Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of a New York City murder that shocked the nation and awoke its collective conscience.
Kitty Genovese, a 28-year old bar manager, was returning to her home in a middle-class area of Queens at 3:00 am. According to the NY Times report, she parked her car and began to walk to her second floor apartment just 35 yards away. But a man grabbed her under the glare of a street light. Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
Cleland McAfee was a preacher and song writer from Parkville, Mo,. He lived in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. He was known for often writing his own songs that fit the theme of a sermon he was preaching. In 1903 he suffered the tragic loss of two infant nieces to diphtheria.
His daughter, in her book Near to the Heart of God, describes what happened. Continue reading
Filed under Christian Living, God
Words change their meaning. Become euphuisms. Or are highjacked by pop culture to mean something totally different than intended.
There is a classic scene in 1986 movie, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” where the Principle, Mr. Ronney, is discussing with his secretary, Grace, the problem of a wise guy who’s been skipping school.
Ronney says, “I don’t trust this kid any further than I can throw him.” He worries that Ferris Bueller will be a bad influence on the student body and undermine his ability to govern the school Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
Last Friday night, Norma Jean and I saw the movie Son of God. Without critiquing the movie’s “mistakes”, overall we enjoyed the movie and found it inspirational.
The thesis of the movie is captured in the title: SON OF GOD. It is in stark contrast to many other movies through the years that cast doubt on Jesus’ Deity. The 1973 Rock Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, written by Andrew Loyd Webber and Tim Rice, pictured Jesus as a mere man, questioning and doubting the whole idea of dying on the cross. Continue reading
Filed under It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!
“When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life,” once said the 19th century Irish writer and poet, Oscar Wilde. Then he added, “Now that I am old, I know that it is!”
If the truth is known, this may be the feeling of many people today. It seems that money occupies a part of almost every day. We work to make money. Save money. Spend money. Invest money. Give money. Continue reading
Filed under Money
Phillip Yancey, in his book “The Jesus I Never Knew,” tells about a Texas A & M professor, Virginia Owens, who assigned her students to write a short essay on the sermon on the mount. Here’s a sample of some of the student’s reactions: Continue reading
Filed under Culture
Norma Jean and I missed church Sunday.
The winter storm Titan came across KCMO Saturday and Sunday with sleet and snow, making travel hazardous, and forcing many churches to cancel services. Including our Church Family at Hickman Mills.
The whole day was really weird for me. Being home all day. Missing worship. Not preaching. Norma Jean and I really missed assembling with the saints. What did we miss? Continue reading
Filed under Worship
Polycarp was a second century Christian who lived at the time of Roman persecution.
This godly man, one of the bishops of the church at Smyrna, managed to escape persecution for almost his entire life. However, at age 86, he was suddenly a target of the Roman government.
Friends urged him to flee and go into hiding. Polycarp refused. When the soldiers came to his door, he let the them in and said, “God’s will be done.” Historians record that he was brought before the local proconsul, Statius Quadratus, who interrogated him in front of a curious crowd of bystanders. Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
Have you ever felt like everyone was against you?
Your spouse was discontented. Distant. And disengaged. Your kids seemed sullen and angry. Your boss was demanding. Impossible to please. A friend betrayed you. Others turned on you. No one listened. Or understood. Or seemed to care. People who lauded and praised you a few days ago now turn on you with a spiteful venom. Those who hailed you as great now want your hide. Continue reading
Filed under It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!
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Yesterday we received a call from our daughter in Florida, Rachél Thompson, regarding her husband, Jared. He was just diagnosed with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma.
Jared recently had a tonsillectomy. They both, as well as the doctor, had a feeling there was more to this than a normal surgery. A biopsy was performed from the tonsils and they received the results yesterday. Continue reading
Filed under Prayer
