The Jesus Guilt Cure

 When I was in seminary, I remember reading a psychologist who said that guilt is healthy if it lasts no more than five minutes or results in a change of behavior.  I put the book down and thought: “Lord, my life is nothing but an onion with layer upon layer of unhealthy guilt.”

Blessed are the Meek,
The Last shall be first,
Walk Humbly with Your God, etc.

      This last Sunday we focused on how we go about discerning God’s purpose and plan for our lives.  The conclusion I drew, in reflection on the scriptures, was that finding our place in this world and fulfilling our potential requires living with one eye on Jesus Christ and the other eye looking forward.

The Lord is my Constant Companion

      Each week we are featuring a prayer that sets an example for the answered prayer we are emphasizing. This week we’ve got a prayer, based on the 23rd Psalm, which is called: The Lord is my Constant Companion. I invite you to make this prayer yours as you ask for God to give you peace.

Archived Posts

One Final Scene About Scrooge

There was one more scene in Dickens’s novel that reveals something of what has happened to Scrooge over the years.  I did not have time to share it on Sunday, but I believe it reveals a great deal about the regrets in Scrooge’s life....

 

What Jacob Marley Would Do,

If He Could Do It…

         I thought about using the following for a benediction—since Jacob Marley was warning Scrooge about the danger of loving money and what it could buy.  Ends up with the Cantata and everything else going on, I didn’t have the time.  So here is what you might have heard if the sermon itself was 5 minutes shorter!

A Confirming Word on Old King Herod

          I just want to echo what Rick said in his fine sermon yesterday (Nov. 23).  Herod was a ruthless tyrant and skilled politician.  When the Magi don’t report back to him, he decides to kill all the male children of Bethlehem under the age of 2.  That’s one paranoid dude.

Power Without Conscience?

          I ran out of room for this vignette in Sunday’s sermon.  Remember the quote that could be the headline for Ahab and Naboth:  “All that’s needed for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.” The following reinforces that truth.

The Cars Are Looking for A King

          I don’t have a thing to add to Pastor Jessica’s excellent sermon this last Sunday.  The fable/parable she shared has been one of my favorites for all the lessons she pulled from it in her message.  I was playing around with my friend Chat GPT and after several abortive attempts, we came up with the following modernized version of Judges 9:7-15.