The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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In the well-meaning efforts to spread the Gospel, sometimes people may hear a message which isn’t quite the whole story of what it means to become a Christian. In fact, there are many people who find themselves associated with the Christian community who are likewise confused. It may be that some of you who have read this far are asking, “So what problem are you talking about?” My concern is that we may be shortchanging the larger purpose of the Gospel message if it is focused only on a decision...
Perhaps some might wonder where I could have found a more confounding title? Would anyone wish to associate the word “good” with “grief?” Actually it came from the title to a little book I was introduced to many years ago. It has gone through numerous printings and still remains a definitive work on understanding grief. The book is titled, Good Grief, written by Granger Westburg. I have also gained insight from an article by Joey Faucette, Jr. The truth is most of us don’t like to think abo...
To say the least, we live in uncertain times. Some might even call this a time of crisis. There seems to be no national consensus about what to do with the serious immigration issues where large numbers of children and families are streaming across our southern border. Likewise, there seems to be deep national division on almost every subject of significance from health care to monetary policy to national defense. We watch as conflict goes on between Israel and terrorists groups occupying...
Like you, I hear my share of what’s wrong with government. And it’s not just what’s going on in Washington, sometimes it is just as likely to refer to our state or city. One doesn’t have to look far to find something wrong or policies with which we disagree. Just as quickly I would point out that most of us do want the protections and privileges which are ours as citizens. The purpose of this article is not to find something else to complain about or a political party to blame. Rather, it is t...
Recently the heading of a short article caught my eye. It read, “Discipleship, Whose Responsibility?” Certainly as a Pastor the subject of “Discipleship” grabbed my attention. After all, that’s part of my job along with other ministers, isn’t it? That was just the point in asking the question. Is it really the church’s job or the home? I am reminded of a supposed event for one preacher. He was new in the small church and was asked to substitute in a boy’s class since the teacher was out one Sun...
The month of May is all about families. Not only do we celebrate Mother’s Day, but many families get together for reunions, kids finish the school year and some graduate. It can be a blessing or it can beat you up as a parent. As I write to you this month, how to be the family you want to be and how to live out your faith at home are on my mind. There is no question the American family is in trouble. Isn’t that strange with all the blessings we have living in this country? Unfortunately, the...
One of the most compelling quotes I have ever read about this season of the year is this, "There was a cross in the heart of God before there was one planted on a green hill outside Jerusalem." As we come to the Easter season with all of its beauty, joy and celebration, it is incumbent upon us to remember why there was a resurrection. A tomb was emptied which was once occupied by the most unlikely figure in all of history. Christianity provides no quick leap from believing in God to celebrating...
continued from page 1 Eternity has no measurements, but we count days and years because our bodies are finite. It really was in the heart of God from the beginning and still reverberates through history today. "That is precisely why Christ belongs to every age." It was just last week that many of us watched the movie "The Son of God" which told again the story of what happened to our Lord. Christ will always be contemporary. As a person Jesus Christ lived in our history. As God's Son He is a...
Oscar Wilde said, “I can resist anything, except temptation.” Beneath that little bit of humor is fact. We are all tempted and we all sin. Jesus was the only exception. He was tempted as we clearly learned in the Gospels. Therefore, temptation is not sin. Jesus resisted and He will help us if we really want to win over sin. However, too many of us find that we do wrong or fail at what we know we should have done. Instead of admitting it, we look for someone or something to blame. We evade our...
As we prepare for Christmas among the most prominent symbols of the season are the lights. Perhaps it would seem almost a foregone conclusion that everyone makes the connection between lights and celebrating the birth of Christ. There are reasons we have trees and wreaths among the various decorations and certainly the Christmas characters in small manger scenes all the way to live displays. However, light precedes them all in order. For the announcement was made both with light and about a...
When we think of Thanksgiving, what images come to mind? For some it may be nothing more than food starting with the “old gobbler,” who was really just a “tom turkey” on some commercial farm a few weeks earlier. As the saying goes, “it begins with the gobbler and ends with the cobbler.” For others it is a big family gathering and for another group of us it centers around football or other sports events. We should not forget the many who serve in the retail industry who spend the day dreading ha...
Grace is one of the great words of the Christian faith. Without it the power of faith to heal pain, sustain in spite of life’s trials and to offer hope when life seems hopeless would be empty. Grace is like fuel to an engine. Technically grace is often defined as “unmerited favor,” especially when considered in the context of covering our sin. For the purposes of this article I think of it more in terms of its power available to believers in times of crisis and grief. I think of Paul who suffere...
