Podcast

A Glorious Interruption (Podcast)

Chris

Part 2. On the night of Jesus’ birth, the angel could have made the announcement to anyone in Bethlehem. Yet God sent him to interrupt the otherwise ordinary evening of some dirty, smelly Shepherds out in the fields. What made them so worthy of the message and the glory of Heaven?

We should find ourselves constantly amazed at the glory of God, but our lives don’t tend to allow us to see it. God interrupts our lives to get our attention. The interruption of the angel was the result of one simple truth in the lives of the Shepherds. Without it, few would have marked the birth of the Messiah.

http://www.audiomack.com/embed4/chrismackinnon/a-glorious-interruption

(If you do not see the audio player, CLICK HERE to view the full post.)

Christian Living

Don’t Stop Going to Church because of Stupid People

Chris

Yeah, I said it. You read that word correctly. I said “stupid”. Let’s face it folks, there are a lot of stupid people out there. They’re on our highways, in our workplaces, and they even find their way into our churches.

Merriam-Webster has a definition of “stupid” to help us understand what we’re talking about here. Their online dictionary describes “stupid” as “slow of mind … given to unintelligent decisions or acts : acting in an unintelligent or careless manner.”

Have you bumped into careless, slow thinking people at church? While every pastor is quick to say yes, most churchgoers can probably think of one or two or a dozen people fitting stupid’s description. So can a lot of former churchgoers. Most of those former worshipers can probably tell you a story of how stupid got between them and the church, and ultimately between them and God.

Aside from a lack of interest in living God’s way, stupid people are a big reason people walk out the door never to return. Please, don’t do that. Don’t listen to the lie telling you stupid people aren’t worth sitting in the room with. To walk away because of them is unbiblical, and will actually do more harm than good.

Continue reading “Don’t Stop Going to Church because of Stupid People” →

Podcast

The Sign of the Impossible (Podcast)

Chris

Part 1. Are you bored with Christmas? We can come up with a lot of excuses or a lot of other people to blame, but when we get disillusioned with Christmas it’s our own fault. In our personal lives we find ways to keep Christmas fresh and alive. Why not our spiritual lives?

Maybe we’ve lost sense of the wonder of it all. It’s time to renew the amazement of Christmas by getting a good look at the awesomeness of our great God and the glory of Christ’s coming. After all, with God all things are possible. It wasn’t a new message at Christmas, just revisited.

http://www.audiomack.com/embed4-thin/chrismackinnon/the-sign-of-the-impossible

(If you do not see the audio player, CLICK HERE to view the full post.)

Podcast

What If We Change the Way We Give? (Podcast)

Chris

Conclusion. The last of three personal “What If” questions finishes this series about the work of the Bible in our lives. It means looking beyond what we give to explore giving. The Bible shows God places tremendous value on the way we give.

Our giving has greater repercussions than the balance in our checkbook. Biblical giving involves faith toward and a change in attitude towards others. One unique element of giving cures our human selfishness and opens the door for Heaven’s increase in our lives.

http://www.audiomack.com/embed4/chrismackinnon/what-if-we-change-the-way-we-give

(If you do not see the audio player, CLICK HERE to view the full post.)

Church Life, Podcast

What If We Change the Way We Speak? (Podcast)

Chris

Part 4. The Bible describes the tongue, the words we speak, as “a restless evil.” God has a standard, not just for how we live but how we speak. What comes out of our mouths reveals what is built in our hearts. But it doesn’t just affect ourselves, it has the power to feed or harm others. We must come to grips with a specific struggle with our words that hits our lives with disastrous effect.

http://www.audiomack.com/embed4/chrismackinnon/what-if-we-change-the-way-we-speak

(If you do not see the audio player, CLICK HERE to view the full post.)