Church or Jesus??? Seems like we got confused along the way. Jesus is to be followed. We are to join our lives to Jesus. His Spirit is to indwell and empower us. We are to become part of His Kingdom and cooperate with Him in expanding His Kingdom. We join others who make that commitment […]
LETTERS We don’t write letters much anymore. We send notes, messages, Emails but seldom letters. My Dad used to get letters from a man in Poland. He would take them across town to a guy who spoke Polish and have them read, since he did not speak Polish. He would reply with a letter in […]
Muslims stay home. It seems that there is a lot of negativism in the US about Muslims moving here. My town of 50 thousand plus has 2 Mosques, 1 prayer room and a lot of Halal stores. Hijabs and long colorful dresses are common. That doesn’t scare me. I am a follower of Jesus. I […]
QUESTION OF THE DAY In the Garden of Eden, there were few rules. 1. Don’t eat the fruit of one particular tree. 2. Take care of God’s Garden (Creation) 3. The opportunity to know and experience God. It didn’t take long to disobey #1. That’s the one we always focus on. Question Of The […]
We Try to Make Religion Too Complicated God created this universe. He was in control. It was his Kingdom. Adam lived in that Creation in the Garden of Eden. “The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.” Genesis 2:15 NLT They didn’t have a lot […]
IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU OR ME OR EVEN THE CHURCH Jesus came announcing the Kingdom of God. He invited us to be a part of it. An invitation that was a gift. We could not earn it. We did not deserve it. A gift of love that involved Jesus (God in human flesh) living as […]
With all the Cultural wars, denominational battles, Spiritual Warfare and religious in fighting I find that I need to Pray daily, “Spirit of Jesus lead me to TRUTH. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear Your Truth for me. “ Jesus said, “There is so much more I want to tell you, but […]
Thoughts: Jesus and Scripture Jesus often conflicted with the Religious Leaders over Scripture They looked at the surface meaning and often got lost in the words. Jesus always went to the INTENT within the context. They fought over words. Jesus went to “intent streams”throughout scripture not […]
Lost Focus Jesus confronted some moral religious leaders. “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect […]
AMEN—The End? In many churches, there is a rush for the door at the final Amen or benediction. Nothing wrong with that. But at church on Sunday, I noticed something a little different. There was a rush for the door, but a substantial percentage of people did not. They […]
SODOM’S SINS A different Look? It seems that recently American Christianity has focused on Homosexuality as THE major sin. Of course, transgender people are included in that. We have a long acronym so that all the possible variations are included. Trans people are usually included, whether they are sexually active or not. Often, Sodom and […]
WHAT WAS IT? My son and I were snorkeling on a beautiful Caribbean beach. Beautiful water, fantastic coral. One problem! No fish! There had always been lots of beautiful fish in the area before. At the end, where the beach met the jungle, was a huge rock, 10 or 15 feet high. Flat on the side facing […]
Church Involvement Many of my friends have dropped out of church. Some over hurtful experiences. Some over lack of commitment. Some????? Who knows. They may not be able to put their finger on it. Many Church folks figure they have backslidden. It is a shame that we have equated Following Jesus and Church Activity. Much of […]
A Spiritual World? I think it is pretty clear that Jesus realized he was living a Spiritual Battle against the forces of darkness. He spoke of it. He cast out Demons and Evil spirits. He had conversations with them. They recognized him for who he really was and obeyed his commands. Before he began his […]
Jesus came announcing the KINGDOM of God. Do a Bible search and see how many times Jesus taught about the Kingdom. It seems it was a major topic for him. The KJV of the Gospels uses the term Kingdom 128 times. The term Church is used only three times in the Gospels, all by Jesus […]
A Test for the Brave Divide a sheet of paper into 3 columns. Label one “Really Bad”, The second, “Not Too Bad”, and the third, “Could be Guilty”. With that in front of you read Romans 1:21-32. Write each sin mentioned in the appropriate columns. “Could Be Guilty” […]
MORAL COPS When I was a boy, our pastor lived behind us. There was an alley, a chicken house, and a barn between us, but it was always on my mind that “the preacher” lived nearby. He could see what I did wrong. I guess I thought he was always on the lookout for anyone […]
Spiritual Fighting My verse for the day was: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish […]
Wrong Prayer? I often find myself praying, “Lord be with me today”. In doing that, I extend an invitation to Jesus to be involved in where I am and in what I am doing. Which in effect really means make my day better. Help me out with my interests and my activities. That is a […]
TO A NEW GENERATION OF BELIEVERS. Verse of Day: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.12.2.NLT A […]
Sunday Lines As I went into the lobby at church last Sunday, it was between the two services, so the area was crowded, but I noticed several things. First, coffee and donuts were being served. (You can see where my interest lies.) There was a line of people there. There was no banner. Evidently none was […]
Christianity In A Nutshell. Believe what Jesus said. Do the things he told us to do. Isn’t that simple? Yes, but very difficult to live out. Jesus indicated it would cost us our lives.
