Reflections for Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving dinner is a time to reflect on the year and thank God for all the ways He has blessed us. Here are some thoughts on thankfulness from the Bible to help you thank God this year:

1. Being thankful reveals where we are spiritually (Rom 1:21).

2. Being thankful has nothing to do with how much we have or don’t have. 

3. Being thankful is very different from being pleased with ourselves and our own accomplishments (Luke 12:16-20). 

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 How to Comfort Others

What’s the best way to comfort someone in pain? How can we comfort those who are experiencing real hurt? Most of us aren’t born with a skill set for comforting people in pain. In fact, statistics show that we’re actually getting worse at comforting other people. From the year 2000 to 2010 the ability to empathize dropped 40% among college students. That means that a huge segment of our population has gotten worse at showing concern. With the rise of technology and entertainment, we’re forgetting how to be kind. 

What is the Gospel?

What is the gospel? My first semester at seminary I showed up feeling called by God to become a pastor and I couldn't say what the gospel was. Sure I had an idea. Isn't the gospel that we're "saved by faith" or that "Jesus rose again"? The word gospel comes from the Greek word that means "good news." Mark 1:1 tells us the gospel is "the good news about Jesus the Messiah." So what about Jesus' life and ministry is good news for us?