Revelation 9:1-12 Demons On Parole At Louisiana State University, Ricky McAlister acquired a small green New Testament from the Gideons, but stashed it away unread. Later, packing for a fishing trip, he tossed it into his gear for good luck. With two buddies, he drove through the night, arriving at their fishing spot early Monday morning. The weather was hot, the fish weren’t biting, and Ricky got nothing but a blistering sunburn. Ditto Tuesday. Finally, the guys gave up and... Read more
Psalm 20:1-9 Trusting God in Prayer Living next to the Gulf Coast has sensitized me to “the calm before the storm,” that eerie moment of silence just before the winds and rains crash in upon us. The skies become leaden. The wind subsides momentarily. The smell of rain is in the air. It is as if nature pauses before its holocaust breaks loose. Similarly, life has its moments of calm. Battlefields lie quiet; then the bombardment begins. Anxious reporters freeze... Read more
April 12, 2016 Psalm 78:70-72 To be successful in Christian leadership, you need to have: 1. Calling (Psalm 78:70) The issue of calling is important in determining the role of a leader (Psalm 78:70). Everyone’s journey is different. God’s call is individualized. Jeff Iorg, President of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, identifies four calls for the Christian: FOUR CALLS FOR THE CHRISTIAN 1. Salvation 2. Ministry 3. Leadership 4. Particular Place There is the call of leadership, then a show... Read more
My Help My Help is a simple thought Lectionary reflection from Psalm 121:1-8. April 11, 2016 Year C Psalm 121:1-8 My dad has a farm where he raises cattle. At various times he employs people to help him with the work. Just like many other farmers in the area, he hires “the help” to assist in doing the work. The farmer may not get all of the work done in time and so he needs help. Perhaps the job takes... Read more
Revelation 8:1-13 In the Center of God’s Hurricane of Judgment We begin this chapter with a pause. We have seen the intensity of the seal judgments and the preparation of God’s people. Now we come to a pause. I have been in the middle of a hurricane on many occasions when I lived in Texas on the Gulf Coast. When a hurricane passes by, normally it moves from a southerly direction going northward. When the storm hits, the rains may... Read more
Deuteronomy 4:15-20 Worship the One True God We live in a world that is obsessed with form. We lose weight to have the right body form. We take selfies because we like our face to be noticed. We wear makeup and cut our hair to make sure that people can see our correct form. On the other hand, God doesn’t go through this trouble. Why is that? The one true God is formless. ““For your own good, be extremely careful—because... Read more
From Woe to Wow April 8, 2016 Year C Isaiah 5:11-17 As God shares with Isaiah the conditions of the people of Israel, He begins by descending. God says “Woe” which is a word that describes a state of disappointment. God is disappointed with His people. Here are five ways in which I show God disappointment: 1. I waste God’s time on useless pursuits (Isaiah 5:11) In this case, the people were spending all day from early in the morning... Read more
Homebrewed Christianity by Tripp Fuller Homebrewed Christianity by Tripp Fuller is a postmodern critique of the study of Christianity. In this initial volume, Fuller critiques Evangelical Christology. The subtitle (Lord, Liar, Lunatic, or Awesome?) itself a critique on the question about Christ developed by C.S. Lewis. Fuller uses a hermeneutic of suspicion throughout the book. Fuller begins with a good definition of postmodern thought – what he calls consciousness. There are five elements which shape postmodern consciousness (13-15): Historical consciousness... Read more
Revelation 7:1-17 Prepared for Protection We have seen God reveal to John the Risen and returning Messiah ready to come and take possession and power over the Earth. We have seen Jesus speak to the churches about the present persecution and to be prepared for His return. We have seen the first set of six seals which open up the events on Earth to be ready for the judgment of God. Now we come to a pause. In many adventure... Read more
Psalm 136:1-26 God’s Love “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1, ESV) We just sang the song “Forever” which comes from this psalm. When I hear and sing that song, I am reminded of an experience as pastor of the International Baptist Church in Bremen. We had a young man who was baptized, and he requested the song “Forever.” When it came time for the song to be sung, he... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In