A little different way of looking at it. Jesus seems to have lived in a very religious time and place. Those who did not practice the culturally embedded religious activities were often ostracized from “polite “society. Religion had expected norms for behavior that were accepted by most of society. Your place in society was heavily […]
Look Out Jesus’ main opponents were the religious and their leaders. Even among his inner group of 12 was the one who betrayed him to his crucifiers with a demonstration of love. Satan was alive and well and operating among the religious, their leaders, and even among his inner circle of followers. Makes you wonder […]
FEAR Both in the New Testament and the Old Testament, God/Jesus admonishes his people, Don’t be afraid, be brave and courageous or something similar. From those, I assume that He is often calling his people into places/positions that are challenging and uncomfortable. Accompanying these challenges, there was often the promise, “I will be with you.” […]
Blinded by Religion In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus picked two religious leaders, a Priest and a Levite, who did not see or acted as if they did not see the injured man. Some have suggested that they were afraid of becoming “ritually unclean” and be unable to perform their religious duties. Is […]
Stay in Step It is sad but we often hear of conflict in churches and religious organizations. Sometimes causing a rupture. It has always been that way. The Apostle Paul kicked Mark off his travel team. Barnabas disagreed so much that he went his separate way with Mark. Paul later restored Mark as a fellow […]
I Can Do It Myself! We thoroughly enjoy our five-year-old Great-granddaughter, although she does have a mind of her own. That often shows in her response, “I can do it myself”. That is when she takes charge and attempts and often succeeds in doing it herself with no help. She is persistent. She is learning. However, […]
Praying As Gods Coworker. In the book, The Scandal of the Kingdom Parables, Dallas Willard indicates that Jesus’ invitation to pray is an invitation to a relationship. We become God’s coworkers. Working with him on the same […]
Inside and Outside the Kingdom Kingdom: You have been granted Eternal Life as a free gift of grace. It is a gift you can’t earn. It is a gift of love through Jesus by God the Father and Creator of all things in this entire universe. Look up some clear night and be staggered by […]
Apprentice For sometime I have struggled for a term to describe Christians. I dropped Christian sometime in the past because my Muslim friends associated it with the Crusades and war, My African and South American friends with Colonialism, and in the US and Europe its almost ambiguous definition caused by association with Casual Cultural Church-ism, […]
Prayer for Cement and Metal We were a church group from Louisiana in Silverton Colorado. Some of our women were in the small church conducting a Vacation Bible School. Others were back at the campground where we were staying preparing a meal. About 15 men were gathered around a large cement mixer praying. They had […]
Destruction? I have had a problem with some kind of blight in my garden. To get rid of the blight every fall I destroy my garden. I pull up the plants and throw them on a burn pile. I rake up any leaves and other debris that might carry disease and add that to the […]
Called to go. When Barbara and I were “called” to “go” it was not to a far country. We moved from Louisiana to Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. Shortly, we received a “call” to be student pastor of the Fork Baptist Church in Fork, SC. There we were accepted, loved and cared for by […]
What size is your bucket? Three men came to a well to get water. One man brought a pint jar. One man brought a five-gallon bucket. One man brought a five-gallon bucket but it was filled with trash he had picked up on the way. Which man got the greatest benefit from the well? “Jesus […]
The French Professor When I was in college in 1961, yep that long ago, we had a new professor to teach French at our Baptist College. I barely passed the class. All I remember is the word for beach which I have never had the opportunity to use. He was a middle-aged man from France. […]
Micah The prophet Micah in the Old Testament book named after him says: A society in which the rich and powerful take advantage of the poor and powerless. A society in which the professional religious leaders are more concerned with power, influence and money than they are the people A society where the people will […]
