February 10, 2020 · 6:59 am

Word of the Week: Reconciliation

When Elizabeth Barrett married the famous British poet and playwright Robert Browning in 1846 her wealthy parents who disapproved of her marriage were so upset they disowned and disinherited her.

The couple settled far from their homes in Florence, Italy. Elizabeth loved her mother and father and desperately desired to be reconciled with them. For 10 years she wrote eloquent, expressive and loving letters several times a month to her parents with no response. However, one day she received a package from them. Continue reading →

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February 8, 2020 · 4:08 am

Weekly Recap: February 3-7

 

In case you missed any posts from ThePreachersWord from the past week, here is a brief summary and the quick links to get you caught up.

 

Word of the Week:  Pattern

“There are no such thing as a pattern for a church and Jesus did not build any church,” posted someone on facebook recently.  Is there a pattern?  Is “pattern” a Bible word?

 

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February 7, 2020 · 8:03 am

Jesus’ Answer To A Politically Polarized Nation

Charles Dickens’s depiction of 19th century Europe in his classic “Tale of Two Cities,” seems in some ways to describe the incredible times in which we live.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness…”

Our country enjoys unequaled prosperity, incredible opportunities, and according to a recent Gallup Poll, 90% of Americans are satisfied with their personal life. Yet, it seems more than ever, we are polarized politically socially, religiously, and morally. Continue reading →

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February 6, 2020 · 8:30 am

Does God Harden People’s Hearts?

Does the sovereignty of God override a person’s personal decisions?

Our Bible reading this week covers the first 15 chapters of Exodus that describe Israel’s descent into Egyptian slavery. The birth of Moses. God’s call for him to lead Israel out of Egypt to the promised land. And God’s message to Pharaoh “Let my people go.”

As God predicted, Pharaoh refused and the 10 plagues were brought upon the Egyptians before the King finally relented and allowed them to leave. Challenging our thinking about the character of God are the passages that say, “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” Continue reading →

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February 5, 2020 · 8:01 am

A Passage To Ponder: Ephesians 1

Henrietta “Hetty” Green who died in 1916 has been called “America’s Greatest Miser,” yet may have been the world’s richest woman. She left an estate valued at over $100 million, which would be the equivalent of $2-3 billion today.

According to Wikipedia Green’s stinginess was legendary. She was said never to turn on the heat or use hot water. She wore one old black dress and undergarments that she changed only after they had been worn out; she did not wash her hands and she rode in an old carriage. She ate mostly pies that cost fifteen cents. Continue reading →

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February 4, 2020 · 7:57 am

Ten Questions About Our Entertainment Choices

“Highly sexualized.” “Trashy.” “Sexual exploitation.” “Soft-core porn.” “A horrible embarrassment.”

These are just a few of the descriptions I read on social media regarding the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Latin pop artists Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.

I didn’t realize how raunchy the performance was until the next morning when I read so many accounts of people disgusted by the skimpy costumes, seductive gyrating and sexy choreography. Continue reading →

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February 3, 2020 · 7:44 am

Word of the Week: Pattern

“There are no such thing as a pattern for a church and Jesus did not build any church.”

I saw the above statement on a recent facebook post. Ironically, it was posted by the administrator of a “church of Christ” facebook group. I can’t get into the mind of the man posting it, but I can get into the Word and learn that there is such a concept as a Biblical pattern. Continue reading →

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February 1, 2020 · 4:44 am

Weekly Recap: 1-26/1-31

In case you missed any posts from ThePreachersWord from the past week, here is a brief summary and the quick links to get you caught up

 

Word of the Week: Life

In the wake of the shocking news of Kobe Bryant’s tragic death, this post reflects on the brevity, importance, and purpose of our lives.

 

 

How To Never Lose Sight of Heaven

Continuing our theme of 20/20 Vision: Restoring our Focus, we explore how we can keep our eyes fixed on our heavenly goal by following Paul’s example in 2Corinthians 4:16-18

 

A Passage To Ponder:  Genesis 34:5-7

What is the role of God’s providence in our lives?  This post considers the life of the Patriarch  Joseph and how God used the events of his life, both good and bad, to accomplish his purpose.

 

 

 

Joseph:  A Great example of Forgiveness

“To err is human; to forgive is divine,” penned the Britsh poet Alexander Pope.  There’s no better example of divine forgiveness for us that Joseph forgiving his brothers for their evil attitudes and actions.

 

Am I in the Place of God?

This is the third of three posts on the life of Joseph that raises an important question for us in the decisions we make and the attitude we have toward God and His Word.

 

Have a good day.  And a great weekend

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

 

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January 31, 2020 · 7:16 am

Am I in the Place of God?

Our Bible reading today records the death of the Patriarch Jacob and the procession from Egypt to Canaan for his burial. (Gen 49-50)

After Joseph and his brothers return to Egypt, they were fearful, now that their father was dead, Joseph would exact revenge on them for selling him into slavery. So they sent a messenger to Joseph to remind him of their father’s wishes for Joseph to forgive them for their terrible wrong toward him. In fact, his brothers literally fell down on their faces and begged, “Behold we are your servants.” Continue reading →

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January 30, 2020 · 7:19 am

Joseph–A Great Example of Forgiveness

“To err is human, to forgive is divine,” penned the famed British poet, Alexander Pope.

Other than Jesus’ forgiveness of his enemies as He hung on the cross, there is perhaps no greater Bible example of divine forgiveness than the Genesis narrative when Joseph forgives his brothers.

In yesterday’s post, we discussed how Joseph recognized God’s providence in life. His father’s favoritism that resulted in his brothers envy and ultimately being sold as a slave all worked out for good in the end. Continue reading →

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