Category: God’s provision

Aging

My wife and I both had birthday parties this month. We had small but very nice celebrations that another 31,536,000 seconds had ticked by – that’s the kind of fact you can find in an instant on Google. So that has gotten me thinking a bit about aging – what the dictionary defines simply as… Continue reading Aging

Counting the Cost: Discipleship

I suppose it says something about my age that when I think of the word discipleship – several images come to mind: Jesus, sitting on a hillside, teaching his closest followers An oriental sage teaching a young monk nicknamed “grasshopper” A Jedi knight teaching a man named Luke Skywalker about “the force” I know –… Continue reading Counting the Cost: Discipleship

In the Lion’s Den: Integrity

Not many people I know have thoroughly read the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. A bunch of people I know are at least vaguely familiar with the story of “Daniel and Lion’s Den” found there.  Here’s a very quick synopsis: Daniel has been granted a great deal of responsibility by his boss. Some… Continue reading In the Lion’s Den: Integrity

Encouragement

We all need it, some more than others, but we all need it – encouragement. How do you define it?  What lifts you up, sets you right, enables you to take that next step in achieving whatever you need, or simply want, to do?  Chuck Swindoll said encouragement is “the act of inspiring others with… Continue reading Encouragement

Strengthening Our Grip

Do you ever feel like sometimes you are (to borrow a great line from a Paul Simon song) slip slidin’ away? The media bombards us with the latest screaming headlines regarding the latest horrific news… You find yourself in deep into the “same old argument” with your boss, your spouse, your child, the neighbor next… Continue reading Strengthening Our Grip

Out of the Storm

The Lord Speaks 38 Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: 2 “Who is this that obscures my plans     with words without knowledge? 3 Brace yourself like a man;     I will question you,     and you shall answer me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?     Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!… Continue reading Out of the Storm

A Simple Meal

Jesus, gathered with his closest friends, for an intimate meal. Sounds simple enough but it was anything but simple. It was more than just the celebration of Passover – though that is significant enough. It was more than just one more way for Jesus to model the love he had for them, and that he… Continue reading A Simple Meal

Paid in Full – Mark 15:1-26

Jesus Before Pilate 15 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. 2 “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied. 3 The chief priests accused him… Continue reading Paid in Full – Mark 15:1-26

Betrayed – Mark 14:53-65

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin 53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. 55 The chief priests and the… Continue reading Betrayed – Mark 14:53-65

“The Difficult Journey” – Mark 14:-26-30

26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd,    and the sheep will be scattered.’[a] 28 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away,… Continue reading “The Difficult Journey” – Mark 14:-26-30