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. 4. Jesus believed in humility. 5. Jesus believed that dying is the key to living. 6. Jesus believed that everyone […]
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. 4. Jesus believed in humility. 5. Jesus believed that dying is the key to living. 6. Jesus believed that everyone […]
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. 4. Jesus believed in humility. 5. Jesus believed that dying is the key to living. 6. Jesus believed that everyone […]
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. 4. Jesus believed in humility. 5. Jesus believed that dying is the key to living. 6. Jesus believed that everyone […]
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. 4. Jesus believed in humility. 5. Jesus believed that dying is the key to living. 6. Jesus believed that everyone […]
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. 4. Jesus believed in humility. 5. Jesus believed that dying is the key to living. 6. Jesus believed that everyone […]
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. 4. Jesus believed in humility. 5. Jesus believed that dying is the key to living. 6. Jesus believed that everyone […]
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. 4. Jesus believed in humility. 5. Jesus believed that dying is the key to living. 6. Jesus believed that everyone […]
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. 4. Jesus believed in humility. 5. Jesus believed that dying is the key to living. Bart Tarman as quoted by […]
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. 4. Jesus believed in humility. Bart Tarman as quoted by Carl Medearis in 42 Seconds. Page 114
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door not correct thinking but childlike faith. 3. Jesus believed in love. Bart Tarman as quoted by Carl Medearis in 42 Seconds. Page 114
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. 2. Jesus believed that faith is the key to opening doors every door– not correct thinking but childlike faith. Bart Tarman as quoted by Carl Medearis in 42 Seconds. Page 114
THINGS JESUS BELIEVED 1. Jesus believed God is like a daddy. Bart Tarman as quoted by Carl Medearis in 42 Seconds. Page 114
Who’s Knocking Many times in my life I have heard pastors use the passage in Revelation “Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” Revelation 3:20 CEV https://bible.com/bible/392/rev.3.20.CEV. As an invitation to people to start a relationship with Jesus or […]
Still a Vital Question A number of years ago, I had a conversation with a man I had a lot of respect for. He was a war vet. A committed member of the church I was pastoring. A man who had a servant heart. If something needed doing, he was the one to call on. […]
A Dangerous Prayer The Lord’s Prayer is an often prayed prayer. Many religious communities pray it weekly. Why do I say it is dangerous? Because right in the middle of it we say, “and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” Matthew 6:12 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.6.12.NLT Is that really what […]
Real Prayer I heard of an older man for whom prayer was very real. He would get up in the morning and make his coffee. After pouring a cup he would set a chair in front of the most comfortable seat in his house. He would invite Jesus to sit in the comfy chair while […]
A FORGOTTEN PATH Jesus seems to have lived in a very religious time and place. Those who did not practice the culturally embedded religious activities were often ostracized from “polite“ society. Religion had expected norms for behavior that were accepted by most of society. Your place in society was heavily influenced by your place in […]
I am not a member of AA. I attended an open meeting awards night. Here are some observations I think churches should pay attention to. Medallions were given for periods of sobriety. The longest recognized was 48 years. Several for 40+ years were recognized. A number of 1 month medallions were given. Future Church may […]
Thermometer or Thermostat? When I want to know the temperature of something whether it is a brisket I am smoking, my body temp or the air in my house, I look at a thermometer. They interpret or reflect the world as it is. They do nothing to change it. Now I also have a thermostat […]
HE NARROW WAY The story Jesus told about the Broad Way for the many and the Narrow Way for the few is one that catches the attention of many Christians. (Matthew 7:13 – 14). I have seen a lot of pride expressed by some who considered themselves on the Narrow Way Those who identify with […]
Things Religion Says Are Important. It seems to me that what religionists often tell us is important are such things as: A. Doctrine B. Rules C. How well we follow their rules. D. How involved we are […]
