faith
-
The Christ We Confess and the Way We Follow Matthew 16:5–28 Peter gave the right answer about Jesus—and then immediately tried to tell Jesus how to be the Messiah. That is one of the central tensions in Matthew 16. Christian faith requires a correct confession, but it does not end there. It is not enough…
-
“Then the LORD called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’” —1 Samuel 3:4 “The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.” —1 Samuel 3:1b In the days of Samuel, when God’s word did not regularly rest upon the ears of the people, the lamp of God still…
-
Even our virtues need the balancing influence of other virtues I recently returned to an old devotional book that has spoken to me across the years: Abundant Living by E. Stanley Jones. In a reading titled “Unbalanced Virtues,” Jones makes a surprising observation: a life may contain many good qualities and still become distorted when…
-
“Be still, and know that I am God…” — Psalm 46:10 It is a simple verse. God is speaking directly: “Be still, and know that I am God.” When I read those words, I do not hear them as ancient poetry addressed to someone else. I hear God speaking to me. But His voice has…
-
“What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”—John 13:7 The great wonder of the Christian life is that we can come to know what our Lord is doing. We do not always understand at first. We come to know “hereafter.” There is a basin at Jesus’ feet and a towel in…
-
Some things only take two words. In English, we usually need at least a verb and a noun or pronoun to make a complete thought. Sometimes, in an imperative, just a verb will do. But some of the most profound truths in Scripture come to us in only two words. “Jesus wept.” Two words. Yet…
-
“Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”— John 13:1 Jennifer was on the phone with her best friend, Lillian, as her…
-
Daily Readings for Monday, July 6 Psalm 1, Psalm 2, Psalm 3, Numbers 32:1-6,16-27, Romans 8:26-30, Matthew 23:1-12 As your pastor—or a pastor, if I am not your pastor—I encourage you to read the Bible every day. I offer Scripture prompts, but not necessarily everything you need, and not necessarily the direction the Spirit may…
Pastor Tom's Community 