Luke 6:17-26 February 13, 2022 I am so blessed. I have my health. Since I started exercising, my blood pressure has gone down by 15 to 20 points, and I'm off Lisinopril. So Blessed! I have a great wife, and I know she will always have my back. I love my job and have a … Continue reading Strange Blessings
Push Out Into Deeper Waters Luke 5:1-11 Feb. 6, 2022 Jesus tells his soon-to-be first disciples, “Push out into deeper waters.” I wonder today what deeper waters Jesus calls us to navigate? My faith struggles are similar to Simon, the fisherman, who becomes Peter. Simon and his friends are doing ordinary work. The … Continue reading Push Out Into Deeper Waters
Luke 4:21-30 January 23,2022 What is the most important thing to do right now if you want a deeper faith in God? If you genuinely desire a faith that is alive, guided by the living spirit of God, and nurtures good fruit, what is the one thing you must do? There are lots of good … Continue reading On the Edge
Isaiah 35: 1-10 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; Somewhere around 2008, Isaiah 35 became my favorite bible verse. Hope did not come easy for me at that time. I was still working through a divorce that felt more like a war of attrition after three years. I lived with … Continue reading A Hopeful Word Spoken Out of Place
Mark 6:14-29 How many of you thrive on conflict? Some people enjoy the struggle and get energy from opposition. Arguing and pressing for a cause ignites them. This trait makes some people excellent social activists, and others are just bullies. But the majority of us are exhausted by conflict. When Jeanne and I argue, neither of us can sleep until … Continue reading Walking With Jesus in Herod’s World
Psalm 138 My garden is often my spiritual director. It’s not that I have mystical visions while planting radishes. Some gardeners find deep joy in nurturing lilies or having perfect tomato vines which obediently curl around a stake. Excellent gardens surround me who have that joy, the joy I find when I discover a Greek word changes the … Continue reading Abundant Soul-Strength
Acts 1:15-26. (Ascension Sunday) Photo by Julentto Photography on Unsplash Where do we go from here? What does the new Jesus Movement do after Christ ascends into heaven? Acts of the Apostles is the next chapter of Luke’s two-part series. Forty days ago, two disciples walked to Emmaus and met the Risen Christ in the breaking of bread. After 40 days … Continue reading Where Do We Go from Here?
I John 4:7-21 A popular meme series on Facebook called “You had one job.” It shows how often we fail at things which should be simple. Imagine a misspelled stop sign. A cryptic sign on a trash bin reads “empty when full.” There is a “back-to-school” display of large kitchen knives. That seems inappropriate, unless it’s a cooking school, perhaps? A … Continue reading You Have One Job
Open Wide Your Hearts II Corinthians 6:1-13 April 25, 2021 Paul says , “Open wide your hearts.” How do we do that? Put your hand on your heart, as you do when you pledge, and try to feel the beat. The heart's job is to pump blood through the circulatory system. Oxygen-rich blood travels to 30 trillion cells in … Continue reading Open Wide Your Hearts
Easter Sunday Mark 16:1-8 “When is an ending not the end? When a dead man rises from the tomb-and when a Gospel ends in the middle of a sentence.” A great story is only as good as the ending. I like stories where the plot twists surprise me. The surprise can’t be too out of the blue, like … Continue reading When Is An Ending Not the End
With all my soul 