Is it possible to be Christian and be Wrong? Does the Holy Spirit Guide People in the Wrong Direction? There seems to be a certain arrogance among some Christian leaders and pastors that because of their positions and supposed closeness to God their attitudes […]
Is It Possible? I recently read a novel. Its premise is that the Fallen Angels, demons and others living […]
RETIREMENT Last week I wrote about Aunt Babe reading the obituaries. A long life focused on the past. My Dad had a different view of life. He went into the military at a young age to avoid going into CCC (depression government job program for youth—Army paid more). Went overseas for WW2. Made the Europe […]
Aunt Babe and the Obituaries I had an old maid Great Aunt, my grandmother’s sister, Aunt Babe. In all of my remembrances of her she was old. In her later years, she lived to be well over 100, she lived in an apartment my dad attached to the rear of our house. I was gone from home by […]
TRAVELING THROUGH LIFE I went on a trip out West. It reminded me of life. First we traveled on the interstate. That covered a lot of ground fast. As I travel I like to watch what we go by. Houses, towns, whatever, but I especially liked to watch the country. The rural areas, the landscape, […]
John 1:19 – 34 (READING NOTES- This was not written as a blog but is a rehash of my Journal notes) John knew who he was and was comfortable with himself. He did not aspire to be more than he was. He would not settle for less than he was. Because of that he was […]
The Bible has a lot to say about our responsibility to the poor and needy. Here is a sample : WISDOM LITERATURE If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD—and he will repay you! Proverbs 19:17 NIV JESUS Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There […]
My Inclinations The Bible indicates we should not always follow the inclinations of our human nature. I know I cannot or I would be in big trouble. For instance, I cannot smack people for stating stupid ideas on social media. I also hope readers don’t follow their inclinations when they read mine. We probably would […]
JESUS and CHURCH? Do we worship, praise, defend, build up, work for the church or Jesus? We talk about the church. We work to get people to join the church as if that is the end. Jesus said to teach them “all things”. Paul said his goal was to bring everyone to maturity in Christ. […]
Player or Spectator NF L football season is underway. In our area purple jerseys with players names, both past and present, on them have popped up all over. Mixed in are a few Packers jerseys. I only know of one Denver jersey. In spite of all the jerseys, I do not know a single NFL […]
A thought before our celebration of excessive eating as a declaration that we deserve all we have that others don’t. Sodom We often focus on some sins as being far worse than others. I agree some are. The sins we seem to have focused on recently as really bad are often associated with our sexuality. […]
Could it be? In Jesus day the religious leadership opposed him at every turn. We seldom see it that way but it seems to me that Satan was using the religious group that should have been supporting Jesus to oppose him. They ultimately were the ones who had the government kill him. Religion and Government […]
JESUS IS LORD As a follower of Jesus there are a number of things I believe. Basic to all of those is the ancient statement, “Jesus is Lord.“That was a basic belief—statement of early Believers. It recognized Jesus as the creator who lived as a man, was crucified for our sins and conquered death through […]
Gifts or Fruit? When I was young the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost KJV) was seldom emphasized. That was for the Pentecostals. Then came the Jesus People movement and […]
Ears To Hear Eyes To See As I continue to age I am more and more aware, even with hearing aids, that I do not hear as well as I did. I can sit at a table in a restaurant with several conversations going on around me and not be able to follow the flow. […]
Pulling Bitter-weeds When I was a boy visiting at Grandpa’s, he always asked me if I would pull up some bitter-weeds. Bitter-weeds had a terrible odor, but that was not the main problem. The main problem was the cows would eat them. When they did, their milk tasted the way the weeds smelled. It was […]
Misunderstood It is always frustrating to get feedback and see that someone has taken something out of context or just totally missed what you were trying to get across. Most of the time that is my fault (the writer) as I did not make myself clear. But sometimes as I look back at what I […]
