One of my early pastors closed every worship service with the same benediction. It was the one chosen by Paul as he closed his writings to the church at Corinth, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians…
I’ve always enjoyed silence. Early on, God told Isaiah, “In quietness . . . shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). Jesus had a pattern of rising early to enjoy the stillness of the morning and occasionally retired to the “mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). Living in a…
Often, when I am preaching on Sunday morning, I have a sleepless Saturday night, or at least partly so. But this was Thursday night and there appeared to be nothing of great significance on my Friday agenda. With her recent death, poet Maya Angelou has been widely quoted. Once she wrote of sleepless nights, “There…
I’m not real sure who originated the phrase, “An attitude of gratitude,” but many a preacher has preached a sermon with that title, most delivering it around the Thanksgiving season. One source attributes the origin of the phrase to motivational speaker Zig Zigler, who said, “The more you recognize and express gratitude for the things…
Our tour bus stopped for a photo opportunity at the beautiful little fishing village of Neils Harbour, located on the Cabot Trail of Cape Breton Island of Nova Scotia. The Cabot Trail is called the most photographed highway in Nova Scotia and further described as nature’s longest roller coaster. Shortly after we resumed our tour,…
How is a person to be known? Various quotes indicate they are known by their silence, deeds, the company they keep, friends, books they read, tastes/distastes, and thanks to Jesus, “by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). May I add another, or perhaps an application of Jesus’ term “fruits”? A person is known by their office. Early…
Last Friday, as a Citizen of Patrol (COPS), I drove through my neighborhood, and noticed a small American flag on the curb of every home. It was, after all, the 4th of July. So, you ask, “Do you live in a neighborhood of all red-blooded Americans?” No, actually we have neighbors who were born in…
A Zulu proverb says when a thorn pierces the foot the whole body must bend over to pull it out. I was reminded again this week of the diversity within the Body of Christ and how, in our diversity, we must ever be one body with many members, working together to fulfill the plans of…
There is a popular acronym that some use to assist them in the content of their prayers. The origin of ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) as a prayer outline is unknown, although some believe it is displayed in and derived from The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Spiritual leaders, from Christians to Catholics, including such well-known…
The church seemed to always be fighting someone – city zoning office, neighborhood association, building contractors, other churches, etc. Once I asked the pastor about such fights and his reply was to the effect that if he could keep his church members busy fighting an outside entity, they wouldn’t turn on him. One day they…