today I believe there is one we can give a glowing recommendation, without any reservations and I believe that we cannot say enough good things about Him.
Speaker: Brian Loughmiller
Have you ever known a child of God who went through everyday life looking like they were weaned on a sour pickle? They seem like they are totally useless for any good work. This is especially true if things are not running smoothly in their life.
Then you have others who are completely the opposite. They’re joyful, steadfast, always smiling and doing something for someone else. It doesn’t matter how rough the road of life is to them.
Why the difference? I believe that the joyful servant of God has found the secret expressed in the scriptures.
Speaker: Brian Loughmiller
As we begin toady let’s not forget where Solomon’s wisdom originated, 1 Kgs. 3:5-15. It was God’s gift to Solomon.
In chapter tow of the book of Proverbs Solomon urges his son to pay attention to wisdom and understanding.
Speaker: Brian Loughmiller
Today is the Lord’s Day. The day of his resurrection. We remember The Lord’s death burial and resurrection every first day of the week.
I want us to look a text this morning, and I am going to let the author do the preaching for me. The text begins in Luke 22:39. I can’t preach it better than Luke wrote it. So let’s read the account of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection today.
Speaker: Brian Loughmiller
We have all had the opportunity to watch little toddlers learning to walk. We watch them wobble left and right. Grabbing hold of things to keep their balance. They often fall but they are well padded and usually stagger back up, ready to go again. Sometimes they have scars that remind them of the tumble they took as a child but they always pick themselves up off the floor. They keep persisting in this new adventure until they no longer wobble or loose their balance.
As Christians we are learning to walk; learning to walk in the light of God’s word; allowing the word to illumine our pathway, Ps. 119:105. Learning to walk like Jesus by following in His footsteps, 1 Peter 2:21.
Speaker: Brian Loughmiller
How many ties have you seen a television commercial, a TV program, a movie or a possibly experienced in your own lives the scene where a man is lost and he refuses to consult a map because he says, “I know the way, I don’t need a map.” So often we attribute this characteristic to a man because he is proud of his ability yo do certain things. This type of pride can affect both men and women in that they believe they know the way and that their way is the best way
When it comes to religion there are so many voices saying, “My way is the true way.” “My way is the better way.” ‘You go your way and I’ll go mine and we’ll get to heaven at the very same time.” In Chinese Taoism (Daoism), tao (dao) means way or road. It is a religion that claims to tell the way reality is to be perceived, a religion that says its way is best.
Christianity calls itself “the way” as in a way to live or a way to be living in, yet it makes a far bolder claim. It claims that Jesus is the way.
Speaker: Brian Loughmiller
Paul is in Athens, surrounded by all these idols and idol worshipers. How does he handle this situation? Does he take a hammer and start destroying these idols? No, he reasons with them from the scriptures.
How should we, those proclaiming to be Christians today, handle similar situations when we are among those who do not agree with our biblical world view?
Speaker: Brian Loughmiller
I stand of awe of my Creator! One of our favorite place to visit when we lived in NM was the small town of Ruidoso, NM and Sierra Blanca – Ski Apache. Just seeing the mountain driving in from the east was awe inspiring. I have also walked the rim of the Capulin volcano, a dead volcano in northeastern NM. Just in my limited travels I have stood amazed at the glorious scenes of God’s handiwork.
I stand in awe of God even more so because of the scriptures that reveal Him to us. God has revealed Himself to us not only in His creation but also through the written word.
Speaker: Brian Loughmiller
Do we love God because of what we do for him? Or, do we love God for what He has done for us? Do we live like the apostle Paul before he was converted or after his conversion? Have we gone through the transformation of our hearts necessary to live like Paul?
Have we figured it out like the Paul? We no linger live to ourselves, we live through faith in Jesus Christ. We love God because He first loved us. We love God because of what He has done for us.