CHURCH? Our Pastor, one Sunday, commented that when we mention CHURCH images of buildings come to mind. These images are usually substantial, solid buildings with varied designs. When Jesus said, “I will build my church” was that what was in his mind? When Paul wrote to the Church in whatever city was a building what […]
A Little Different Approach. Broad and Narrow Way Jesus seems to have lived in a very religious time and place. Those who did not practice the culturally embedded religious activities were often ostracized from “polite “society. Religion had expected norms for behavior and practice that were accepted by most of society. Your place in society […]
Praying for Me Be careful how you pray for me. I am in my 80’s. That means I have lived long enough to wear out certain parts. Because of mileage and time they simply don’t work as they did. Sometimes they still work but ache or make noises. Last year I got a rebuilt heart and a brain […]
WHICH WELL? Have you ever seen church folks that are constantly chasing something new? Often they become “church hoppers”. They find a church and it is wonderful. The pastor is great. The music is out of this world. The programs are perfect. It is not long before something sours. They are off looking again. […]
Things to do, places to go. If you’re like many people as you grew up and into adulthood, you had many dreams about your future. Things you wanted to accomplish. Adventures you wanted to go on. Back in the day, we said, Things to do. Places to go. My list was quite long. Many I accomplished. Most are unfulfilled. Some are […]
The Enemy Suppose during the COVID crisis our medical system would have decided that the way to get rid of COVID was to isolate everyone diagnosed. That way the sick could not spread it to those who did not have it. The sick were the enemy. We would keep our hospitals safe by not letting […]
BIBLE STUDY A small church was without a pastor. They called the Seminary and were sent one of their recent graduates. He shows up on Sunday and preaches a fantastic sermon, It is obvious he is a gifted communicator. The church leaders confer and tell him they want him as their pastor. He agrees. The […]
PLAYING IT SAFE All around the world Followers of Jesus are risking their lives and property by following him. When they attend worship, they are at risk of persecution and death. When they publicly declare their faith, they risk persecution and death. When a neighbor sees them pray over a meal, they may risk persecution […]
I had a friend make a comment to me last week that needed some reflection. He was talking about his religious background, having grown up in a Charismatic church. He now attends a Baptist Church with a fantastic pastor. During the conversation, he noted that when some friends ask for prayer, afterwards they make a comment to the […]
A Better Way As I understand it, Jesus and the early Christians changed their world. How? They did not hold big demonstrations. They did not attempt to take over the government and have the Roman government pass laws that reflected their beliefs. They did not go out and loudly condemn the people that they felt […]
Called to Adventure Jesus called people to follow him. That must have been exciting to go with him and hear his teaching, to see the miracles, and to be a part of feeding five thousand. Their hearts must have pounded in their chest when they met the risen Jesus. The Day of Pentecost must have seemed […]
When I was in the first grade, my dad, who was a career Army man, was assigned to a very small base in the South Pacific almost on the equator. The island was part of the Admiralty group, Manus or Los Negros. At the time it was under Australian control. Now it is a part […]
On my 79th birthday, yes it was in the past, a young man in his early 20s asked me,” if you could go back in time what advice would you give yourself”? I suppose he was expecting some deep, sophisticated answer of great wisdom. However, the answer was almost instantaneous, “act like you have some […]
Watching a Bird Feeder We have several bird feeders under our backyard Plum tree. I can easily see them from my easy chair. Barbara from her comfy spot on the couch. We don’t get into the real bird-watching stuff like recording the dates, numbers and kinds. I really don’t know all the different kinds. I […]
The Church of Sweat, Tears and Bandages (Written while on Disaster Relief in Mandeville, LA) Worship for most of us is fairly comfortable. When I was young, we had straight-backed board pews. Air conditioning was provided by handheld fans supplied by the local funeral home. You could work up a good sweat trying to cool […]
