Learning
Growth
Unity
Misery Loves Company
The last year so far has sort of felt like a Bizarro Aladdin and His Magic Lamp. “Tell me your three wishes, and I’ll give you the exact opposite!”
I wished for business to get back to normal, for everyone to come back to church, and for baseball season to come soon.
In-Person Matters
Online church was necessary for a while (and for a few is still necessary). But online church is not church. We cannot love and worship with heart, soul, mind and strength online. The cost of being apart from one another is steeper than we realize. We need physical interaction. Connecting with each other includes looking into someone’s eyes, hearing their voice, sharing their space, their presence.
Stay In Your Own Dog Dish
Take a listen to Proverbs 26:17:
"Like a fool who grabs a mad dog by the ears is the one who meddles in someone else's business."
Get a grip on that picture: A guy has a tight hold on a dog by the ears who is now quite angry. He can't hold on and can't let go. Now, he's stuck. The proverb says we can get just as stuck in a no-win situation when we wade in on a matter we aren't involved in. Stuck.
Women of The Hymnal
I have this old hymnal that I took from church several years back. It says First Baptist Church on the cover and sticking out the side is a mess of color-coded tabs leading to all my favorite hymns. I like to use my hymnal as part my regular morning devotionals, but lately it has become more of a distraction.
Testimony: How People Can See Jesus in Our Stories
I became a Christian my freshman year in college. Naturally, it was my life's most changing experience. And early on in my life with Jesus, I was discipled by a campus ministry to tell others about what Jesus had done in me.
What (or Who) Is Your Obsession? (Part 3)
In Part 2, we looked at five questions that could help us define our true obsession. Now we finish by considering how obsession is worship and how that defines your mission.
Late to Class
A short while back, Claudia forwarded on to me a brief video. Award winning and in a language I don't know, the short captured my heart. I've watched it more than a couple of times. If you will, watch it yourself before you read on. It runs for 4 minutes.
People Don’t Grow Where They’re Planted
During the time it set under our Christmas tree, an Amaryllis stalk sprouted in the small box. No water, no light, no nutrition. A squashed, bent-over stalk.
My Secret Sister left an anonymous gift for me a couple weeks before the December holiday. Since I love the anticipation of opening gifts on Christmas Day almost as much as actually opening gifts on Christmas Day, I set it under our tree for a couple weeks.
And then I opened the gift to the damage I had inadvertently done.
Christian Jihad
In church one morning the message was from Ephesians 6:10 to 18. So in keeping with the message we began with the rousing old hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers”. I’ve sung this great 19th-century English hymn many times.
But how is the message of this hymn perceived by a Muslim?…
What (or Who) Is Your Obsession? (Part 2)
Cartoon Calvin is obsessed. So are you. He has a purpose. So do you. He’s known for something. You are, too. What is it? Here are five questions that could help you discover your obsession.
Our Hope
What gets us through this life? What gets us through the anxiety, sadness, peril, stumbling, stress, and all the unknowns that plague our thoughts? What gets us through the battles and hardships that seem to be our constant companions? Just when we think we have it worse than just about anyone we run across someone who has it worse even still. What gets them through their situations?
Finding a Way Home
As a young boy I loved maps. Still do. For me, African maps were the best and seemed all the things my suburban surroundings were not: exotic, mysterious, dangerous and enticing. I imagined central Africa as nothing but jungle and filled with head-hunters, snakes and wild beasts. Little did I know how varied and wonderful the land and the peoples are in the region.
Sumo Wrestlers
Several dark mornings a week, I woke up with a rather large sumo wrestler standing over me, pulling my stomach into a tight knot of anxiety at the thought of widowhood and how I could afford to stay in this small rental on solely my salary.
Who (or What) Is Your Obsession? (Part 1)
For years I’ve used insight from Calvin-and-Hobbesian theology to illustrate points I’m trying to make in my teachings. This particular brand of Calvin-ism (as contrasted with John’s) is the quintessential representation of the world’s exciting-but-oh-so-bankrupt philosophy of life. Calvin’s obsessions, like ours, defines his purpose.
A Secular Creed (Part 4)
In my fourth and final post in this Secular Creed series, I conclude with three more practical ways to effectively share the gospel in your daily life. Remember to start with prayer and an honest self-assessment of the gospel’s importance in your own life. Review Part 2, which explained how to make small talk and pay attention to where God is working. The last three strategies follow…
It’s Simple: Stay Plugged In
Here's a memo to many of us, who at times just plain forget: We don't get to heaven by doing good things for others and the world. We can't earn brownie points with Jesus if we toil in selfless service. In fact, there is an argument that there really is no such thing as pure altruism, since, the theory goes, that any good done has a motive to make the giver feel better along the way.
My, that's an upbeat thought...
Shackles
Recently, I read Psalm 2:1-4 which says,
“Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.’ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.”
These verses centered me today and calmed me in its reminder that God is sovereign.
I Like Clouds
I like clouds. As a young boy, living on the far west coast of Canada, I remember coming out of our house on the hill and seeing a beautiful dense fog covering the water below. Above, a radiant blue sky. Below, a calm blanket covering the troubled sea. Fog, to me, speaks of peace, tranquility, God's presence. It quiets the heart and obscures every distraction.
A Secular Creed (Part 3)
This is part 3 of my Secular Creed series, in which I present practical strategies for engaging the secular culture around you. Start by praying and evaluating the gospel’s importance in your own life. Then you will be prepared for the next two, as follows.
Talking To Myself
In our adult class at church we are studying a different Psalm each week. After a bit of background and teaching about the content of the song for the day, we gather at tables to discuss observations, questions, and applications for us today. It always proves to be a rich time of dialogue and insight. Recently, we looked at Psalm 57 that relates a time just after David, who was being hounded and tracked by King Saul, hid in a cave in the Engedi.