I’ve had more than my share of introductions in life. From the Pastor who read the entire Seminary produced Biographical Information – both pages, to the man who said, “This man needs no introduction to us. So, here he is.” Some times I’ve had to live up to my introductions, other times I’ve had to…
What causes people not to finish well? The question lodged in my mind following an illustration used by my pastor in a recent sermon. Noah, served God faithfully, followed God’s instructions to the letter (or maybe to the cubit), saved his family, then ended in a drunken stupor (Genesis 9:20-21). Jacob dreamed of God’s promise…
In a group meeting we were discussing the negative features of a recent experience. One member blurted out, “It was a God thing!” When reminded of still other negative features, the self-appointed super-saint insisted, “Everything is a God thing!” I am aware of God’s sovereignty, omniscience, omnipresence, and even the fact that it can be…
In my many years of attending faculty meetings, I found them to be both informative and boring. Every so often something would happen that enlivened the meeting. In one such meeting during a curriculum discussion a favorite colleague of mine said, “What we really need is a course in common sense.” Unaware of how such…
Last week we celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I remembered that in June of 1964 the Southern Baptist Convention met jointly in Atlantic City with several other Baptist Conventions. I attended with my Pastor/Father as a college graduation present/trip. One afternoon, I made a decision to slip away from the SBC meeting, and attend…
During my teaching years I often wondered why those who were saved as college students or older, were often more aggressive with their evangelistic witness than those who were “born in church” and became believers as a child. Then later I suffered sciatic pain stemming from bulging disks in my lower back. For nine months…
I confess that sometimes I fall asleep while praying on my bed at night. I have often felt guilty of this, especially when I wonder how excited God is about my prayer, when I can’t even stay awake to complete it. On other occasions, I feel OK with it, since sometimes God responds to my…
I have a number of favorite quotes displayed around my office. A particular one relates well to birthdays, and since I had one last week, I re-read the quote. No one really knows who originally said or wrote it. The most oft quoted version was made by Hunter S. Thompson in his book “Hell’s Angels”…
It was surely one of my most embarrassing Christmas moments. It followed a gift of a Jingle Bell tie. Christmas Eve came on Saturday that year, so we had our family gift time that evening. My kids gave me a beautiful, if a bit gaudy, Christmas tie. It was black with green and red bells…
The medical procedures were not major, but were enough of a concern that I shared my anxiety with friends on social media. The three epidural injections were scheduled over a period of time and designed to relieve pain. I had opted to skip the pre-shot sedation. Sometimes, with no ill intent, “friends” increase the anxiety…