We want things to “make sense.” We attempt to force people, decisions, and incidents into simplistic categories of “black” and “white”; “appropriate” and “inappropriate”; “abuse” and “care.” But then we read the most authoritative and active account of history and we find that people, decisions, and incidents are complicated, messy, and mysterious. For instance, once […]
“When you pray, do not heap up empty phrases. But pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. […]
If someone asked you, “What are the ‘irreverent, silly myths,’ Paul’s talking about in 1 Timothy 4?” what would you say? What do you think Jesus would say? It seems like Jesus would say, “Paul is referring to the myth of self-sufficiency.” …Jesus was regularly getting into altercations with pompous religious types who propagated and […]
A close friend of mine has been telling me my whole life, “Make the best use of the time, because the days are evil. …Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer […]
Water problem solved. 42 disrespectful small boys ripped apart by 2 she-bears. Music, water, and Moab. Oil in vessels to save 2 sons from slavery. A baby son for an old wealthy couple. Resurrection of wealthy family’s son. Remedied the death stew. Food multiplication. Curing an extremely high-ranking, and oppressive, Syrian military official of leprosy. […]
Have you ever been stressed out? Some of you have stressful jobs. Many moments where you’re barely hitting your deadlines; and it feels like you’re always on the brink of burning out. Some folks are swimming in stress because they all-of-a-sudden find themselves navigating increased financial obligations. Some of you are stressed because you recently […]
When I was nine years old I wanted to give my mom a present. It wasn’t out of a sense of compulsion. It wasn’t her birthday. It wasn’t Mother’s Day. I simply wanted to give her a present because I loved her. I was thankful for who she was, and how she loved me. Both […]
“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough […]
I have often heard the leaders of ECPC say to people, “Pray the Psalms!” If you heed this counsel, you will find it fairly straight forward so long as you happen upon prayers like Psalm 5, wherein your participation involves personally adopting the words, “Through the abundance of Your steadfast love, I will enter Your […]
Over the past 6 years ECPC has many times wondered, debated, and wrestled with the question, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” And Christ’s prophetic and pastoral response has consistently been, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child […]