Category: Hope

Time to Wait

Well, it’s Advent again.  So what? In answer to that question – I have nothing new or flashy to offer.  I don’t have a catchy new program idea; music you’ve never heard; a video that will really grab your attention – nothing.  Except this… For thousands of years, people in need waited for God.  They… Continue reading Time to Wait

Prayer

We talk about it a lot.  Hopefully we do it frequently.  Yet it still remains something of a mystery for many.  Somehow, many of us are not quite sure we are doing it “right.” What am I talking about?  Prayer. It is key to our relationship with God.  No wonder then that the disciples specifically… Continue reading Prayer

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

Involvement

“I don’t want to get involved…” “What does that involve?” “Whose involved with this?” These are the typical comments you may get – or make yourself – when the issue of commitment comes up. Most of us are so busy, so committed, so “involved” already – that one more request or consideration can put us… Continue reading Involvement

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

The Kingdom Within and Without

Scripture text: Luke 17:20-37 20 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”[a] 22 Then he said to his… Continue reading The Kingdom Within and Without

The Great Gulf

If you ask me, it is one of the most disturbing stories Jesus ever told.  (You find it in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 16:19-31.) It tells of a rich man who, during his earthly life, was greedy and unhelpful to a poor man named Lazarus who simply wanted a few crumbs from the rich… Continue reading The Great Gulf

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