backward rather than forward…

“As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you. Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, the fathersContinue reading “backward rather than forward…”

Fools for Christ…

Have you ever done something really foolish? The kind of thing where people stop and stare because they are amazed any one could have done the thing that you just did? We makes fools of ourselves all the time and sometimes we don’t even have to try to make fools of our selves. In today’sContinue reading “Fools for Christ…”

I believe; Help my unbelief…

How many of us believe we are entitled to something? Let’s look at it from a different vantage point… How many of you have running water? How many of you have indoor plumbing? A toilet that flushes? A refrigerator/freezer to keep foods fresh? How many of us can worship how we want without worrying about whoContinue reading “I believe; Help my unbelief…”

You can’t do that…

Have you ever been told by someone that you can’t do something?  What does that do to your understanding of your ability to do that function? Usually when people say you can’t do that we believe them. We are frozen in fear and do not even attempt the thing we were going to do becauseContinue reading “You can’t do that…”

Cry Out

O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a manContinue reading “Cry Out”

12 years…

There is a lot going on today in the Gospel lessons for the fifth of Pentecost. We have Jesus and the disciples crossing over the sea again! And they meet the leader of the temple in the place they have landed. A Jew of high standing who is in charge of the Temple. He saysContinue reading “12 years…”

What you talkin bout Willis…

What you talkin bout Willis? Who remembers this? What was he saying really? I thought of this catch phrase today as I read the lesson from Luke appointed for today. Jesus frees a man from a demon in the temple, and the crowd sees it and says, “What kind of utterance is this?” They don’t understand what has happened.Continue reading “What you talkin bout Willis…”

excel in this act of grace…

Grace – the final frontier… Is grace really all it is about? If we could be gracious and merciful giving to everyone as we have been given, no hold on strike that. Giving more grace and mercy to everyone around us than we have been given. That is what Paul tells the Corinthians in theContinue reading “excel in this act of grace…”

mourning into dancing

I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those whoContinue reading “mourning into dancing”

it is I…

ἐγώ εἰμι I remember when I learned the ἐγώ. (pronounced eg-o’). It was summer Greek or maybe before, I was an over achiever… All I could think of was Let go of my ego! But what does ἐγώ εἰμι mean? In our lesson from Mark 6:45-52 it is translated in the ESV as it is I. But does thisContinue reading “it is I…”