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 U.S. Constitution's permanency, and perhaps … Continue reading Are We Willing Respond Affirmatively To What God Requires? →

Good Morning Friends,  Today's lectionary text remembers Biblical heroes, some of whom sacrificed their lives and others who survived many of life's battles. We look up to these heroes for they do things we think we cannot do. Sometimes they walk on water, but at other times they do very practical daily service. Unfortunately, we … Continue reading Do We Put Our Heroes Of Faith On A Pedestal Or Embrace Their Tenacity In The Midst Of Real Life? →

Good Morning Friends,  I have concluded that miracles are important if for no other reason than they help us put in priority order God before all other things. The miracle of creation…the miracle of God having an active hand in the nation of Israel… our own wellbeing….and of course, the resurrection, and the very existence … Continue reading What More Evidence Do We Need To Believe? →

Good Morning Friends,  Today's lectionary passages have some interesting similarities and some striking differences that give guidance for the called-out assembly of God today. One is about Moses at the entrance to the Promised Land and the other about the gateway through the cross to the Kingdom of God. Both have references to rocks as … Continue reading Is The Call Of The Church Universal Still Relevant? →

 Good Morning Friends,  One of the greatest tragedies in the world is when people continue to live in darkness when they can live in the light. We saw it yesterday in connecting the Transfiguration to our relationship with Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit to create healing. We continue this thought in relation … Continue reading Do You Have The Courage To Lead Others In The Promise Of Grace? →

Are You Being Personally Transformed By A Relationship With Jesus?  Good Morning Friends,  If a Gallup poll was conducted by asking the public today's question, we would get a wide range of answers and more than a little waffle language about who Jesus is for them and what he has done for their lives. Some … Continue reading Are You Being Personally Transformed By A Relationship With Jesus? →

Good Morning Friends,    Jesus has an amazing gift for taking the traditions of the past and extrapolating their core ideas and the memories of the good times associated with them to create something new. Hopefully we get a sense of it in today's lectionary scripture. We see in them that success is not measured … Continue reading When Is Enough, Enough? →

 Good Morning Friends,  At some point we figure out that events are not as random as we might believe. It is then, only as the events in our lives connect, do we discover the real pattern, the real purpose. Hopefully the light comes on so our time here for glorifying God is not wasted. The … Continue reading Are You Rich In The Love Of God? →

Good Morning Friends,  Every religious Jew knew the Gospel according to Leviticus 23 for it contains the wise plan of God for the ages. It is the foundation for the ways in which we worship today despite its cultural subversion and the reality that the Temple has been destroyed. In the Levitical reading today, we … Continue reading How Do We Apply The Wisdom of the Feasts of God To Our Own Lives of Worship? →

How Healthy Is Your Worship?  Good Morning Friends,  Yesterday I got soaked in a rainstorm. I get into my car and the radio is playing a song about God's grace raining down on us. Interestingly this summer in Florida has had some really heavy rainfalls and these events relate well to the lectionary scripture. You … Continue reading How Healthy Is Your Worship? →