ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 28, 2020Scripture: 2 Kings 5:14So Naaman went down and bathed in the Jordan seven times, just as the man of God had said. His skin was restored like that of a young boy, and he became clean. Thought for the Day: If you remember the story, Naaman had a skin disease, and when the prophet Elisha told him to go wash himself seven times in the
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS:July 27, 2020Prayer for the Week:Where are we? Here and nowhere!How far have we come? This far and not far enough!Who are we? Beloved and broken!Grandiose rhetoric otherworldly illusions are the technicolor facade of religionInnovative scapegoating shrewd tinkering with anxieties are the well played tools of politiciansSo many expressions of hope, so many teachers of peace, so many prophets of justiceYet Powers and PrincipalitiesUnholy forces of greed
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 26, 2020Scripture: 1st Thessalonians 5:11Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. Thought for the Day: In the sermon this morning, I will reference the word encouragement. Though it is not the central theme of the sermon, it has had me thinking about encouragement, and how we bring encouragement to others. Like so often, we are told to encourage without
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 25, 2020Scripture: Psalm 18:8I always put the LORD in front of me; I will not stumble because he is on my right side. Thought for the Day: In this one verse, did you notice how the Lord is “in front” of the writer and also on the writer’s “right side.” How exactly does that work? In ministry, I have witnessed very faithful people obsess with these
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 24, 2020Scripture: Philippians 4:4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Thought for the Day: I’m sure there are some sports fans reading this, and if you’re like me, you’ve probably watched a few games when your team was clearly going to lose. No matter how much screaming you did (whether at the game or watching on TV), it wasn’t going to change the
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 23, 2020Scripture: Ruth 4:13-15 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 21, 2020Scripture: Ruth 1:15-16So Naomi said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” Thought for the
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 20, 2020Prayer for the Week: When my first reaction is to be upset, to lash out or be dismissive, allow for your heart to align itself with my heart, O Spirit of Life. Give me the courage to seek understanding, even if I feel certain that I will never agree; even if it requires me to bite my tongue; even if I find my insides fidgeting
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSJuly 19, 2020Scripture: 2 John 1:12I have a lot to tell you. I don’t want to use paper and ink, but I hope to visit you and talk with you face-to-face, so that our joy can be complete. Thought for the Day: First, I must say how much I enjoy finding this very practical sentence about not wishing to waste paper and ink. That aside, the author