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Proverbs 6.6-11 There’s an animal called the sloth. It’s a mammal that lives mostly in trees and feeds mainly on leaves. It sleeps, eats, travels, and even gives birth, while hanging upside down. Sloths move only when they have to, and when they do, it’s normally very slowly. Amazingly, infant sloths hang onto their mother’s … Read more
GreetingMy name is Joleen and I am a sinner. (response: “My name is ______ and I am a sinner.) Is that statement more of a reality than when we first started this series? We are looking at the 7 Deadly Sins, not so we can identify them in the lives of others, but so we … Read more
This sermon is part of the tuesday evening Community Lenten Series.Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled/satisfied.Matthew 5.6 Hungry?Do you know what it means to be hungry? To be truly hungry? I don’t mean that little grumble in your stomach between mealtimes. I mean gnawing at you, hunger. … Read more
Name that Coach! In college basketball, the name of this Coach is synonymous with greatness and winning. This Coach is one who represents high principles, expectations and demands for his players, his coaching staff and, most of all, himself. But he is foremost an educator. His ability to teach young men the game of basketball … Read more
Think about your recent experiences of anger: were they justified? Are there certain common things that tend to make you angry? On a scale of 1-10, how much do you struggle with anger? “Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.” (Benjamin Franklin) Anger is not always wrong … “Anger is … Read more
During Lent we are tracking through the “7 Deadly Sins”: pride, envy, anger, sloth, avarice, lust, and gluttony. We are spending this time dealing with the sin our lives because “Sin is real, and it’s a part of each of us” (Dunnam & Reisman). Last week, we looked at pride, the itch for recognition, and … Read more
Proverbs 14.30Galatians 5.15-21 The sin of the evil eyeEnvy defined: from the Latin, “to look maliciously upon.” The New Testament Greek literally means “to have an evil eye.” Saul and David 1 Samuel 18.5-9, “Saul killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” This made Saul angry “So Saul eyed David from that day on.” … Read more
The seriousness of sinIt is the tradition at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for anyone who speaks to begin by saying, “I am name and I am an alcoholic.” Maybe we in the Christian community should begin in a similar way: “Hi. I’m Joleen and I’m a sinner.” (from “Rebuilding Your Broken World” by Gordon MacDonald.) Sin … Read more
Good morning. I’m Randy and I am a sinner. Today (the first Sunday of Lent) we begin a new series on the “7 Deadly Sins.” The seven deadly sins, a list that began developing as early as the fourth century, are pride, envy, anger, sloth, avarice (greed), lust, and gluttony. As you think about this … Read more
We’re back from Phoenix. Our last day there (Sunday) was incredible — 82 degrees! We landed in Pittsburgh shortly after noon on Mondy as it began to snow. We drove home in light snow and 25-degree weather. Talk about a rude awakening! One of our assignments upon returning from Phoenix has been to write and … Read more