A FEW THOUGHTS I recently celebrated 60 years of marriage with Barbara and now my 80th Birthday. I have enough life experience to realize: The important things in life are people, not stuff. Love makes life good and rich. Live life fully. I have more regrets over what I didn’t do than over what I […]
What Do You See? Once upon a time, there was a woman who had a really serious weight problem. She was an extremely nice caring woman. In spite of all her good characteristics, when most people thought of her, they immediately thought of her size. I was one of those. One day some children between […]
POOR CHRISTIANS Most of Jesus’ early followers seem to have come from the middle working class, the poor and those without power. There were a few people of means but they seem to be far outnumbered by the others. Jesus interacted with the rich and powerful but few seem to have become his followers. The […]
New Wine Skins Scary Thought When I was a boy, we decided to make some blackberry wine. After we went blackberry picking, we put the blackberries in a gallon glass jug, added water, sugar and a little yeast. Then we hid it under a friend’s bed. We were going to make us a little wine. It didn’t stay […]
Jesus came to a people: Israel. Israel was a defeated country. Occupied by a foreign army. Taxed into poverty. As a nation, their good days were hundreds of years in the past. The political leaders were under Roman control and far more concerned about their power and position than they were the people. It was not […]
NOT WHAT GOD INTENDED? How often have you heard of or known a child born with some tragic abnormality? Your heart is stirred with empathy and emotion. “Poor child”, “hurting family”. “Can something be done to correct this horror”? Sometimes these abnormalities are obvious at birth. Sometimes they develop much later. A child with debilitating […]
The World The Bible indicates that God is deeply involved in his creation. He is so involved that he dresses nature in beauty, such as the flowers of the fields. He is so involved that even the birds of the air do not go unnoticed. He is so involved in my life that my receding […]
This video is not for everyone. It speaks of how he feels Evangelical Christians have reacted to the modern world including Trump. It will make some of you angry.
I Am Amazed I see Facebook postings that I agree with 100%. I look at who posted it and see that it is posted by someone who does not agree with me politically or theologically. But, I agree! Then it begins to soak in that they did not mean what I had interpreted them to mean. […]
A lot of people would like to get more involved in ministry to others. They just are not sure how/where they would fit in. A while back our pastor made some suggestions as to where to start. It involved asking yourself some questions. After praying for direction and clarity ask Jesus to make you aware […]
When I was young our family attended a Baptist Church. The majority of people I knew were Baptist. Most Baptists were good people. However, I wasn’t totally certain because at times, our pastor mentioned those who went to First Baptist Church in a way that made me question that. Maybe “those Baptist” were not totally […]
BROKEN EAGLE I was recently at a Raptor Rescue Center. They had a number of birds. A Screech Owl was part of one demonstration. I had heard a lot of Screech Owls but I had never seen one to know what I was seeing. Amazing, the sounds that can come from such a small body. Interesting […]
House Cats or Barn Cats Let me lay this out for you, I am not a cat lover. Some of you are. That is fine. They make me sneeze. Now cats can be cute. They can be playful. When I said cats, for most of you, what came to mind was a “House Cat”. A cat […]
I just got back from a Disaster Relief Hurricane Deployment near Lake Charles, Louisiana. As is often the case something about Bible Belt Christianity catches my attention. This time it was the Christian T-Shirts. They were very creative. Very attention grabbing and a lot of them were beautiful. Most had a slogan or Bible verse […]
MESSED UP? Our Pastor has a phrase I love. He says, “We are a messed up people, living in a messed up world”. It isn’t phrased in theological terms but it cuts to the heart of the matter. I am “messed up”. Most of the problems I have had in life were not of God’s […]
Barbara, as most mothers, spent a lot of time, thought, energy—downright hard work on our kids. For a number of years, they were the primary focus of her life in spite of jobs, church and a pretty high- maintenance-husband. I have never heard her complain. I have never heard any regrets. It was an act […]
