Being Christian Without Losing Your Mind
A dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When he saw her, the Lord had compassion for her and said, “Don’t cry.” – Luke 7:12b-13 The times that made me question my pastoral calling were when people faced …
If you live on the basis of selfishness, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the actions of the body, you will live. – Romans 8:13 United Methodist Bishop Robert Schnase is from Texas. When he was assigned to Missouri, it was a weather-shock to him. The sub-freezing …
Jesus said to someone else, “Follow me.” He replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. But you go and spread the news of God’s kingdom.” – Luke 9:59-60 On the farm we grew corn. I hated growing corn. It was hot work harvesting …
As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession—a woman’s only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, “Don’t cry.” – Luke 7:12-13 The story of Jesus restoring life to a widow’s son doesn’t fit your …
The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayers have been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to your son and you must name him John.”…Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? My wife and I are very old.” – Luke 1:13, 18 There is a phenomenon in my …
We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. – 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (The Message) In a devotion in the Upper …
[Jesus said to the women on Easter morning,] “But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”– Mark 16:7, NRSV I’ve read the Resurrection account innumerable times. It was just a few years ago I noticed a quirky …
The ending of the season finale of comedian John Oliver’s show on HBO, “Last Week Tonight,” was cathartic. After an expletive-filled rant regarding how “bad” (euphemism) the year has been, he pressed a trigger and pyrotechnically blew up the gigantic numbers, “2020.” For some reason it feels good to vent anger and pain vicariously like …
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. – 1 John 4:18a I was about six when my dad and I took an overnight train to Chicago. It was high adventure for me. We were in a sleeping car, with fold-out-from-the-wall bunk beds. I was in the upper, and dad in the lower. In the middle …
[NOTE: We’ll return to a Mondays-only format next week.] I believe that the present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory that is going to be revealed to us. — Romans 8:18 If a baby bird doesn’t look up, it doesn’t get fed. Something in the grand design of evolution put the natural instinct …