Paul says we are wrestling not with human flesh, but with principalities and powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, and with the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. This passage may not be unfamiliar to those who read their bibles and attend church on a… Continue reading
In solitude we heard the voice of God calling us God’s beloved. We experienced unconditional love as God embraced us as we are. And we realized our solidarity with the rest of humanity. We are far more alike than we are different, and by the grace of God our salvation… Continue reading
With this parable Jesus deals with a very serious subject by means of a humorous story–one which at first tickles our fancy, then with the use of imagination results in some hearty chuckles, and finally with some insight brings us to profound truth. When God’s Kingdom seems to be painfully… Continue reading
I love Clarence Jordan’s translation of this verse from Hebrews: “Faith is the activation of our aspirations, the life based on unseen realities. It is conviction translated into deeds. In short, it is the word become flesh.” Today, as we look at the concept of faith, we need to begin… Continue reading
(16 minutes) An impressive television preacher equates faith with positive thinking and promises happiness, success, wealth, and health to those who live by his formula. A faith healer explains to a family which has just lost a mother that if she had just had enough faith, she would have lived…. Continue reading
In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul says that three abide: faith, hope, and love. Perhaps few words are as precious to us as followers of Jesus as these three terms. But what do they mean? Even these wonderful words have been distorted in our culture and unfortunately by some Christians over… Continue reading
Today is the tomorrow I worried about yesterday and the yesterday I will feel guilty about tomorrow. I don’t remember when I first heard those words, but the truth they communicated hit me like a ton of bricks. For too much of my life I have spent energy worrying over… Continue reading
It may seem strange to jump from Christmas to Jesus’ baptism, from his birth to his early to mid-thirties. But in making that leap, we are following the Scriptures. With the exception of Luke’s account of a family pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem when Jesus was 12 years old,… Continue reading
I believe Etty Hillesum was one of those rare people whose epitaph could read “In the worst of times she did the best of things.” The cruel, depraved, hate-filled world of Nazi Europe was the time and space in which she had to live. And in spite of all the inhumanity she witnessed and suffered, Etty Hillesum reached out in love and compassion to her fellow humans, forgave those who dealt cruelly with her and her people, and found in the Living God more power, truth, and love than I can ever imagine possible. Continue reading
