ATTENTION FOCUS Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies. —Exodus 5:8             This is what Pharaoh said to his slave drivers to try to keep the Israelites from listening to Moses and Aaron and the message our Lord God Almighty had given to them.  The people were not given straw anymore, but had to go out and collect their own.  In doing so they were still required to make the same about of bricks.  More work was required, but they were expected to turn out the same amount of “product.”  Pharaoh’s desire was to keep them busier than ever…

GATHERED TO OUR PEOPLE AT DEATH When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people. —Genesis 49:50             We also will breath our last one day and then we will “be gathered” to our people! This is the great hope that we have. After death we will be with Jesus and all who love Him. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather…

TWO TYPES OF SEEDS, TWO DIFFERENT SOWERS “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his…

FRUIT-BEARING EVIDENCE OF THE FOLLOWER OF JESUS “Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but…

Can Science Explain Everything? (Video)

FAITHFUL SERVICE UNDER ADVERSITY From the time that he put Joseph in charge of his household and all he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household on account of him. —Genesis 39:5 While Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him. He granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden, who put all those held in the prison under Joseph’s authority, so that he was responsible for all that was done there. —Genesis 39:20-22  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Sx_U0Ztr8             He was ripped away from family by his brothers, sold into slavery and then considered dead by them. His father was deceived by these brothers…

DEATH…IS NOT THE END! Now the days of Isaac were 180 years.  And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. —Genesis 35:28-29             Sobering words— “breathed his last… he died… buried him.” This is the fate of all who are born! From the time Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden to the present time— “you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken.   For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Pretty humbling— dirt you…

  THE PRIORITIES OF LOVE Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. —Matthew 10:37-38            Do you love something or someone more than Jesus? Do you love your family more than Jesus? Do you love your spouse more than Jesus? The two great commandments are to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest…

JESUS PROVES HIS WORDS BY HIS ACTIONS Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.  Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?  Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive…

MOURNING WILL CEASE Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.  And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. —Genesis 23:1-2             The death of Sarah was about 4000 years ago. Think of all the mourning that has taken place from that time until now because of all the deaths that have occurred since then. That is a lot of heartache, a lot of tears, a lot of loss…             Death entered the human race when sin entered through the disobedience of Adam and Eve. But “The reason…