Growing Closer to God Through the Storms of Life Psalm 29:1-11 We encountered a storm this weekend. Storms are common here in the Ozarks. I grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast. The kind of storms that you encounter there are not the same that you encounter here in the winter. The sounds of the storm late Friday night were very unique. This psalm describe the power of a storm. But more than the power of the storm, there is... Read more
Start Off On the Right Foot With God This Year 1 Kings 3:1-15 We start a new year, and many people take this time to make new starts. Some may go on after-Christmas diets. Others may make new resolutions or plans. Here, we see Solomon making a similar new start. Solomon has been coronated as the new king. One might think that Solomon has made some missteps. We see that he has married the daughter of the Pharaoh or king... Read more
God Is With Me at HOME for the Holidays Psalm 23:6 Here is a literal back-translation to English of Psalm 23 (“The Lord is My Shepherd”) as understood by the Khmus tribe of Laos:1 The Great Boss is the one who takes care of my sheep; I don’t want to own anything. The Great Boss wants me to lie down in the field. He wants me to go to the lake. He makes my good spirit come back. Even though... Read more
God Is With Me to Celebrate Psalm 23:5 Leslie B. Flynn points out that the main part of hospitality is hospital. He writes, “Ancient travelers, whether pilgrims or businessmen, fared poorly when venturing beyond their own country. Thus, religious leaders established international guest houses in the fifth century. These havens were called “hospice” from hospes, Latin for “guests.” With the coming of the Crusades, the importance of the hospice increased greatly. Pilgrims, crusaders, and other travelers found hospices, by this... Read more
God Is With Me in the Valleys of Life Psalm 23:4 The Government is my shepherd, Therefore, I need not work. It allows me to lie down on a good job; It leads me beside still factories. It destroys my initiative; It leads me in the path of a parasite for politics’ sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of laziness and deficit spending, I fear no evil; for the Government is with me. It preparest an economic utopia... Read more
Logos Christmas Sale The Christmas Sale runs through 12/31 and features deals like: 20% off all Logos 8 base packages 40% off Advent for Everyone (3 vols.) – now $17.99 40% off Mobile Ed: TH241 Christology: The Doctrine of Christ (7 hour course) – now $149.99 Logos is the best Bible software in the market today. The parent company Faithlife provides a wide assortment of resources for the digital world. You can use Logos on a PC, Mac, smartphone, or... Read more
Embracing the Dignity of Work 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 Have you ever known someone so caught up in his or her work that family, health, and everything meaningful was neglected? How about the opposite extreme? Have you known or seen someone who was downright lazy, who had no ambition, no drive to achieve, produce, or provide? Unfortunately, society is full of both extremes. On one hand, you have workaholics. On the other hand, you have bums avoiding work. Both of these... Read more
God Is With Me on the Path of Renewal Psalm 23:1-3 The Lord is my Pace-setter, I shall not rush; He makes me to stop and rest for quiet intervals. He provides me with images of stillness, which restores my serenity. He leads me in ways of efficiency, through calmness of mind. And His guidance is my peace. Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day I will not fret, for His presence is here. His... Read more
The Interfaith Family Journal by Susan Katz Miller The Interfaith Family Journal is not specifically designed for someone of just one faith. In truth, it is a journal designed for postmodern families who want to explore other faiths outside of Christianity. As Miller notes: “While many previous books on interfaith families have assumed an audience of Christian and Jewish heterosexual couples, this journal consciously strives to decenter white Christian heteronormativity, and to work for people and families representing any number... Read more
Give Thanks in Whatever I Do Colossians 3:15-17 Back during the dark days of 1929, a group of ministers in the Northeast gathered to discuss how they should conduct their Thanksgiving Sunday services. Things were about as bad as they could get, with no sign of relief. The bread lines were long, the stock market had crashed, and the Great Depression described both the economy and the attitude of the day. Some thought that they should only lightly touch upon... Read more
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