Re-Using a Sermon I have an aversion to re-using sermons. I would never re-use some else’s, but…other than quoting parts of them…I have avoided re-preaching any of mine. I can only recall reusing a sermon once. It was when I was in my 20s and originally studying religion, and I got an evening call to…
Category: Pastoral
Allow Yourself to Be Pleasantly Surprised
Who Do You Want to Emulate On Friday night I asked this on Facebook and Twitter: If there is anyone (alive or dead) you would like to emulate, who is he/she? How are you doing? Do you care? Do you _really_ care? The reason I posted it is because there are some people on both…
Happy New Year (2017)
I suspect I was not the only one to start off 2017 staying up way too late, but after about six hours of sleep I began the new year in one of the best ways possible. Reading Scripture. Many of us at the Strasburg Church of Christ are taking the blessed trek through all 66…
Returning to the First New Year’s Day
How Many? Just curious…how many New Year’s Days do you think there have been? [Wait for answers.] Personally, based on the Bible, I think it has been less than ten thousand. I know that seems to contradict the geological record and other scientific evidence of the age of the universe, but science also cannot explain…
Baby Jesus, Did You Know?
Away in a Manger I’m not sure I would say it is in my top three, but I really like Christmas carol, “Away in a Manger.” We all know its first verse, right?: Away in a manger, no crib for his bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head; The stars in the…
Merry Christmas (2016)
It is past midnight here in Strasburg, Colorado…so we have crossed into Christmas Day. In a world where minute-by-minute (and overall) life can seem quite askew…Christmas reminds us of a Savior that came to set everything right. To bring peace on earth and goodwill to men. Merry Christmas and our love to all!
Anticipating the Arrival
Just Can’t Wait! Have you ever really, really looked forward to something? Looked forward to it so much you just couldn’t wait…and it seemed to take forever? What was it? A trip to some exotic place? Your wedding day? Something else? Christmas? Kids, when I was your age I just couldn’t wait for Christmas. It…
The Reunion
Denver International Airport Yesterday, Michelle, Augie, and I got up a bit early for a Saturday, headed over to Denver International Airport and picked up… Who did we pick up Augie? That’s right! His big brother Mikey…or “Michael” as he is more formally known to most others. 🙂 And although mom and dad were also…
I Didn’t Do It!
Good or Evil What do you think? Are humans inherently good or evil? How many here believe humans are inherently good? How many here believe humans are inherently evil? I suspect the best answer to the question, “Are humans inherently good or evil?” is… Yes. 🙂 But, if there is one thing that I think…
Do You Understand?
Fiverr Has anyone here heard of Fiverr? The description in the title on its web site’s main page is: Fiverr: The Marketplace for Creative & Professional Services And it is a great marketplace for various services. For instance it’s main menu lists Graphics & Design, Digital Marketing, Writing & Translation, Video & Animation, Music &…
Gotta Serve Somebody
Digital World We live in a digital world, don’t we? What does that mean to you? What does it mean to live in a “digital world”? Heading to my Mac’s trusty dictionary (as I often do), its first definition of digital is: (of signals or data) expressed as series of the digits 0 and 1,…
Who Is Your Father?
The Internet provides many blessing, but it also comes with destructive curses. One of its banes is the ease by which it allows damning accusations to proliferate. Most common today are charges of “isms” and their equivalents, e.g. racism, sexism, and nativism. I’d like to propose some understandings when it comes to accusations in general, but…
Now That Its Over
Lazarus Let’s jump right into Scripture today. Well, first a bit of background. Jesus’ good friend Lazarus dies while Jesus is away. Jesus gets the news and stays another two days. There is no question. Lazarus is dead. Fully, truly dead.
Damien and Augie’s Sermon on Angels
Last Sunday… Last Sunday Damien came over after church, and he, Augie, and I were chatting at the kitchen table. I cannot remember if I specifically asked what they would like me to preach on, but, regardless, the two boys ended up telling me they’d like one on angels. And this sermon is a result…
You Just Can’t Win
Can’t Win at… Do you ever feel that you just can’t win? That no matter what you do, someone is going to be unhappy? Michelle is familiar with a few of these stories, but I’ve felt that way quite a bit at work. Not with my boss specifically, but as an example…early this year one…