Do you see the glass half full or half empty? I’m a half-empty person, myself. It’s probably my nature, but during the years I was a software developer, that tendency was reinforced. (If you’ve used a computer, you may suspect that programmers are all incurable optimists. Not true: we just aren’t pessimistic enough.) Whether it’s … Continue reading »
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Chariots of Fire
I was interested, in my reading this morning, to come across the phrase “Chariots of Fire” (2 Kings 6:17). It caught my eye because the other night we happened to see the movie of that name. The movie — I’d heard the song, of course, but never seen it — actually deserves a review of … Continue reading »
Mechanical Bible Study
On a lark, I just posted an item about a search I did for all the verses in the New Testament that matched certain criteria. I’m posting this note because it might not be obvious that I’m aware of some dangers inherent in a too-mechanical study of the Bible. First, as I considered the problem, … Continue reading »
What Should We Do?
Have you ever wondered what the Bible says that we are supposed to do? Or what we are able to do? Or what we will do? Here’s your answer:
08B Comments
Here’s what I said at Presbytery today. When I began the process of discerning my call to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament, the leaders of my church encouraged me to participate in a discernment group. So one evening I sad down with a group of people to discuss with me, in detail, all the … Continue reading »
Urgency
The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.— John 3:8 Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and — if you’re reading this after … Continue reading »
Prepare the Way of the Lord
A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. –Isaiah 40:3 The church has two great joyous holidays: Easter and Christmas, the celebrations of our Lord’s Resurrection and his Incarnation. Both these two holidays follow a season of repentance and preparation. … Continue reading »
Praying for Deliverance
One of the questions I received last month when I was preaching the “Let Us Pray” series about prayer was this one: How can I pray to thank God for saving me from illness, disaster, etc., when others have died or are dying from the same illness, disaster, etc.? This is a tough question. It … Continue reading »
Hezekiah: the Greatest King
For the king .. had taken counsel to keep the passover in the second month. –2 Chronicles 30:2 Everybody’s heard of King David, but how many remember King Hezekiah? He ruled over Judah, the southern part of what had been a united kingdom under David. After David’s son Solomon died, the northern part of the … Continue reading »
Frogs in the Machine Room
I’m preaching from Exodus 8 — the plague of frogs on Egypt — and I crack up every time I read that story. I laugh partly because it’s intrinsically funny, but partly because of this picture: which I clipped out of a computer magazine some years ago. I assume it was for some kind of … Continue reading »