Growing Deeper Into the Soil of God's Word to Bear Fruit For His Kingdom
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that ‘We all possess knowledge.’ But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God. (1 Cor 8:1-3) In a recent consistory meeting (the governing body... Continue Reading →
Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer. (Ruth 3:9b) Under cover of darkness, Ruth makes her way to the threshing floor where she's been told, by her mother-in-law Naomi, that Boaz will be spending the night. After waiting for the man to fall asleep, she approached quietly, uncovered his feet... Continue Reading →
“As it turned out, she was working in a field belong to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek” (Ruth 2:3b) God’s activity is subtle in the book of Ruth. Excellent timing here, faithful people there. Yet all the while, God continually works fullness and redemption for Ruth and Naomi. There is no more... Continue Reading →
Each new year opens with a certain freshness. So many possibilities, so many hopes, so many dreams. The old has passed away and – behold! - the new has come. The changing of years causes many of us to reflect on the past and make renewed commitments for the coming year. These resolutions include a... Continue Reading →
On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11) Gifts. Gifts are always a huge part of our celebration of Christmas. We give gifts to friends and family,... Continue Reading →
One of the inevitabilities of Christian ministry is the Christian funeral. Many ministers find presiding over funerals to be both incredibly challenging and incredibly rewarding. However, with the ever pressing demand of Sunday services, the death of a saint does not often allow for thorough analysis of the meaning and purpose of a Christian funeral.... Continue Reading →
And there were shepherd living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (Luke 2:8-9) The angel appeared to the shepherds at work. These young children (most likely) were not... Continue Reading →
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet, “the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’)” (Matthew 1:22-23) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and... Continue Reading →
The American church has awoken to the need to invest in its leaders. Christian leadership development has become its own cottage industry with accompanying books, conferences, and celebrities. I drank deeply from this movement. I bought the books, took furious notes as I listened to speakers tell me the 3 (or 5 or 7)... Continue Reading →
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and... Continue Reading →
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