My friend Benny is putting together a baseball team. But he’s going about it all wrong. His team is comprised of a bunch of misfits, and their “field” looks like a dilapidated abandoned lot. The fact that Benny’s team and field LOOK shabby, silly, and small is bad enough, but on top of that – […]
“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which,if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you […]
Have you ever observed how the life of Joseph (son of Jacob) is a lot like the life of Andy Dufresne? Both were wrongfully accused Both were imprisoned because of alleged crimes against women Both exhibited patience, shrewdness, and perseverance over a period of many years in prison Both enriched the lives of others while […]
No Christian and, indeed, no historian could accept the epigram which defines religion as “what a man does with his solitude.” It was one of the Wesleys, I think, who said that the New Testament knows nothing of solitary religion. We are forbidden to neglect the assembling of ourselves together. Christianity is already institutional in […]
May I read you a few lines from Tolstoy’s War and Peace? When Boris entered the room, Prince Andrey was listening to an old general, wearing his decorations, who was reporting something to Prince Andrey, with an expression of soldierly servility on his purple face. “Alright. Please wait!” he said to the general, speaking in Russian […]
I was walking around Marlwood this morning listening to my friend Paul talk’n. Here’s some stuff Paul said that resonated with me and rung true… “Stop asking God to bless what you’re doing. Find out what God’s doing. It’s already blessed.” “Feelings are much stronger than thoughts. We are all led by instinct, and our […]
Every week I write sermon reflection questions. But do I wrestle with them? I suppose I do while projecting the content throughout the week, and preaching the sermon on Sunday; but this week I have decided to wrestle through the questions a bit more thoroughly by blogging about them…
Forgiveness & goodness were available to King Saul. King Saul had access to God’s lavish mercy. The scandalous heritage of imputed righteousness was available to King Saul. BUT Saul did not receive and relish these gifts. When invited to receive and rest in these staggering gifts of God – and live in the freedom, power, […]
I was chatting with my buddy Edgar yesterday and he said, “Do you really think it’s a good idea for people to be reading the Bible?” I said, “Yup.” Edgar said, “For real?” I said, “Yup.” Edgar said, “But it’s dangerous!” I said, “Yup.” Edgar said, “The Bible is full of crazy stories and teachings.” […]
I’m imaginatively inhabiting the story of Nehemiah these days, and at the same time I’m listening to the story of Billy Beane (a.k.a. Moneyball by Michael Lewis) on audiobook. Just like the The Count of Monte Cristo helps me better understand the world of Joseph, son of Jacob; so Billy Beane’s general management of the […]