There is an interesting description of Jesus’ resurrection encounter with Mary who comes to realize that the Gardener is actually Jesus. Once Jesus utters her name “Mary”, she recognizes the voice and face to be that of Jesus whom she witnessed being crucified just days before. She exclaims “Teacher” and goes to grab hold of […]
Begin…Belong…Become…
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep […]
We were talking at our worship team practice last night about the presence of God. We discussed how we often say/pray things such as “God, we pray that You will be with us” or “Lord, we invite you into our presence” and don’t even realize the irony of it. We think that somehow we are […]
Susan and I spent a quiet New Year’s Eve with my brother and my mother who has been quite sick for several months. In the last week we have found out that she has severe blockage of her carotid, aortic and femoral arteries. This week she will have a heart catheterization so she could then […]
I often ask people what are the top spiritual disciplines that they engage in. The list usually looks something like this, in no particular order: Prayer Fasting Bible Reading Worship Service Journaling Although these are all important and helpful, something that is missing, or what I don’t usually hear, is the practice of […]
Faith does not exclude doubt and uncertainty but instead allows room for the struggle within the relationship of trust. I will be preaching on Jesus’ invitation to trust Him with our lives while not promising us all the answers or security that we may desire. This article by Brian Zahnd, pastor of Word Of Life Church […]
This week 14 year old Karthik Nemmani from Scroggins Middle School in Mckinney Texas won the 2018 Scripps Spelling Bee Championship. First he had to spell the word “haecceitas” after runner up Nayso Modi from Frisco, Texas was eliminated when she failed to spell the word “Bewusstseinslage” correctly. I can’t pronounce […]
Several years ago we visited Arlington Cemetery. It was a sobering experience. Rows and rows and rows of headstones of men and women who gave their lives for the cause of their country. Right or wrong, agree or disagree with the reasons for war, these people sacrificed their lives. I truly felt like I […]
Happy Mother’s Day I am in agreement and stand along with this statement from Pastor Rich Villodas from New Life Fellowship in Queens, N.Y.: “Mother’s Day is a wonderful day to celebrate so many women in the world. Mother’s Day is a time of joy and celebration – a day of to […]
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22). People tell me all the time that they take the Bible literally. But I don’t know too many […]