For Faith
Scary
Ghosts and Goblins, costumes, masks, tricks, treats, and frights are all part of Halloween. Halloween’s thrill is to feel scared without actually experiencing any real danger or threat. Candy too. But, what’s scary for me, aren’t the ghosts and goblins but the...
Opposition
Following Jesus, proclaiming Jesus, loving like Jesus has always elicited opposition. St. Paul makes this clear in the first letter he ever wrote. The first thing he says that causes opposition is speaking in a fashion that puts pleasing God above pleasing people....
Range
We talk about God as being Almighty-matchless in power! Think of God also as having the greatest range-peerless in scope, span, and sweep of love. Cue the Diana Ross hit, “Ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no valley low enough… to keep me from you.” That’s what...
Atheists
When the church is aflame with bitter political partisanship rather than the fire of the love of God, then functionally we have become atheists. That kind of church is an offense to the example and teachings of Christ. That kind of church is at best a group of...
Page 2
Some of us have got some pretty impressive resumes: schools, organizations, companies, boards, etc. St. Paul had a pretty impressive resume too: right family, right location, right kind of spiritual practice. But, what he clearly commends for the Christian is a second...
Recount
We are too much the subject of our preaching and talking in the church. God is the protagonist of our story not us. By the grace of God, you and I have been swept up in the truth of God. And, the most true thing about God is that “God is love!” You and I are the...
Exchange
We pray this week for God to help us “not to be anxious about earthly things.” But, if we are honest we're an anxious bunch. The last six months has either caused, revealed or amplified our anxiety about earthly things like: life, livelihood, the safety of our...
In My View
“In my view, Jesus changed lives because he was able to change the way people imagined their lives. He dared them to imagine the stranger as neighbor, the child as teacher, the enemy as mirror, the deity as loving father. He helped them imagine lepers, women, and...
Victory
“Purpose crosses disciplines. Purpose is an essential element of you. It is the reason you are on the planet at this particular time in history. Your very existence is wrapped up in the things you are here to fulfill. Whatever you choose for a career path, remember,...
Just God
There’s Moses, listening and talking to a tree on fire. And then comes the big question and the bigger answer. Moses: “What is your name?” God: “I AM that I AM.” Or, I will be what I will be. Or, I am who I have been and intend to be. Or, I exist and exert myself....