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Some of you will know those words from Frank Sinatra’s famous song, but they really aren’t original with him. Humans have been wanting to do things their own way for a long time. Perhaps you have struggled with wanting things your own way even today. We do have a lot of freedom over our own “kingdom,” but living in community means having to surrender once in a while. We are created beings, and we are dependent on numerous entities, especially God, our gracious Creator and Sustainer.

We sure hear a lot about how people choose to identify these days. I think it is getting out of control. Men are men. Women are women. Humans are humans. Some things are simply not a choice. I was born a male so I identify as a male. I am a human so I identify as a human. It seems pretty basic.

In the late 1800’s, Princeton professor B.B. Warfield wrote, “Christianity is a historical religion, and a Christianity wholly unrelated to historical occurrences is just no Christianity at all.” History matters. Even people that ignore Christianity remind us that if we ignore history, we are bound to repeat it.

That’s actually the title of a book by a guy named Klyne Snodgrass. It’s the most comprehensive book on the Parables of Jesus that I have ever read. It’s heavy. Both in content and in weight. Mr. Snodgrass reminds the reader periodically that Jesus told stories on purpose.

Have you ever been bitter? Emotional bitterness is caused by sorrow, betrayal, or deep pain. It can be accompanied by cynicism and resentment, even hatred. In reality, bitterness is quite dangerous. Not only can it make us harsh toward others, it can even affect us emotionally and spiritually.