The Importance of A Noise Cancelling Lifestyle

          While hiding in a cave on the mountain the word of God asks Elijah, ‘What are you doing here?’  Elijah proceeds to launch into a rather whiney rant along the lines of “No one likes me, Everybody hates me, and all my hard work and sacrifice on your behalf, Lord, has fallen on deaf ears.”

 

         And here’s what most people miss about this story: 

So Is People Pleasing Such a Bad Thing?

         This is a fair question, based on Sunday’s sermon.  Wanting to make others happy isn’t a bad thing in itself.  It’s what it does to the one who is compelled to please—someone with a compulsion to win the approval of others. 

Being Lucky, Being Touched by Grace

 On Sunday we talked about luck and how in some instances God’s grace can feel a lot like very good luck.  We are beyond fortunate in being loved for who we are and not what we have done or not done to meet the standards a good and loving God lays out for us. 

Quotes that Resonate with Pastor Jessica’s Sermon on Faithful Doubting

          As Pastor Jessica made clear in her sermon Sunday, doubt can actually be beneficial to faith, as it often leads to deeper understanding, stronger convictions, and a more mature spiritual journey.   My research assistant, ChatGPT, helped me find the following quotes.   See if any of them help you take Jessica’s sermon a little further into your week!

Archived Posts

The Loss of a Great Christian Leader

         The death today of Pope Francis was particularly poignant, falling as it did on the day after Easter.  As Protestant Christians we have a once removed interest in the leader of the Roman Catholic church. Yet the pope is the authoritative leader of 1.4 billion women and men around the world.  It is worth our time to pause and consider what kind of man and what kind of legacy Pope Francis left behind.

Everything You Wanted To Know About Judas Iscariot
(Drawn from online sources)

Jesus Hears A Who

         Few people know that Horton Hears A Who comes from the 25th Chapter of Matthew. 

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.