Solitary confinement can demoralize and cause man to question his sanity, slow and insidious, bit by bit. But there are also prisons for many, with similar effect… The Israelites came from Canaan to Egypt. After a few centuries they had fallen from their former status. Their decline was slow and insidious. They could not leave…
The transfiguration of Jesus should have made a huge impact on the original disciples and the early church. But has anything changed? Today, the church recognizes the persistence of evil, even after the resurrection. We take heart that the ultimate victory belongs to God.
History is filled with conflict from the Old Testament up through present times. Conflict can cause problems but it can cause progress as well. Joseph’s story in the Old Testament was full of conflict. As he was in conflict with his brothers, this led to his separation from them and being sold into slavery, and…
The Beatitudes seem to present a challenge to life – where being poor is a both challenge and a blessing. The poor are lifted up as inheritors of the Kingdom of God, and the rich will be sent away hungry. How can we keep from a reliance on status or resources to make room for…
When the Lord called Jeremiah, he was but a child. When we try to witness and share the Good News of Jesus Christ, we can feel childlike, unsure of our abilities. May we release our hesitations, grudges, and fears! May we trust in God as Jeremiah did, and may we be bold to share His…
When we think of stewardship, we tend to think of the traditional means and methods of stewardship. But can we rethink this and take stewardship to the next level? Can we be stewards of time and talent all our blessings, not just the material ones? We are all members of the Body of Christ. All…
When the world gives, there is often something missing… When we love God and love our neighbor, the church brings these together. Without the lordship of Jesus, without taking true faith these gifts are empty. May we all use our varied gifts and talents to the Glory of God!
When John baptized Jesus, the crowds thought John was the Christ the Messiah but they were wrong. John was not ‘the man in full’ that had been prophesied. Jesus was different. Jesus brought not fear but acceptance, awe and wonder. What does it take for us today to become men and women in full? To have…
The second proclamation was when Mary & Joseph took Jesus to the temple to be dedicated to God. Here, Simeon saw the infant child that had been foretold to him – this was a sign of God’s love. Today Christ is still that sign – but we in our sin are opposed to him. As…