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If You Will, Then I Will…But If You Will Not, Then I Will
We are studying the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah in the Ladies’ Class I attend on Tuesday afternoons. We have made it to this well-known major prophet and it has been grueling to read and study about this man – how poorly he was treated, how close to death he came, and yet, he remained a faithful messenger for God. Throughout this study we have seen multiple times the words I used for the title of this post. In fact, we have seen similar words throughout much of the Old Testament. As an example, the book of Deuteronomy has a list of blessings and cursings in the twenty-eighth chapter. When we…
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Both Verses Must be Done
Jesus is the Head of the Church. As such, He gets to set the course and His will is to be what we are to do our very best to follow. But, if we are honest, sometimes we prefer to pick and choose certain things that He taught while leaving others either undone or, at least, unemphasized. There is a passage of Scripture, stated by Jesus Himself, that is often treated this way. One part is sometimes emphasized, while the other is left unsaid, undone, or underemphasized. And, sadly, it is done to both sides of the passage. In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus stated, “Go into all the world and proclaim…
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A Dangerous Word (In Many Ways)
This post is scheduled to appear on the first day of April. The most common designation for this date each year is April Fools’ Day. I decided to do a quick bit of research in an effort to find out how and why this tradition got started. It only took a few clicks on my computer for me to decide that this was one rabbit hole I didn’t want to spend any real time on. Apparently, the history of this date and its significance is either lost in obscurity and/or muddled by controversy. Most of us recognize this date as a time of good-natured pranks, jokes, etc. It has no…
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A Defense of Sunday Night Worship
Yes, I think it is a good idea for congregations to have a “second” worship service on Sunday evening. Before sharing some reasons why, let me make a few very clear introductory statements. The Lord’s Church is to meet on the first day of every week (Acts 20:7) to worship.The time of day on Sunday is not specified in Scripture, but is left up to the wisdom of the elders, so long as it is on the Lord’s Day.Whatever that time is, each member needs to be present (Hebrews 10:25) and actively worshiping in spirit and truth (John 4:24).There is no command to worship more than once on Sunday. It…
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The Name on the Jersey
Since the 2024 Major League Baseball season is about to get underway, I thought that I would share a story with you that you might find interesting. As you have probably guessed already, it involves the player in the picture accompanying this post. The player’s name is Johnnie LeMaster and the picture was taken during a game when he was at bat for the San Francisco Giants. Lemaster was the shortstop for the Giants at that time and is remembered by those who know about baseball as a very good defensive shortstop. Unfortunately, this picture was taken during a time when he was not doing well. That led to the…
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Everybody Needs a Break
Have you ever had that feeling that if one more thing was added to your day you would just explode? I imagine most of us have had this happen to us. Life happens and sometimes it just seems like it piles up too high to breathe. Can you tell I’ve had that feeling lately? Now, I know that part of it is my fault because I can be a procrastinator at times, but really it just seems like one thing piles upon another until I feel like I’m drowning. So, what do you do about it? I take a break! There comes a time when you simply have to back…
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The Incompleteness of “He Gets Us”
For some time now, and most famously during the Super Bowl, an ad campaign has captured the attention of a lot of people. The ads feature people in various negative and hate-filled situations, but having their feet washed. The overarching message is that Jesus did not teach hate and then we see the famous tagline “He Gets Us.” To be fair, I have a certain level of appreciation for ads like these. They may not tell the entire story, but they do at least have some semblance of a message that points people to some aspect of the Christian faith. And, of course, there is no way that a few-seconds-long…
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The Easiest Thing for a Christian to Do (and Maybe Salve His/Her Conscience)
I would like to say that this post will be short and sweet. I do intend for it to be short, but I am afraid that some who read it will think that it is not too sweet. I wish that I could tell you the name of the person to blame for this if that, indeed, is your opinion. It might take some of the heat off of me. Unfortunately, I have no idea where I got this idea, but it has stuck with me for many years. Before I let you in on the secret, let me make some observations and/or clear up some possible misunderstandings. First, I…
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Death to Life
Christians are familiar with the concept of trying to live like Jesus. The whole purpose in calling ourselves “Christians” is to be affiliated with His person, His gospel, His hope, and His life. Often, we (or at least I) think about this through my daily decisions on things like how to reach people or the example I try to set around others. We all want to love like Jesus, give like Jesus, and have compassion like Jesus. One thing we often don’t want to do is sacrifice like Jesus. However, if we want the blessings of Jesus, we need to consider how we can do this in our daily lives. …
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Parents, Who Wins?
For almost 10 years, I was a youth minister. I have also been blessed wherever I have preached to be at congregations that wanted me to have an active part in the youth ministry. And, of course, I am a parent, so I have a vested interest in the health of young people. For all those years, there has been something that I have never understood about many Christian parents, and it has to do with their children’s attendance at worship, Bible classes, and youth activities. When their kids miss things, parents often give an excuse, but, if they would just think through what they are saying, their speech could…
