Sermons and Biblical Studies

Topics: Death; Grief; Mourning; Sorrow; Worldliness References: Matthew 5:4; 1 Corinthians 7:29–30; 1 Thessalonians 4:13 When his dog dies, Johnny, five, bursts out crying. His dog has been his constant companion; it slept at the foot of his bed. Now the dog is gone, and little Johnny is a basket case. Johnny’s dad stammers a … Continue reading “BAD
GRIEVING INSTRUCTIONS”

Topics: Death; Devotion; Emotions; Eternal Life; Faith; Grief; Heaven; Hope; Loss; Love; Marriage; Mortality; Perspective; Promises; Spouses References: 2 Samuel 14:14; Psalm 116:15; John 11:25–26; 14:1–6; Romans 6:23; 14:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 1 Peter 1:3 As he reflected on the death of his beloved wife, Margaret, Lyman Coleman wrote the following: The most painful decision … Continue reading “HONEY,
I MISS YOU”

Topics: Danger; Family; Fear; Habits; Sin; Temptation; Thoughts References: Matthew 5:29–30; 26:41; 1 Timothy 6:9; 1 Peter 5:8 One Sunday afternoon in December of 2005, Pedro Sainvil’s children, who had been outside playing in the snow, came rushing into the house screaming, “Dad, there’s a bear under the house!” Sainvil discovered that day that a … Continue reading “WHEN
A BEAR LURKS”

Topics: Adversity; Hardship; Science; Suffering References: Job 23:10; Isaiah 48:10; 2 Corinthians 4:17 For two years, scientists sequestered themselves in an artificial environment called Biosphere 2. Inside their self-sustaining community, the Biospherians created a number of mini-environments, including a desert, rain forest, and ocean. Nearly every weather condition could be simulated except one: wind. Over … Continue reading “HOW
ADVERSITY STRENGTHENS US”

Topics: Mourning; Pain; Sorrow References: Matthew 5:4; John 16:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:13 What should people do when dealing with loss? I recently asked a seasoned Christian counselor about that. “I tell them to feel their feelings,” she said. “But I also urge people to reduce radically the pace of their lives. I urge them to … Continue reading “RUNNING
FROM PAIN”

Topics: Coping; Forgetting; Grief; Memories; Pain; Sorrow References: Job 16:12; John 16:20; 2 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:13 Fifty years ago, industrialists thought they could just bury toxic waste and it would go away. We have since learned it doesn’t just go away. Toxic waste leaks into the water table, contaminates crops, and kills animals. … Continue reading “LEAKING
GRIEF”

Topics: Confusion; Faith; Fear; Happiness; Worry References: Matthew 6:25–34; 2 Corinthians 4:16–18; Philippians 4:6–7 A dense fog covering seven city blocks to a depth of a hundred feet condensed into water wouldn’t quite fill a drinking glass. That’s according to the U.S. Bureau of Standards. Like fog, our worries can thoroughly block our vision of … Continue reading “THE
FOG OF WORRY”

Topics: Anxiety; Stress; Women References: Matthew 6:25–34; Philippians 4:6 Women are stressed; that’s for sure. Here’s what they say about how often they are stressed: •     all the time: 8 percent •     almost every day: 21 percent •     once/twice a week: 29 percent •     a few times a month: 31 percent •     a few days a year: 11 percent —USA … Continue reading “WOMEN
AND STRESS”

Topics: Anxiety; Illness; Peace; Security in God; Stress; Trust; Worry References: Psalm 55:22; Matthew 11:30; 1 Peter 5:7 In times of emotional stress, a hormone, neuropeptide Y (NPY), is released into the body. This hormone undermines the body’s immune system and literally makes you sick. That’s what a team of Australian researchers at Sydney’s Garvan … Continue reading “STRESS
MAKES YOU SICK”

Topics: Emotions; Failure; Human Condition; Limitations; Psychology; Regret References: 1 Kings 19:1–9; John 21:15–19 Failures take on a life of their own because the brain remembers incomplete tasks or failures longer than success or completed activity. That is called the “Zeigarnik effect.” When a project or a thought is completed, the brain places it in … Continue reading “THE
ZEIGARNIK EFFECT”