The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
To Worship God, part 1
When we think of worshiping God we generally envision singing in a church sanctuary on Sunday as the setting. But worship is a daily lifestyle activity that is not only expressed in words but also in our attitudes, actions, and choices. Today in part one of a four-part series I will discuss verbal worship.
Shortly after her encounter with the angel, Gabriel, and his message of the Christ-child that would be born to her, Mary…..
God’s Presence
“Behold I am with you always even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20).
It is comforting to know that God is present with us always. He has promised never to “leave nor forsake” us (Heb. 13:5). In John 10:27-29, Jesus assures us that “my sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand……
The Last Leaf
While battling a nasty cold virus this week, I looked out my window at the trees in our back yard. There are a few shriveled yellow leaves left on the branches. Against the backdrop of the black storm clouds behind, the effect was dramatically stark and bleak. I was reminded of O’Henry’s short story called “The Last Leaf” in which a young woman with pneumonia watches from her bed the wall opposite her New York flat through…..
Not a Stand-Alone Verse
In the church in which I grew up, a wide wooden plaque hangs above the platform in front of the sanctuary. It is an illuminated text patiently crafted by one of the founding members of the church and big enough to be read from the back of the room. “That in all things He might have the preeminence. Col 1:18.” As a child I assumed it was the entire thought of the Bible passage and a…..
Redeeming the Time
A Happy New Year to you. During the transition to the New Year a lot of online and magazine tutorials about New Year’s resolutions appear; “10 Ways To Get Rid of Belly Fat”, “12 New Year Resolutions That Can’t Fail”, and “15 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Marriage This Year”. At this time of year even people who don’t believe in God tend to recognize the fleeting nature of time and try, with resolutions, to…..
Planted!
One of my favorite verses is Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain you: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” The New Testament version of this is found in 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.”
Websters dictionary lists at least ten synonyms for the word “move”. They include proceed, persuade, activate, drive, impel, start, stir, act, budge, and evacuate. Not all of these…..
Christmas Greetings
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shined in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the…..
One-Liners
[Note: Starting next week (December 22) I will post my blogs on Fridays instead of Thursdays]
Dan and I frequently share a laugh with pertinent one-liners from movies. Perhaps you will recognize the movie sources of some of them:
Grandpa, they’re kissing again. He’s dead, Jim. Ricky Ricardo was Cuban. Try not. Do or do not.
These quips are, I am sure, recognizable to my generation and our kids. While we have a lot of fun with movie one-liners,…..
The Heavens Declare
While traveling south on U.S 395 earlier this week, God gave me a magnificent teachable moment.
We left Susanville shortly after 6 A.M. and could see a salmon-colored aura over a small area of mountain to the East. As we traveled it became bigger and eventually the sun should have peaked out from behind the mountain. But there were clouds rolling over the mountains like flowing sheep’s wool in the spot we were at that point. All…..
Moment by Moment
While leafing through an old hymnbook, I came across a favorite hymn that I had not sung for years. “Moment by Moment” (Words by May Whittle Moody 1870-1963, tune by Daniel W. Whittle 1840-1901) effectively expresses our Biblical hope in God’s Son. Here are the words:
Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine. Living with Jesus, a new life divine. Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine. Moment by moment, O Lord, I am thine.
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