The question resounds as we sing, Do You Know My Jesus? A few moments later we sing the simple request, Jesus Let Us Come to Know You! Familiar words, favorite songs, not always easy to bring to life. Knowing Jesus is seldom easy, often quite difficult. The Jesus of Matthew is both servant and royalty. …
Category Archives: Sunday
Sunday: What Kind of People Ought We to Be?
It is common to read the Bible in small sections, ignoring the larger context. One place that happens is in 1 Corinthians 3. The context of chapter 3 includes chapter 2 where Paul explains that authentic spiritual wisdom is available to spiritual people who think in spiritual ways and can apply spiritual truths to real …
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Sunday: I will worship (Psalms)
The last twelve psalms of Book II (Psalms 61-72) deserve to be better known than they are in the contemporary church. A personalized reading of the psalm instills in me the desire to worship God with all of my being, committed to praise. Hear me, O God, listen to my prayer; I call to you …
Sunday: Earn the Right to Have a Point of View
Not too long ago, Jan and I watched the movie, Music Within. The movie is based on the story of Richard Pimentel, a brilliant public speaker with a troubled past. When he returns from Vietnam severely hearing-impaired, he finds a new purpose in his landmark efforts on the behalf of Americans with disabilities. One line …
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It’s Sunday Again: I Am, Therefore I Act
We spend a lot of energy in the church trying to get people to do what they ought to do. We study motivation–we encourage, we scold, we “lay on” guilt trips. We have missed a basic truth of Scripture. I am, therefore I act. One cannot get “faith actions” out of “unfaith” people. According to …
Sunday: Taking Church for Audit
Twenty years after I graduated from college with my bachelor’s degree, I decided to go back to school to earn a master’s degree. My Hebrew was a little rusty (OK, very rusty!) so I decided to audit a Hebrew course at the local university. There are two ways to audit a course. The first way …
Sunday: Contemplating “Us”
I have resumed international mission travels. I am thinking about the contrasts between the churches in the U.S. and the churches in Latin America. I share a few miscellaneous reflections. Before the pandemic, it was common to be in Latin America almost as many Sundays as I was in the U.S. The differences were often …
Sunday: “The ministry God has put in your hands”
In 2023, I have resumed international mission travels. Today I am in Ecuador! The next ten days will find me visiting several churches, speaking at a national men’s retreat in Colombia, and (hopefully) teaching at a Christian school in southern Colombia where the rector extended an invitation to speak to the students about spiritual formation. …
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Sunday: “Did you follow me or did you do your own thing?”
“Did you follow me, or did you do your own thing?”God’s eternal purpose is to bring people into and under the protective, saving Lordship of Jesus.The purpose of a church that is fulfilling God’s purpose is to be involved in saving people and keeping people saved. When we have succeeded in the treasure hunt, we …
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Sunday: Time for an attitude check
Attitudes are like background music in our lives. Attitudes are ever present, ever influencing our lives, playing in the background during every moment of our lives. Attitude is a key to consistent Christian living. The attitude we should have is that of Christ (Phil. 2:5). When Christ’s attitude permeates our lives, we are unceasingly in …