Why Are You Discouraged?  Good Morning Friends,  There was a time in Israel's history when there was no king and everyone did what was right in their own eyes. People felt forsaken because the miracles that had been part of their father's history were not happening for the next generation. They were wondering why bad … Continue reading Why Are You Discouraged? →

Who Can Help Us Break The Cycle of Sin?  Good Morning Friends,  Maybe our stubborn nature is getting in the way of our making good choices. Maybe we are falling into doing things a certain way just because that is the way we have always done it or because we see others doing something that … Continue reading Who Can Help Us Break The Cycle of Sin? →

How Wide Can We Set The Table Of Grace?  Good Morning Friends,  We really need to come up with some new language to describe the world in which we live. The social justice and civil rights and human rights and political verbiage just does not seem to solicit the right internal and external responses. Someone … Continue reading How Wide Can We Set The Table Of Grace? →

Do You Realize The Importance Of Godly Commitments For Kingdom Health?  Good Morning Friends,  I have said it before and will probably say it again, that the church is like a family. In today's lectionary scripture, we see the importance of dealing honestly with youth as an important part of community. Jesus opens the door … Continue reading Do You Realize The Importance Of Godly Commitments For Kingdom Health? →

Who Will You Serve?  Good Morning Friends,  Today's lectionary selections are resolutions of sorts. You see, the choices and commitments we make in life are more important than we realize. We learn from our personal history and that of our family, friends, country and faith. There is a rational to it all especially in marriage. … Continue reading Who Will You Serve? →

What Is Forgiveness?  Good Morning Friends,  There are transitions going on in today's lectionary text from both the Old and New Testaments. But it may be a mistake to even connect them. One is about unlimited forgiveness of Jesus and the other about a miraculous entry of Joshua into the Promised Land with the Ark … Continue reading What Is Forgiveness? →

Do You Know How To Outlive Your Life?  Good Morning Friends,  Perhaps you have seen some of the great Cathedrals of Europe built by generations upon generations of stone masons. They began and worked on projects that they knew they would never see to completion. Every stone they laid in its place was for the … Continue reading Do You Know How To Outlive Your Life? →

So, What Does It Mean That Mary Is Blessed?  Good Morning Friends,  My Catholic friends are celebrating the Assumption of Mary today and as far as I can tell it is about the idea of Mary being in God and with God but also, in part, associated with the struggle of the church in the … Continue reading So, What Does It Mean That Mary Is Blessed? →

What Does The Lord Require?  Good Morning Friends,  This morning we come to a section of Matthew which encompasses a mere six verses, but involves two different stories, one on each of these two topics—one on death and one on taxes. The sage of American History, Ben Franklin, commenting on his hope of the new … Continue reading What Does The Lord Require? →

Are You Ready To Think Outside the Boat?  Good Morning Friends,  Today's scripture chronicles a real incident but reads like a parable. It is about our doubt, the forerunner of fear, and taking risks and facing the storms of life that are part of God's will and help us to grow. It is about having … Continue reading Are You Ready To Think Outside the Boat? →