Being Christian Without Losing Your Mind
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Since retiring a few years ago, I’ve been adrift from congregational life. I’ve followed the mandate that you separate yourself from the last congregation to which you’ve been appointed. That gives the new pastor the opportunity to form relationships that are important for pastoral duties. In this outside-church period, I’ve discovered how difficult it is …
God saw everything he had made: it was supremely good. There was evening and there was morning: the sixth day. — Genesis 1:31 One evening my wife opened a box and found a long-ago picture of our kids. Our son was around 7 and our daughter, 2. Their smiles are boundless in that photo. They’re beaming, …
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. — 1 John 4:18 While half the country rejoiced when Donald Trump was reelected, the other half felt the opposite. I was in the latter group, and the predominant emotion for me was fear. Based on what I heard our president-elect say on the campaign trail, questions easily kept …
Since we belong to the day, let’s stay sober, wearing faithfulness and love as a piece of armor that protects our body and the hope of salvation as a helmet. — 1 Thessalonians 5:8 Tomorrow promises to be one of the most contentious, nerve-wracking elections ever. It’s helpful to put things in perspective from a …
The night is almost over, and the day is near. So let’s get rid of the actions that belong to the darkness and put on the weapons of light. — Romans 13:12 Did you know that Missouri is the cave state? We have over 7000 of them. If you ever want to experience total darkness, …
Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand. — Ephesians 6:13 Once upon a time, church folk sang, “Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war.” It’s not sung as much today, maybe not at …
Teach us to number our days so we can have a wise heart. — Psalm 90:12 My sister and I, both in our 70’s, have made a pact. Each year we’re going to get together, somewhere, sometime. She’s in Florida and I’m in Missouri. Recently she visited me here in St. Louis. On one day, we journeyed to …
“I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.” — John 12:24 There’s a generosity behind death that we’re seldom aware of. When you die, you are allowing others to live. The food you would have eaten …
In a church I served, two flags were prominently displayed in the chancel area. On one side, the Christian flag. On the other, that of the United States. Throughout my years there, this simple display generated interesting conversations. One was started by a gentleman who stated that we should display the American flag more prominently, …
There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. — Galatians 3:28 Sometimes you can tell how inspired a biblical text is by how people resist believing or following it. Paul’s famous verse from Galatians is pretty and idealistic. And church …