We are supposed to show care and spread joy. I thought I was doing that today but it ended feeling like a sucker punch. My fault was in not following directions. Jesus is clear in these points – that are not parables. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with…
We Are Most Welcome
Guilt would hold us all back but we have been made a most welcome people into the presence of our holy God. To rehearse the transaction, God has always been, then the creation, the fall, the Children of Abraham, Jesus Christ, the Spirit and Church, our time, then Jesus returns and the new creation. We…
Blood On The Post
With every film rendition of what the original Passover scene looked like, I look away. It is usually a dark misty thing and then you hear the crying and then, recently, I saw a film that had ghosts walking around Egypt. If it’s not in the Bible don’t put it in your film! That one…
Does 2 x 2 Include You?
As Jesus sent out His disciples, 2 X 2, not everyone was sent. We know there were more than 12 disciples based on the crowds described in the four gospel books. On that day Jesus selected 12 and equipped 12. Luke 9:1-2 reads, “And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority…
About Freedom?
This may sound like a political post but it has to do with freedom, including religious freedom. That is a commodity that is scarce in too many places. North Korea is the worst expression of the removal of religious freedom. I think the US is becoming a challenge by conforming to the world more than…
Baby Baby Baby
We are all born without sin until we sin. Yes – our freedom of choice predisposes us to make God-opposing choices. I’ve never looked at a precious baby to not think he/she perfect – for now. So what is this sin-curse. Do we have choices? Did the devil make me do it? Genesis Chapter three…
The Threat
It arrived on January one. Some one wanted me dead and went into a detailed description on how to accomplish it. I knew the perp because he text the threat. I called the police. I filed papers and faced a trial date to resume the no-contact order. Happy New Year to me! I’m mentioning this…
Arrive Early?
This afternoon I was thinking about my Mama. She was very sweet and taught me about Jesus. She was very creative and after a shower I put on a robe she had made. I have more memorabilia than most. When I was with my Dad as he passed into eternity (43 days after my Mom)…
Recompense
Recompense is not a word we frequently use. The concept is everywhere in the Bible with these synonyms: amends, compensation, indemnification, indemnity, quittance, redress, reprisal, and restitution. Luke 14:14 is giving a lesson for hosts with, “and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be…
Mad Skills
There was more going on in the womb than knitting us together. What we look like is the seen. The unseen outlasts all of that. As God prepared good works for each of us, He downloaded the skills we would need should we choose to follow Him and help build His church. I call them…