This is some thoughts related to a scripture passage.
Gandalf, in The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, is famous for saying to the Balrog, “You shall not pass!” However, this is not true for us. We must continue to pass, to move forward in time. Our lives continue. Unfortunately, it is also true that we’ve not passed this way before. Where Have […]
We’ve Not Passed This Way Before Read More »
“Name it and claim it!” Isn’t that trying to get God to do what we want? In other words, we want a god in our image who does what we want him to do. “God’s not fair!” We often take our rules, then we want God to play by them. We want Him to be
What About Your Legacy? If you are a parent, at what point did you begin to think about the legacy you would leave your children? What kind would it be? Would it be a legacy that could be seen? Would it be financial? Would it be fond memories? If you are not a parent, who
A Legacy That Can Be Seen Read More »
You’ve surely heard or seen them. Possibly in your Facebook feed. At least at the grocery checkout. 5 Secret to Success. 10 Steps to Personal Wealth. 3 Sure-Fire Ways to Win Your Man (or Woman). They go on and on. After a while even some sermon titles begin to sound like that. 5 Laws of
A Formula for a Good Life Read More »
In 2000, Britney Spears released a little song called, “Oops!…I Did It Again.” Not a hymn, obviously, but it was the first song that I thought about as I contemplated a passage in the Bible book of Numbers. The Complaints Begin To be fair, God gave the children of Israel a few freebies. Over in
In your mind’s eye, follow me to the Holy Land. There I’ve seen the Sea of Galilee when it was smooth and calm, never stormy with great waves as we so often hear the stories of the Bible narrated. It has been my experience to launch out in a boat with other visitors to the
How often have I failed God? How often I have I been used of God? We hear He’s a God of 2nd chances. Oh, so much more, 3rd, 4th, 100th! 70 times 70? There is good news, and there is hope in that. I was reading in the Bible book of Hebrews, chapter 11, that
Faith of the Flawed Read More »
One day, several years ago, we had made a change in some aspect of our worship at the church I was serving, and a dear, sweet lady came to me and said, “Richard, you know that’s not right. That’s not who we are.” Of course, we don’t like change. Of course, we like to be
Is It God’s Church? Read More »
Let’s see: Sometimes in the morning when I get up, I feel like I’m about 110 years old. By lunch, I can be about 59. On a good day, I can be reaching for 43 in the mid-afternoon. In the evening, I can even be feeling those twenties again. But by bedtime, I’m closer to
Age is Relative, the Goal is Not! Read More »
To be honest with you, I have to say that I… Have you ever noticed how brutally honest scripture is? Currently I’m using Psalms and Lessons for the Christian Year from The Book of Common Prayer of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA as my daily Bible reading plan. Today’s reading from Psalms was
