I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you. This is how Paul begins the Epistle to the Romans. He states that he thanks God for their faith. In a sense, he is thankful for their faith and friendship. Reading this today made me think about the people who have shared their faith and friendship with me. It started when I was young. My grandmother loved Jesus and…
Read MoreGive me that mountain: A challenge for today!
Just about 11 months ago, I retired from full-time ministry. I began the journey in late 1981 and retired in May 2022. Regarding retirement, there were some things we expected, and there have some unexpected things as well. Some things we had figured out beforehand, and many we did not. What has gone according to plan? We have developed a hobby or two. We made some new friends. We…
Read MoreEverything I have, I have received!
The Apostle Paul makes this statement in 1 Corinthians 4:7. He talks to a group that feels superior and reminds them of a truth. “What do you have that you have not received?” That is a great question. When you get to the place where you feel pretty assured that you are something special, it would be good to remember Paul’s statement: everything I have, I received. You are…
Read MoreWere You There?
Palm Sunday is past. The entry into Jerusalem, somewhat like a parade amidst the crowds shouting Hosanna, is now a dim memory. A habit I developed years ago was working my way through the Gospel accounts of the events of Holy Week, including Jesus’ teaching, arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. The Gospels spend much time recounting the week’s events that changed the world. Though I have known the story for…
Read MoreTake Me Out To The Ballgame!
Today Susanne and I will attend the Detroit Tigers’ opening baseball game. This year will be somewhat different. We attended the Tigers’ home openers for many years while pastoring in metro Detroit. Today we will be attending their first game of the season, and it just happens to be at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, home of the Tamp Bay Rays. Susanne and I will be sporting our Detroit…
Read MoreIf it needs to be done, put it on your calendar!
What happens when your calendar marries your to-do list? Action and accomplishment are birthed! Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else. This quote is attributed to Peter Drucker. Time management and self-management are so intertwined that they are indistinguishable. Everything I have ever read regarding time management boiled down to my ability to manage myself. Time is a precious commodity. One can feel it slipping away moment by…
Read MoreFor the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost
This is the key verse for the book of Luke “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10). There are a lot of opinions about who Jesus is and what He came into the world to do. For some, He is a great teacher, a moral philosopher, and a tremendous role model. These are all nice things, yet Jesus never…
Read MoreSearch me, not search others!
Search me O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24) It is quite easy to see the faults in others. They seem evident and obvious. In fact they are hard to miss and quite observable. It has become nearly a sport, finding the faults and inconsistencies in…
Read MoreSignificant Places revisited!
Even though I retired last year, I am participating in events again, a cross between Groundhog day and deja vu. I am at the denominational leader’s conference in downtown Kansas City. I moved to Kansas City in 1978 upon graduation from college. From the summer of 1978 until late 1981, this place was home. I was a seminary student. Susanne and I got married in 1980; Kansas City was the…
Read MoreDecisions and God’s Counsel
I was reading a passage from the Old Testament and I found the wording quite curious “The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.” (Joshua 9:14) This verse is part of a longer story when the Gibeonites deceived the Israelites. To give the Israelites the idea that the Gibeonites lived far away they artificially aged their clothes and provisions. This way the leaders of Israel would…
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