For the past several Sundays we have considered the attributes of God from A-Z. Remember these are only 26 of literally hundreds of His Divine qualities. Today we conclude with the final four that remind us how great God is.
GOD IS…. Continue reading
Filed under Sunday Seed Thoughts
In a blog entitled “Six Things Christians Should Just Stop Staying, Dr. Steve McSwain wrote that Christians should quit saying “Jesus is the only way to heaven.”
“What you are really saying,” he writes, “is the way we interpret John 14:6 is that Jesus was clearly drawing a line in the sand and telling his hearers and the world: ‘If you do not believe in Me, you won’t go to the Father when you die.'”
The “Spiritual Teacher” and “Thought Leader” McSwain disagrees. “I am one of them, who do not interpret Jesus’ words the same way.” Continue reading
Filed under It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!
Yesterday the Surgeon General of the United States, Vivek Murthy, issued a prescription for the poor state of American health: a brisk walk.
It is estimated that half of American citizens are suffering from some chronic disease, and two-thirds are overweight, yet only half of Americans get the recommended amount of physical activity. Murthy wants the USA to make walking a priority.
“I’m asking for individuals and communities across America to reclaim the culture of physical activity that we once had,” said Murthy, who released a “call to action” on walking Wednesday. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship
Wemmicks were a community of painted wooden people in the children’s book You Are Special by Max Lucado.
Some of the Wemmicks were new and shiny. Others were chipped and peeling. Every day in Wemmicksville, they all received stickers. Some got gold stars, while others were given gray dots.
Punchinello, the main character, suddenly realized that only the pretty, shiny Wemmicks received the gold stars. He, and the others, got gray dots. So he decided he must not be worth very much. Continue reading
Filed under Great Bible Verses
Author and theologian, Eugene Peterson, makes this observation about American culture in Run with the Horses:
“There is little to admire and less to imitate in the people who are prominent in our culture. We have celebrities but not saints. Famous entertainers amuse a nation of bored insomniacs. Infamous criminals act out the aggressions of timid conformists. Petulant and spoiled athletes play games vicariously for lazy and apathetic spectators. People, aimless and bored, amuse themselves with trivia and trash.” Continue reading
Filed under Righteousness
Howard Hendricks tells a great story when he was on an American Airline flight after a very long delay. A man who had too much to drink was being rude to the other passengers. Demanding with the flight attendants. And in a word just plain obnoxious!
Hendricks watched this flight attendant treat this unpleasant man with class, dignity and professionalism. She was unruffled. When he was rude, she was polite. When he was uncaring, she was kind. Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
This is the fifth in a series on God’s attributes from A- Z that we have offered for your reflection the past few Sundays. Here are three more.
GOD IS…
Continue reading
Filed under Sunday Seed Thoughts
I recently read a story about a painting called “Checkmate” painted by Friedrich August Moritz Retzsch that used to hang in the Louvre Art Museum in Paris.
The painting depicts a chess match between the devil and Goethe’s Dr. Faust, who had sold his soul to the devil. It appears as if the devil has won. Faust has only the king, the queen, and a weak pawn left. The look on Faust’s face is one of abject despair. From across the chessboard the devil leers at him in anticipation of his expected victory. Ready to say, Checkmate! Continue reading
Filed under It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!
Today is a special day in history for all Americans. On this day, September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed. It officially marked the end of The American Revolution.
Representatives of the United States, Great Britain, Spain and France met to sign this treaty which signified America’s status as a free nation. Britain agreed to formally recognize the independence of its 13 former American colonies. The boundaries of the new republic were agreed upon: Florida north to the Great Lakes and the Atlantic coast west to the Mississippi River. Continue reading
Filed under America
The second century theologian, Augustine, is generally regarded as the greatest of the early “church fathers.” His writings are classics. And he is often quoted.
However, Augustine, the future bishop, was not baptized until he was 32 years old. Prior to his conversion he engaged in a ten year illicit relationship. The story is told that one day following his conversion, he was approached by his former mistress. When Augustine saw her, he turned and quickly walked away.
The woman followed after him calling out, “Augustine! It’s me! It’s me!” Continue reading
Filed under Great Bible Verses
