Four weeks of Advent anticipation brought us to this moment, Christmas is upon us. Many of us will gather for worship tonight, celebrating the birth of Jesus. Many families will make time for private worship to bless one another in celebration of God’s great love. Many people will not see the spiritual reality playing out before them. Like the multitudes in Bethlehem two millennia ago, […]
Confidence is a good thing, arrogance is not. Confidence grows from a place of faith and trust. Arrogance is an expression of pride. When it comes to expressions of our spiritual life, confidence demonstrates the great hope and strength that flows from a life of faith. It is encouraging and inviting, expressing the reason for the hope we have in God. Spiritual arrogance amplifies attention […]
In the face of challenges, embrace the possibilities of the new year.
I’ve never been a fan of my mistakes. I know I am not perfect, but I think I often expect that of myself. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement said we were, “going on to perfection.” It is both a destination and a journey, and likely, a journey that lasts a lifetime. At times, we can expect too much from others, but hopefully, we […]
Imagine this scenario. You arrive at the doctor’s office after taking a fall, with sharp pain in your arm. The doctor examines you, runs a few tests, and takes X-rays of your arm. After looking at the results, she informs you that your arm is broken and that is the cause of your pain. You wait but nothing happens. You ask about your broken arm, […]
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:31-32 Clutter, it accumulates easily, and as it does, it becomes a bigger impediment to our lives. Spiritual clutter, restricts our growth and hampers our faith. One person […]
“Remember, I am with you always” – Matthew 28:20 Today, is a good day! It’s not a holiday, or a family celebration, and I have idea what it will bring. So far, the morning included a shower, breakfast, and some coffee, but I know it is a good day. You may wonder how I know and the answer is simple, Jesus is with me. It […]
I lift up my eyes to the hills – from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2 NRSV Yesterday morning, our internet went out. It seems a tree fell somewhere and took the line down with it. While the temporary loss was no tragedy, it did cause some significant impact on my plans […]
Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth. – Psalm 86:11a ESV Recently, we experienced a major storm, one filled with lightning and thunder, and significant rainfall. The storm started while my wife and I were at a church meeting and continued for several hours. As we opened the doors to leave, we knew we would get very wet on […]
In the last series of posts I wrote, one person commented about a distinction between God using our negative circumstances and God causing them. The latter was hard for them to embrace. I originally planned to respond to the comment in my post the following week in May 2015, and then, life took a serious change. As I approached the end of May, I started […]