Two men once lived in the same town. Two men once lived in the same town. Man #1 was very religious. He went to church three times a week. He served as a (Deacon, Elder, Church Council member, whatever your tradition calls them). In many respects, he was a very moral person. He followed the […]
For much of my life I thought of God as a policeman. He was constantly on the alert watching to see if I did anything wrong. If I did he was even quicker to punish me. He had a list of rules for me to obey. Many of what I was told were against his […]
Remember the Christmas song, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town? I heard it on the radio this week. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town You better watch out You better not cry You better not pout I’m telling you why Santa Claus is coming to town He’s making a list, Checking it twice, Gonna find out […]
All day I have been walking around with a hole in my sock. It is right by my big toe and right now my big toe is through the hole and outside of the sock. It is uncomfortable to walk and today is cold and that toe is cold! Cold in Minnesota means close to […]
Recent news from Europe indicates a rise in anti-Jewish sentiment. It seems that throughout their history the Jews have been a persecuted people. The Jews that lived in Russia and Europe were periodically persecuted. It culminated in the Holocaust when millions were killed. It makes you wonder why? I am not an expert on the […]
Fortress or Outpost? Matthew 16:18 The Message. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out. NIV On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. KJV I […]
On a few occasions, I have been able to travel outside the US and off the beaten “tourist” paths. It is always fun. Even though I have been to some great places and sometimes hate to leave, I always look forward to getting back home. I guess I just feel more comfortable at home. I […]
We are all influenced by our culture. It influences us in ways we often are not aware of. It influences the way we think which in turn becomes actions. It can be insidious. Most of us get many of our values from our culture. Even our values as a Follower of Jesus can be shaped […]
I knew a man once who seemed very proud of the life he lived before he became a Follower of Jesus. With a grin, he would elaborate on drunken episodes, sexual exploitation and even bar fights. It was almost as if he was proud of those things. Of course, he often added that all of that was […]
Jesus told us to love our neighbor. That usually isn’t too bad. I have generally had good neighbors although once or twice while living in an apartment I have had some noisy neighbors I would have liked to kill about 2 AM. However, those are the exceptions. Most of my neighbors are good folks who […]
Researchers want to be at a big University. Military people of high rank want to be at the Pentagon. Politicians want to be in D. C. Religious leaders want to have “name recognition”. It is natural for those in leadership positions, and those who aspire to such positions, to want to be in places of […]
Evangelical Christians and Churches are seen as a fairly traditional conservative group, a group who holds fast to the past. As a group, they see value in stability and resist change. The new we like is often not new; but just a different way of doing the same thing. Look at how long it took […]
The world we live in. The world we don’t. Recently while working Disaster Relief in Marshalltown, Iowa, we stayed a few miles out of town at “The Ranch”. Red barns, a bunkhouse, horses in the pasture and goats in the barn were all part of a beautiful, peaceful, quiet, idyllic setting. I went into town and shopped […]
Traveler or Squatter I often call myself, A Follower of Jesus. I think that captures the essence of what being a Christian is all about. We have committed ourselves to the person of Jesus first and foremost. Not to the church. Not to a set of beliefs but to Jesus. The corollary is I need […]
I know several people that when you communicate with them whether in person, electronically or however you never get the impression you are really connecting with them. They never seem to be engaged enough to really hear what you are saying. They only hear enough to respond. The problem is that the response is only […]
Two men once lived in the same town. Man #1 was very religious. He went to church three times a week. He served as a (Deacon, Elder, Church Council member, whatever your tradition calls them). In many respects, he was a very moral person. He followed the rules of his congregation very rigorously and kept […]
