October 12, 2015 · 7:01 am

WORD OF THE WEEK: LISTEN

 

Portrait of mature businesswoman listening attentively to her boss explanations at meeting

Alan Smith tells a funny story about President Franklin Roosevelt, who often endured long receiving lines at the White House. He complained that no one really paid any attention to what was said.

One day, during a reception, he decided to try an experiment. To each person who came down the line and shook his hand, he murmured, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” The guests responded with phrases like, “Marvelous! Keep up the good work. We are proud of you. God bless you, sir.” Continue reading →

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October 11, 2015 · 6:57 am

Sunday Seed Thoughts: Discovery

Seed Thoughts

Tomorrow is October 12, the day we celebrate the discovery of the new world by Christopher Columbus. Some contend that the Norse Vikings or Irish missionaries or even the ten lost tribes of Israel somehow discovered America before Columbus did; but the fact is it was he who returned to Spain and spread the word. Continue reading →

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October 9, 2015 · 6:35 am

IT’S FRIDAY. BUT SUNDAY’S COMING! Moved By Grace

Grace. man. Cross

In his poem, In A U-Haul North of Damascus, Georgia poet, David Bottoms, expresses the lament of the soul that cries for redemption and wonders if it’s worthy of grace.

Lord, what are the sins

I have tried to leave behind me? The bad checks,

the workless days, the scotch bottles thrown across the fence

and into the woods, the cruelty of silence,

the cruelty of lies, the jealousy,

the indifference? Continue reading →

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October 8, 2015 · 6:58 am

When Will the World End?

End of the World

Well, I woke up this morning and the world hadn’t come to an end. Honesty, I can’t say that I’m surprised. But I wonder if Chris McCann is shocked?

McCann, the leader and founder of eBible Fellowship, an on-line religious group headquartered near Philadelphia, predicted the world would end on Wednesday, October 7th.

“It does appear that 7 October will be the day that God has spoken of: in which, the world will pass away,” McCann told The Guardian in a recent interview. Continue reading →

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October 7, 2015 · 6:39 am

GREAT VERSES OF THE BIBLE: John 1:1

john1_1

Many people today, even so-called religious leaders, consider Jesus as merely a great man. A social reformer. A cynical philosopher. A champion of human rights. A critic of organized religion. Or just a marginal Jew with delusions of grandeur with a Messianic complex.

The late Robert Funk was an American Bible scholar and founder of the controversial Jesus Seminar which was popularized by Polebridge Press. Funk’s view of the gospel accounts regarding Jesus’ life was regarded as mere fiction. He wrote, “Matthew, Mark, Luke and John ‘marketed the Messiah’ to make him conform to Christian doctrine that evolved after the death of Jesus.” Continue reading →

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October 6, 2015 · 6:56 am

The 10 Commandments of Fellowship

Fellowship. 10 commandments

In Letters to God, kids were asked to write to God with their requests, here’s what a few of them wrote.

Dear GOD, is it true my father won’t get in Heaven if he uses his bowling words in the house? Anita

Dear GOD, maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother. Larry

Dear GOD, did you really mean, “do unto others as they do unto you”? Because if you did, then I’m going to fix my brother! Chris Continue reading →

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October 5, 2015 · 6:32 am

WORD OF THE WEEK: AWESOME

awesome totally

On our recent trip home from Florida and Louisiana, Norma Jean commented to me on the frequency of hearing the word “awesome” to describe anything and anyone.

Today everything is awesome. Ice cream. A nice shirt. A fun day at the park. Dunking a basketball. A blog. A sermon. I once had a server in a restaurant tell me “the meatloaf is awesome.” Continue reading →

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October 2, 2015 · 5:54 am

IT’S FRIDAY. BUT SUNDAY’S COMING! Stability During Life’s Changes

Jesus.Collage

Jennie Wilson was born on an Indiana farm in 1857. Her life was filled with trouble and change. Her father died in infancy. At age 4 she suffered a spinal disease that rendered her an invalid, confined to a wheel chair. However, she developed a love for music and poetry and began writing lyrics for hymns.

The post civil era in which she lived was a time of transition and vulnerability for many poor farmers, share croppers and emancipated slaves. In was during the time of societal upheaval that Jennie wrote these words that later became a famous hymn. Continue reading →

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October 1, 2015 · 6:15 am

The Problem of Self

self centered

Several years ago one of my favorite authors, anonymous, wrote a short essay entitled, “How To Be Miserable.” It began “Think about yourself. Talk about yourself. Use “I” as often as possible.”

The article continued, “Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others. Listen greedily to what people say about you. Expect to be appreciated. Be suspicious. Be jealous and envious. Be sensitive to slights. Never forgive a criticism. Trust nobody but yourself. Insist on consideration and respect. Demand agreement with your own views on everything. Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown them. Never forget a service you have rendered. Shirk your duties if you can. Do as little as possible for others.” Continue reading →

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September 30, 2015 · 4:49 am

GREAT VERSES OF THE BIBLE: 1Peter 3:8

Bible.Open

This may sound strange to some folks, but other preachers understand this. One of the joys of a vacation from the pulpit is listening to other Bible teachers and being spiritually encouraged, edified and energized. Last Sunday was one of those occasions at the Henderson Boulevard Church in Tampa, Florida.

In addition to the Communion Eulogy and a wonderful sermon by Ralph Walker was the Bible class taught by Paul  Grieving. The study was from the book of 1st Peter dealing with relationships in chapter 3 with an emphasis on verse 8. Continue reading →

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