Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Once again, I'm struck at how often the issues Jesus addresses with the Pharisees can apply to the Church.  I'm thinking that I might need to do some focused study just on the Pharisees to help us avoid the traps they fell into.  "Lord, help me avoid religion so I can embrace a relationship with You."

Cost of Discipleship

As I'm working on this week's message, I keep coming back to the question, "What is the cost of discipleship in the U.S. today?"  Jesus tells us there is a cost in following Him, so "What does it "cost" us to be disciples of Jesus Christ?"

Parable of the Narrow Door

I've read this parable countless times, and each time it serves as a reminder to stay focused on the path that Christ has laid before me.  This time, though, the images of the people standing outside the house, who are seeking entrance into the house for the feast, are truly haunting me.  I'm praying for further clarity on what God is trying to tell me, or would have me do with this.

Parable of the rich man

This week's message is on the parable of the rich man.  In it, Jesus tells a man to be wary of every form of greed, and then, at the end of the parable, he says to sell everything and give it away.  Is this meant to be understood as something for us all to do, as the monks have done for centuries (vow of poverty), or is it to be understood figuratively as pointing out our need to make sure "things" don't have a hold on us?

Sabbath

I don't think you realize how much you need rest until you actually get some.  This week of vacation has made me realize how I've neglected truly observing a Sabbath.

Integrity

What does 'integrity' look like?

VBS

Today is day 4 of our joint VBS, and it's been awesome!  Each day has a pretty intense schedule, but it's truly inspiring to me to see these kids learning and reciting their memory verses each day.  Additionally, I'm excited to hear the comments from people about nice it is to see churches cooperating with each other instead of competing against one another.  YEAH!  What better way to end this week than with a Community Wide worship service, with about six churches coming together to worship?!

But even if...

As I've been reflecting on Daniel 3 for this week, I am struck by the three men's response, "But even if He doesn't [rescue us from the fiery furnace]..." (v18).  This is faith that is based on more than simple mental assent; their faith goes beyond formalized religious observation to engage the circumstances encountered in life.  How do we apply the truth of this text in facing life's hardships and challenges?

Dinner Time

As I was reading through the first chapter of Daniel, I was struck by how mundane this first "test" of faith is; it revolves around dinner time.  I can just imagine the kinds of food these young men were being offered.  After all, this was food coming from the King's table; top quality cuisine.  However, despite how tasty it must have looked, the majority of it must have been considered "unclean," as outlined in Leviticus 11, for Daniel to have been worried about being "defiled" by it.  Regardless of what everybody else was doing, and in spite of the fact that they were now in a foreign country that had no knowledge of God, and the guidelines associated with being a Jew, Daniel and his three friends were committed to staying true to their faith.

It makes me think of how kids act when their parents are around, versus when they're not.  Daniel and his three friends are truly men of integrity, and men who are genuine in their faith, even with the small stuff.  How does Daniel's dinner time decision speak to us today? 

Persecution

As I'm preparing this week's message, I can't help but think of how disconnected we, as Americans, are from any kind of persecution.  We hear about persecution in other parts of the world, but I don't think we have any idea of what true persecution is.  I wonder if, and how, this has affected us as a Church?