Stay Awake to Music and the Discussions Good Morning Friends, Today we look at how the early church worshipped and contemplate the songs they sang. Jews of course sang Psalm 114-118 for the feast days but after the resurrection when Christians gathered new songs developed. Today's passage from the letter to Timothy is, I am … Continue reading Stay Awake to Music and the Discussions →

Human Responsibility and God's Sovereignty in Divine Tension Good Morning Friends, Reading scripture can make one's head spin leaning toward one theological perspective then another. Now, certain Scriptures are very beautiful with the idea that the Christian life is simply a matter of leaving it all to God. But there are other scriptures that show … Continue reading Human Responsibility and God’s Sovereignty in Divine Tension →

Trusting God to Take the Bad and Use it for Good Good Morning Friends, Life implies suffering. Life implies enjoyment. The problem is that we are not predisposed to understand the goodness and badness of them on our own. Some suffering is bad and some is good. Some enjoyment is good and some is bad. … Continue reading Trusting God to Take the Bad and Use it for Good →

 Lukewarm Good Morning Friends, God reaching down and choosing us and putting heaven in our hands to pass on to others is more exciting than anything on the evening news. To not get overjoyed about this and moved by the Spirit in its reality is just crazy. Of course this revelation of light really demands … Continue reading Lukewarm →

The Church, Justice and Spiritual Maturity Good Morning Friends, As I am writing this morning a great horned owl is hooting in the dark and as I hear it I am convicted that this generation of which I am part does not feel as guilty about sin as we should. I would question if we … Continue reading The Church, Justice and Spiritual Maturity →

The Blessing in Obeying the Book Without Pictures Good Morning Friends, Jesus came becoming the Word made flesh so that the deaf would hear. But things can get in the way when God calls to our very soul in words alone. And it is usually a hardened heart. The Spirit may be willing but the flesh is … Continue reading The Blessing in Obeying the Book Without Pictures →

Giving to God Good Morning Friends, The Bible has story after story...experience after experience of God giving to humankind so we might reflect this constant image of love in how we are Giving to God. Scripture: Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, … Continue reading Giving to God →

Approaching the King Good Morning Friends, In today's scripture we get a surprising understanding of God. It is not one of a God who needs to be appeased by good behavior and sacrifice nor a spiritual force that is accessible for our benefit. It is something entirely different. It is about the role of the … Continue reading Approaching the King →

The Resurrection Good Morning Friends, In the Bible we see surprise at the sudden appearance of angel, at deliverance, and special births, the circumstances of Jesus Christ's death, the coming of the Holy Spirit, at the change in people's lives and at the discernment of unlikely people. Jesus Christ surprised people because of his standard … Continue reading The Resurrection →

Washed in- an Invitation to Abundant Life-Water Good Morning Friends, Yesterday we sang in worship and then later attended an English Handbell concert of the Raleigh Ringers at the Moorings. They played The Coventry Carol, several great classical pieces arranged by our friend Bill Griffin, original works they had commissioned, Stars and Stripes, the Flight … Continue reading Washed in- an Invitation to Abundant Life-Water →