Living in Community
Unless you have studied European Renaissance Literature, you may not know the name of John Donne. John Donne was born into a Catholic family in England in 1572. That may not seem significant to you, but due to laws previously passed by Queen Elizabeth I, anyone not faithfully attending the Church of England in those days was subject to fines, confiscation of property or imprisonment. In 1601, John Donne secretly married Anne More, grand-niece of [...]
Who is the King of Glory?
From Professor Douglas O. Linder, UMKC School of Law: Although the 1995 criminal trial of O.J. Simpson for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman has been called "a great trash novel come to life," no one can deny the pull it had on the American public. If the early reports of the murder of the wife of the ex-NFL football star (turned-NBC-sports-announcer) hadn't caught people's full attention, Simpson's surreal Bronco ride on [...]
Immanuel: God with Us (Part One: The Incarnation)
Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” (Matt. 1:22-23) As we contemplate together what it means for God to be with us, let’s first turn our attention to the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel was taken captive to Babylon in about 597 BC. That [...]
Immanuel: God with Us (Part Two: Indwelling)
…now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. (John 16:5-8) The [...]
Walk Worthy
In Ephesians chapter 4, Paul strongly urges the Christians to be more than just believers in Christ. He encourages them to become true followers who imitate Christ in their daily routine. He writes, Eph. 4:1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 [...]
Reconciliation
Worship leader Tommy Walker wrote a song titled, Only a God Like You* In it, he writes, My allegiance and devotion, My heart's desire and all emotion, Go to serve the Man Who died upon that tree It’s a great worship song. Do you know it? As I was singing this song on a Sunday morning, I found myself wondering, is it true of me? Is my heart’s desire and my emotion really wrapped up [...]
Who is Like the Lord Our God?
Who is like the Lord, Our God? He spoke, and all of Creation came into being from nothing. He spoke, and the wind and the waves obeyed. He spoke, and the sick were healed, the dead were raised, the demons were cast out. He is the Lord, our God, who says, Isa. 46:8 “Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you transgressors. 9 “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, [...]
There’s An App For That!
app • application application • : an act of putting to use : a program (as a word processor or a spreadsheet) that performs one of the major tasks for which a computer is used : the act of fixing the mind; intenseness of thought; close study; attention : that part of the discourse, in which the principles before laid down and illustrated, are applied to practical uses – ♦ ♦ ♦ – Just for [...]
Does it Really Matter?
If you and I were total strangers and I were to walk up to you, hand you a bottle containing an unidentifiable liquid and tell you to drink it, what would you do? For all you know, it could be a refreshing cool drink for a hot day. Or it could be a deadly poison. You might think it a little strange, politely refuse, and walk away. You might be curious and initiate a dialogue [...]
Living By Faith
A man set out to plant a garden. He purchased a large plot of ground in an area that had fertile soil, and he built a strong fence around it. Then he divided it up into sections, one section for each of his favorite foods, and carefully plowed each section into rows. Next he painted signs for each section, showing colorful pictures of the plump vegetables and fruits he was looking forward to harvesting there: [...]
Forgiveness Part 2: Experiencing God’s Forgiveness Through Christ
Continued from part one... As we continue to wrestle with the question of forgiveness, I want to take a look today at Psalm 51, written by King David. This is a man about whom God said, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all my will.” (Acts 13:22c) But David was far from faultless. Most of you will be familiar with the story of David and Bathsheba, [...]
Forgiveness Part 1: The Miracle of Forgiveness
Child survivors of Auschwitz At the end of World War II, the Allies entered the concentration camps of Germany to find unbelievable carnage. Among the masses of emaciated bodies, the following note was found in the clothing of a dead child. It reads: O Lord, remember not only the men and woman of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all of the suffering they have inflicted upon [...]