Will everyone go to heaven when they die?
Universalism says, “yes.” That is the belief of the Unitarian Universalist Church. Several of the so called “church fathers” of the second century believed in Universalism including Clement of Alexandria and his student, Origen. Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
John Piper once wrote that sin (lust for example) “gets its power by persuading me to believe that I will be more happy if I follow it. The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier.”
Piper’s observation reminds me of a true story that occurred several years ago. To protect the innocent, as well as the guilty, I will refer to the two married couples as Jason and Judy and Matt and Jen. Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
Yesterday’s lesson at the Temple Terrace VBS was instructive, exciting, challenging, and inspiring. And not just for the kids
My good friend and preaching colleague, Ralph Walker, presented an engaging lesson that paralleled the children study of the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who along with Daniel were in Babylonian captivity.
While there is no way we can capture the power of Ralph’s lesson in this short blog post, take a minute to read the text and consider these thoughts. Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
Missouri minister William Hooper tells a story about a mother working in the kitchen and hearing her 7 year-old son screaming at the top of lungs.
When she ran into the next room to see what was wrong, she discovered her 2 year-old daughter was pulling her brother’s hair.
After unclenching the baby’s hand she says to her son who’s very angry, “You have to overlook this. Your sister doesn’t know what it feels like to have her hair pulled.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
The late Erskine “Erk” Russell was an American football, basketball, track and baseball player and coach.
For 17 years Russell served as the defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs (1964-1981). As the first head coach of the Georgia Southern Eagles (1981-1989), he revived the program from a “40 year dormancy” and “established a standard of excellent during his tenure.”
Known for his creative but unorthodox methods Russell once pulled this stunt at Georgia Southern to discourage his players from getting involved in drugs. Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
“In the deep recesses of man’s soul lies an overwhelming yearning toward the Creator,” penned A. W. Tozer in the beginning lines of his book “Experiencing the Presence of God.”
That yearning has been described and depicted in various ways by a variety of authors over the years.
Mike Cope calls it a “holy hunger.”
Martin De Hann refers to it as a “radical reliance.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder, Psalms
Jesus, the prophets, and Bible preachers often used parables, allegories, or stories to illustrate and illuminate Truth and teach a moral lesson. Such is the case with Nathan the prophet in today’s text.
King David had lusted after Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, one of Israel’s elite warriors who was away fighting the Philistines. David committed adultery with her. Then when he learned she was pregnant with his child, tried to cover his sin by bringing Uriah home, getting him drunk, and going home to his wife. But Uriah refused. Continue reading
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“Conscience tells us that we ought to do right, but it does not tell us what right is–that we are taught by God’s word,” once wrote the 19th century editor and author H. C. Trumbull.
This text deals with matters of conscience, Christian freedom, and personal responsibility. It speaks to our relationship to fellow Christians to respect their conscience, while not allowing others’ conscience to be our guide. Continue reading
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“A blind man’s world is bounded by the limits of his touch; an ignorant man’s world by the limits of his knowledge: a great man’s world by the limits of his vision,” observed author and minister, E. Paul Hovey
Or as expressed by the often quoted author anonymous, “We are limited not by our abilities but by our vision.” Continue reading
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John W. Gardner, who wrote the book “Excellence” says we have the potential to make a difference, not only in our own lives. But also in the lives of those we meet.
Gardner illustrates that point by relating the true story of a cheerful gentleman who invested his life in others.
When the old fellow met people he never asked the conventional questions that we usually ask such as “What do you do for a living?” He always asked, “What have you done that you believe in and you are proud of?” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
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