It was one of Rev’s earliest sermons as a seminary student. And I should add that we were serving at a very traditional congregation. Rev began by reading the text for his message from Ephesians chapter 6. Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you…
I’ve learned there’s a word that is a notorious lightning rod known for inflaming emotions and prompting strong verbal reactions. What’s the word? Submission! I once brought it up with a group of individuals who were half my age and I thought their heads were going to explode. Many think it’s an archaic idea that…
Have you ever said or done something to someone that you immediately wished you could undo or take back? And to make it even worse . . . this person is someone you really care about. You pause anticipating the reaction you’re going to get but much to your surprise something marvelous happens. This gentle…
I love trees! There is just something about watching trees reach higher into the heavens each and every year. I love the bright green and occasional blossoms of spring, the rich deep green of summer, and the reds, oranges, and yellows that paint the leaves in the fall. And I’m always a little sad to…
Two of my favorite words in the Bible are, “But God…” You and I are sinners “but God’s” love is faithful and unfailing. You and I are weak “but God” is our strength. You and I are disappointed and discouraged “but God” is our helper. People will let us down “but God” is always with…
Are you hard on yourself . . . painfully aware of every failure and shortcoming? When I’m disappointed in myself, it’s easy for me to believe that God is really disappointed in me as well. I imagine Him as a displeased parent because of something I’ve said, done, or thought. Can you relate? Paul began…
Do you ever find yourself joining the Psalmist in wondering… “So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!”? Psalm 73:16 Why does God allow His people to suffer while the wicked appear to prosper? How often have you heard someone ask . . . Why did God?…
I talk to more and more people all the time who say they just can’t watch the news anymore. They simply find themselves too discouraged by the steady message of things that are wrong . . . with crime, protests, riots, and illness. It often feels like the goal is to keep us fearful and…
Do you have something you’ve lifted to God for what seems like forever? You have prayed and prayed and waited and waited . . . but God still hasn’t answered your prayer. Although the desire of your heart is Godly, you’re starting to wonder if it will ever happen. You’re starting to lose hope as…
I wonder how well these words were received when they were read aloud to the congregation: Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Galatians 3:1…
Are you a good person who does “good works”? Are your good works good enough? Even if salvation was based 99.9% on grace, you and I would find ourselves in a terrifying place. How would we ever know for sure that we had done our 0.1%? There would always be a bit of doubt as…
It is often much easier to identify an outright lie than a twisted truth. A twisted truth sounds true . . . almost. But that “almost” can result in a terrible distortion of the complete truth. It was a twisted truth that caused the Apostle Paul to write his letter to the Christians in Galatia….
If you’re like me, when you feel good and your aches and pains aren’t lasting or severe . . . it can be hard to push yourself to go to the doctor for your annual check-up. Although practically every doctor in the universe recommends that we show up for our regular poking and prodding and…
I trimmed our rose bushes this morning and even though I wore gardening gloves, the thorns poked and scratched my hands and arms. So, as I sat down to take a closer look at 2 Corinthians 12, I couldn’t help but think about what it meant for Paul to have some struggle that he referred…
According to an article written in Psychology Today, almost 10 years ago, more than 417,000 self-help books had been published at that time. And that number has skyrocketed since then. Everyone is fighting some kind of battle. Relationship conflicts, work challenges, financial problems, health struggles, and self-defeating thoughts and behaviors . . . top the…
When I learned the four personality types, the Apostle Paul was given as an example of the Choleric Personality. Choleric individuals are often described as bossy-born leaders, dynamic and confident hard workers with independent confident attitudes that refuse to give up. We get that description of Paul from his letters but what about the people…
A pastor friend of ours shared an interaction he’d had with a member following one of his weekend messages. He was in the middle of a six-week sermon series on handling life issues from a godly perspective. This friend had shared what God’s Word said about health, nutrition, entertainment, and even sex. But it was…
How do you feel about asking someone for money—even for a worthy cause? Most people break into a cold sweat just thinking about it. And most people don’t like to be asked! This is probably why most of us don’t like even the idea of asking. Imagine for a moment, that you had finally worked…
How easy is it for you to say, “I’m sorry”? How easy is it for you to get your children to say, “I’m sorry”? Have you ever noticed that being sorry can mean different things? It can mean . . . I regret what happened, I’m sorry I got caught, I’m sorry I have to…
For many, it’s easy to hear the message of God’s grace and think, “There’s plenty of time for all that ‘religious’ stuff later.” Paul wants us all to know that is an eternally dangerous way to think. He pleads with his readers to not reject God’s gift of salvation through Christ Jesus . . ….
I have to admit, I smiled when I read Paul’s words today: While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh… 2 Corinthians 5:4a It seems like there’s always plenty to groan and sigh about. Aches and pains are part of life for so many of us. I don’t think I know anyone…
