There are times when fear threatens to overwhelm us. All of us have been there. These are the times when it is easy to see ourselves in the lines of Psalm 42 and 43. Some believe that both psalms were originally one because of the common chorus they share (cf. 42:5, 11 with 43:5). Together … More When Fear Leads to Courage
Christmas and New Year’s Day are behind us. Valentine’s Day (my sister’s birthday) is in the rear window too. School buses are cruising our roads. Footballs are no longer flying through the air, and the weatherman says that warmer days are coming soon. In my garden, potatoes are starting to break the surface. Spring is … More Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Easter
I heard a powerful thought as I was driving home from helping my daughter move sheep. One of the joys of our move to Missouri is the opportunity to be close enough to help and be helped by our son-in-law, daughter, and grandchildren. One of the weekly tasks is moving the sheep from one paddock … More The Joy of Unanswered Prayer
A pastor called with a question about what I have called on this blog, “INTENSELY LOCAL MINISTRY.” How do we reach the people around us? The neighbor next door and the one across the street–how do we tell them about the love of Christ in a culture where the discussion of personal faith is seen … More A Pastor Asked Me . . .
The ESV editors supply the three-word heading, “Revive Us Again,” as a summary of Psalm 85. An outline of the content of the psalm might look something like this: Stanza Description Verses. Contemporary Re-phrasing How God was faithful to Israel (vss. 1-3) … More Dissipating the Anger of God: Psalm 85
I heard someone say, “Social Media Apps are Lament Platforms.” It’s not my phrase, but when I heard it, something rang true and false in my ear at the same time. Like a chord misplayed, it hinted at something that was jarring and yet suggestive of something important and true. I wrote it down til … More When Can Christians Lament?
Two thoughts from my morning reading of the Book of Acts. This morning, I was reading Acts and was struck by Paul’s account of his conversion in Acts 26:14 and his description of what the Lord said to him. From there, I went to the other two accounts where Paul shares his testimony in Acts … More Stunned by Jesus.
Our new church in Missouri has asked me to teach a Sunday School class on the Life of David beginning in March. More like a part 1, and then they will evaluate how to proceed. I’m excited about the opportunity and the chance to re-engage with the manual I wrote years ago for a seminary … More Lessons from Teaching the Life of David
Everyone who knows me knows I love the city of Philadelphia. Everyone. Two weeks ago, I was on a “roommates call” with a bunch of old friends from 45 years ago. One of them, Dave, had one question for me. “Are you still a die-hard Philadelphia fan?” “Is the Pope Catholic?,” was my response, followed … More Why is Jerusalem So Important?
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