GREAT VERSES OF THE BIBLE: Matthew 7:13-14

 Matthew 7.13.14

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.

Bible scholar, William Barclay once wrote, “I am a convinced universalist. I believe that in the end all men will be gathered into the love of God.” Other famous people who are Universalists include American statesman John Quincy Adams, our  sixth President, the British writer Hanah Whitall Smith, and Robert Fulgham, author of All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten. Continue reading

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6 Essentials of a Good Life

 Life is Good

“The ultimate expression of life is not a paycheck. The ultimate expression of life is not a Mercedes. The ultimate expression of life is not a million dollars or a bank account or a home,” recently wrote Jim Rohn in a blog post. “The ultimate expression of life is living a good life.”

“But,” you ask, “What is a good life?” Continue reading

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Word of the Week: Purge

Purge

The word around our house for the past several weeks has been ‘PURGE!”

Allied is coming five weeks from today to load our earthly possessions and move us to North Texas. So, for the past month, we’ve been going through stuff that we neither want nor need to move. What a process! Sorting. Separating. Discarding. Keeping. Leaving. Purging! Continue reading

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Involvement in Worship

“Worship isolated from involvement is a bland and meaningless exercise,” wrote Warren Hamby.

Involvement has to do with activity. Commitment. It means “to engage or employ.” “To engage the interest or emotions.” “To absorb fully.”

If we are passive in worship, disengaged and sit waiting for something to happen to us, we will be disappointed in the service. We may leave saying, “I didn’t get anything out of it. Continue reading

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4 Lessons Learned from the Titanic

1932 --- Sinking of the Titanic by Willy Stoewer --- Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

“God himself could not sink this ship,” replied a deck hand as Sylvia Caldwell marveled at the majesty of the great Titanic and wondered aloud if it really was unsinkable as advertised.

Talk about famous last words!

It was on this day 104 years ago, April 15, 1912, that the “Unsinkable Ship” sank in the icy waters of the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg late on the 14th.  1517 people died in that disaster. Continue reading

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What If We Had To Pay “The Alice Tax”?

 Taxes.alice tax

Kansas City native Calvin Trillin is an American author, journalist and humorist. He is a long time food writer for The New Yorker.

In 2012, Trillin was awarded the Thurber Prize for American Humor for Quite Enough of Calvin Trillin: Forty Years of Funny Stuff, published by Random House. He often speaks of his late wife, Alice, who was an accomplished author, educator and “long time muse to her husband.”

In the book, he writes about “the Alice Tax.” Never heard of it? On the eve of our tax deadline in America, consider this. Continue reading

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What Guides My Life?

 

Portrait of a pensive businessman at the office

The church where I currently preach, Hickman Mills church of Christ, in Kansas City, MO, recently presented a special series called “Week-End in the Word.” The theme was Bible Answers To Tough Questions. The speaker invited to address these questions was Dan DeGarmo from Chillicothe, Ohio.

The questions included, “Why Bad Things Happen to good people” How should I Respond to Terror?” “Who Am I? And “God, What Do You See in Me?”

In my mind the key question, answered Sunday morning, was “What Guides My Life?” This answer impacts the answers to all other questions. Continue reading

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Should We Guided by Law or Love?

Pope.Francis.Joy of love

 

“Pope stresses spirit over rules” read the front page headline of Saturday’s Kansas City Star.

The article reported Pope Francis’ news conference at the Vatican Friday unveiling his latest 260 page writing entitled “Amoris Letitia” or “The Joy of Love.” According to the article “Francis’ worldwide challenge (is) to minister to the consciences of people in all their fragile imperfections and not be cornered by rigorous doctrine.” Continue reading

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Word of the Week: Commandments

Commandments“Life is a lot like a minefield,” wrote my favorite author anonymous.

What Mr. Anon meant is that minefields are incredibly dangerous places. Of course, the danger lurks in not knowing where the mines are planted. However, if a soldier had a detailed map of a minefield showing where a mine is located, the infantry could walk through unscathed.

I understand the military has specialists whose job is to locate these mines. Using high-tech methods, they locate the mines and plant a small flag by them. When the troops march through the area they know where to step and more importantly where not to step! Continue reading

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Preaching

While on his third missionary journey, Paul came to Troas where he spent the week. He met with the brethren. Worshipped. Communed. And preached. (Acts 20:6-7)

Preaching. It’s been a part of worship since the first century church began on that Pentecost Sunday in Acts 2. Peter preached. He preached Jesus. His death. Burial. Resurrection. And ascension. He preached God’s plan for salvation. Continue reading

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