Sunday Afternoon Musings John 4:16-30 Jesus and the Woman of Samaria Three things Jesus is looking for based on his interaction with the Samaritan woman: A worshiper devoted to truth. A worshiper devoted to reality over hypocrisy or form. A worshiper devoted to pleasing God. 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive … More What is a Quality Disciple? or What is a Worshiper?
Sunday Musings I am convinced that when the historical backdrop is truly understood, most narrative texts require very little interpretation. When the historical situation is understood, when the people of God’s situation is unpacked, most narrative meaning almost “falls out” with very little effort on the part of the preacher simply by reading the text … More Praying Powerful Prayers
Friday is for Heart Songs I have been a Leonard Cohen fan since the late 1960’s through all the interesting changes to his voice, each of them more interesting than the one before. Cohen, as far as I know is not a Christian, but his lyrics have always revealed a depth and a searching for … More Show Me the Place Where the Suffering Began
Tuesday is For Heart Songs Update: This post was written a number of years ago but today I was reminded of it and thought I would pass it along. My car CD player is broken and it and the radio have been sent away for repair. Not having either a radio or a CD in … More Piercing an Ear as An Act of Worship
Monday Discussion (updated) Early for worship, she, companion of 27 years [now 41 years], turns to me and says, “Want to hear a sweet phrase I found?” People are filing into their seats. Friends, brothers, and sisters in the family of God are hugging and catching up on one another’s prayers. The worship team who … More The Fringes of His Ways
Wednesday is for Prayer Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart in the company of the upright, in the congregation. ( Psalm 111:1 ESV) What might happen to our corporate worship experience if we gave ourselves the evening before our assembling with the saints to meditating … More Giving Thanks with a Whole Heart
Maybe one of the biggest needs in the church today. I saw an appalling video on YouTube yesterday titled “Worst Worship Ever”. I don’t even want to include a link to it. Literally, it made me sick to my stomach just watching about a minute of it. God save us from the idolatry of happiness … More Combating “Happy Talk” in Our Churches
Thursday is for Discipleship I picked up the following excerpt from John Newton’s autobiography (An Authentic Narrative) over at Stand to Reason Blog. Newton, for those who don’t know, was the slave trader / ships captain turned Christian convert, pastor, and hymn writer who wrote the most famous hymn of all time, Amazing Grace. I … More The Thinness of Theological Reflection in Our Age
Wednesday is for Prayer We are wise to learn from the great saints of the past how to pray. Here is one of those great prayers from a previous generation that we would do well to pray for ourselves every day and for all those we love. May all your study and all your work today, … More May You Be Ravished by a New Vision of Christ
Friday is for Heart Songs It is almost beyond dispute that the 21st Century church in America is filled with base elements and is a shadow of what Christ would have us be in holiness and purity. We are less than what we ought to be, less than what we could be, and spiritually impoverished … More The Carnality of the American Church
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