As I was watching the news this morning I saw a TV evangelist justifying to his supporters the purchase of his 3rd private jet. He said something like, if Jesus were here today he wouldn’t be riding a donkey. He was buying the plane because “Jesus told him to”. All in the name of Jesus. […]
The following was written when I was recently in Louisiana. Barbara’s brother, who was 89, had developed dementia. Barbara and I traveled to Louisiana to stay with him for three weeks while arrangements were made to enroll him in a care facility. After he was admitted we came back to Minnesota. We had only been […]
In a recent sermon, our pastor said something to the effect that Following Jesus is Always Simple But Never Easy. It was a very good sermon. The simple part was trust. The part that wasn’t easy was both trust and taking up your cross and follow me. We talk a lot about what we believe. By that, we often mean a system of theology. Statements dealing with what […]
#2 To Love like Jesus, give people the freedom to walk a different path. In the Gospels, Jesus encountered many people. He treated them individually. To some, he said, “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19) and they became disciples and Apostles spending their days learning from Him. To others, he said Go home and tell others what […]
How to love people as Jesus did? #1 Don’t judge. Jesus told us that we were to love others. It is repeated often in the letters to the Churches. How do you do that? It is difficult. Here are a few of the things I see in Jesus’ life. The list is not exhaustive. (More in […]
When I was young our church was against. We were against smoking, (in spite of the fact that all of the men did. It looked like the church was on fire between Sunday School and church), drinking and even dancing. Yep, all the kids went to dances anyway. Times changed. For a period the defining […]
Our pastors would never make such a statement. Our Bible Study leaders would never make such a statement. Most of us would never make such a statement. But do our actions and attitudes sometimes say something different?. In Matthew 16:16 – 18 NLT. Simon Peter made his confession that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Son of God. […]
People sometimes say, “they are looking for God”. Others will not use those words but are looking for something to fill an emptiness in their lives. They are searching for an experience of God. If not their first encounter they are looking for a deeper or a lasting experience. They may say they are Spiritual […]
People sometimes say, “they are looking for God”. Others will not use those words but are looking for something to fill an emptiness in their lives. They are searching for an experience of God. If not their first encounter they are looking for a deeper or a lasting experience. They may say they are Spiritual […]
The time between the 9 AM and 10:30 Worship Services on Sunday is a great time. To start with there are coffee and donuts. There is life. Children running around. Lots of hugs. Lots of handshakes. Lots of checking up on friends. Warmth, happiness, a sense of belonging. There is nothing worse than being in […]
I got mad this week. Really, really angry. A long time ago a friend had made two promises to me. For several decades the first promise had been kept and I waited in hope for the second to be kept. It was a conditional promise. An agreement that if I did certain things, he would […]
Barbara and I worked Disaster Relief just East of Houston. This area was not hit directly by the hurricane but had 52 inches of rain in just a few days. We spent three weeks at one site. We met some good people. Volunteers from Texas, Virginia, Iowa, Wisconsin & North Dakota. Other sites in the […]
Barbara and I arrived in Liberty, TX Sunday afternoon. Liberty is about an hour drive east of Houston. We joined a couple from Wisconsin and will serve as the cook team for the volunteer workers staying at First Baptist Church. They have transformed the church gym into sleeping quarters. We cook in the church kitchen. […]
I went to the local grocery store. While there I bought a box of salt. It was a brand usually recognized as quality salt. The package looked great. Good design. Noticeable, attractive and appealing. I came home and put it in the pantry. It joined a 1/2 full box sitting there. I thought, “Well, we […]
It seems to me that modern Christians, I am one, have focused on John 3:16 NLT (For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.) We forget that the next verse, John 3:17, says God […]