The words of the Advent wreath...Peace, Hope, Joy and Love. Isn’t that what all of us want in our lives? If we had those, could we feel like we had it all? I thought that I would spend my midweek blog for the next 4 weeks of December reflecting each week on one aspect. Let's light the candle of Hope.
Advent and Christmas have both been such long traditions and celebrations in the lives of most Christians. So as we once again enter this season of the year, how well versed are you really in some of the details that we hear in the stories and in the music of the season??
During those 40 days, Elijah was instructed by God to stand in the mouth of a cave. A giant wind, a strong earthquake and a fire went by but God was not in those. Following those, there was silence and a still, calm voice of God that spoke to him. It was in a calm and silent moment that Elijah experienced the small voice of God speaking to him.
I shared a video clip of a moment in 2003 that reminded me of what that small voice speaking in his ear must have felt like. If you would like to see that experience,CLICK HERE for the clip.
This last week I made an unexpected, last minute cross country road trip moving my son, Dan, to Phoenix for a new job. All of his furnishings and belongings were loaded in a 16’ U Haul truck towing behind his car.
After a second night’s hotel stay, we poured into the U Haul at 3 am. It was pitch black out and I was the designated driver for that leg of the journey. It is really eerie driving an unfamiliar vehicle into the sheer darkness of the night. This was new territory for me and so dark.
Archived Posts
Matthew 24: One More Thing...
I sometimes stumble on old documents I’ve created but have completely forgotten about. I cannot remember why I created them or what purpose they were originally supposed to serve....
Keeping the Church Doors Unencumbered
Sunday, we considered Jesus’ disruptive actions in the Temple in light of his frustration with keeping gentiles from worshipping in their designated courtyard. We then reflected on how we still tend to throw up roadblocks to those who don’t normally attend church. I found the following, but didn’t have space for it in the sermon. It’s provocative and worth chewing on for a while.
What Was the Crowd Celebrating on Palm Sunday?
I came across this list which feels a little like a "Greatest Hits of Jesus' Ministry". I share it with you today for your inspiration and edification. Enjoy!
The Best Kind of Trouble-maker
While working on this last week’s sermon I was looking through Phillip Yancey’s excellent book—The Jesus I Never Knew—when I came across a section that I found profound. It didn’t quite fit my sermon, but it caught my eye enough that I copied it down.
Practical Tips To Avoid Judging Others
When I research a sermon, such as Sunday’s message on judgmentalism, I always try to think through some practical steps or tips in how to implement God’s desire for our lives. I rustled together a herd of ideas this week and I offer them to you.