Pearls From Peace

Using the LASSIE method from Everyone His Witness, we find that being a witness means we Listen, Ask, Seek, Share, Invite, and Encourage. As we look at what it means to be a witness in our world, we see that it happens in the context of relationships. Relationships built on communication. We've already heard about the listening and asking parts, and now we hear about seeking: seeking points of con...

In order for us to see what Jesus is up to in our lives or the lives of those around us, we need to understand what Jesus has always been up to. Jesus came to usher in the kingdom of God - his work of redeeming and restoring all creation back to his Father.

Using the LASSIE method from Everyone His Witness, we find that being a witness means we Listen, Ask, Seek, Share, Invite, and Encourage. As we look at what it means to be a witness in our world, we see that it happens in the context of relationships. Relationships built on communication. We've already heard about the listening part, and now we hear about asking: asking questions that encourage di...

We have a God who listens. He listens to the cries of His people and has compassion for them. God calls us to do the same with all those He puts in our lives. Let love start with listening.

Using the LASSIE method from Everyone His Witness, we find that being a witness means we Listen, Ask, Seek, Share, Invite, and Encourage. As we look at what it means to be a witness in our world, we have to go where witnessing begins and ends: with Jesus. As a 12-year-old boy Jesus, what did Jesus do? He listened. He sat and listened to the religious leaders in the temple, He asked questions, and...

Sometimes we value efficiency over people. It happens to all of us. Jesus values people and enjoys them. “He came eating and drinking. . .” In loving us, He showed us how to be a friend and love others.

John's Gospel concludes with him mentioning that if you took all the things that Jesus did that aren't recorded, and write them down, the world does not have enough room for all those books. We can speculate all day about what kinds of things those books would contain. What matters for us, though, is that what God's Word, His book, the Bible, does contain all we NEED to know about who Jesus is and...

Jesus wants us to continue to follow Him on His mission to redeem the world. He appears to His disciples by the Sea of Galilee to remind them to keep following Him in being fishers of men.

After His resurrection from the dead, and another fish miracle by the Sea, Jesus shares a meal with some disciples and has an important conversation with Peter. As we think about Peter’s denial of and his love for, Jesus, we’ll see what we can learn from this story and what it means for our own lives.

What makes this miracle any different than the Feeding of the 5,000. We'll take a look at those differences and what it meant for the people who received the miracle, how Jesus had compassion on the crowd, and what it means for us today, and the compassion He has for us.

When we feel God is absent from our lives and the storm clouds are rolling in here are 4 big assurances we learn from the story of Jesus walking on the water.

The Parable of the Sower is more about the Sower's seeds and what happens after they land than it is about the actual Sower. The seed is the Word of God and in the four different seed fallings and their subsequent reactions, we can see how we, and the world around us, respond to the Word of God. In the Sower, we can learn something about sharing the Word of God with others.

Jesus does the impossible in the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. God provides. He sends us into the world on an impossible mission. God provides.

As we journey with Jesus by the Sea, a man by the name of Jairus asks Jesus to heal his daughter. On the way to the house, the little girl dies and when Jesus tells those gathered at the house that she is not dead, but asleep, they laugh at Him. This is not the first time someone has laughed at God, and maybe we have done it ourselves. But God's response to being laughed at/mocked might not be wha...

There is more wheat than weeds in a field. That’s why we call it a wheat field and not a weed field. Our world is good, but evil rears it’s ugly head time and time again. What will God do about it?

As we journey with Jesus by the Sea, He gets out of the boat and we see Him surrounded by a great crowd of people. Amidst the multitude, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years reached out and touched Jesus' clothes and was healed. As we journey in our lives, do we recognize who Jesus is, do we see the power of what He has done for us, and do we come to dwell with Him, be in His presence, a...

As we journey with Jesus by the Sea, we see Him calm the storm on the Sea of Galilee by bringing peace on it. As we journey in our lives, we all face storms of different kinds, and Jesus is still there to bring us His peace.

Jesus casts out thousands of demons from one man. What does that have to do with us? Often we feel conflicted or troubled or tormented from within or without. We might not see it as being possessed but quite often we are not happy with ourselves for lots of reasons. The reasons don’t matter. What matters is that if Jesus has the power over demons, then He can help us in torments and troubles and p...

As we journey with Jesus by the Sea, we see Him call Levi (Matthew), the tax collector, to come and follow Him. He joins the other disciples and begins ministry with them and Jesus, we don't hear about the history of who they are and where they come from. Not that it doesn't matter, but what matters most is the mission of Christ, and what He has called them to.

Jesus wants all people to be saved. He calls Peter, an ordinary Charlie Brown-type businessman, from catching fish to catching people. If you’d ever wonder if God can use you, then listen to this story.

The Gospel of Matthew ends the same way that it began: that God is with us always, to the very end of the age. A message and promise that we can take to the world, as we baptize and teach.

The Holy Spirit removes the barriers that stand in the way of the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ and His Church. If He does that for the Church, He will do that for you.

The Teacher reminds us to remember our Creator by hearing His Word, which comes to us and brings pleasure, pain, perspective, and preparedness.

As we wrap up the book of Ecclesiastes, we will read the concluding sentences of the author; see what words of wisdom we can be left with; and how it applies to our lives today.

The big lesson that Solomon is driving at in this section aimed at the young is “Fear God, and do what you want.” Live! To God’s Glory! Before the troubles of aging sets in.