Scripture: Luke 6:35 (the Message) I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never – I promise – regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Thought for the Day: In a time where we are seeing atrocious acts of misguided and misplaced hatred, I am reminded
Scripture: Acts 9:28 So Paul went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. Thought for the Day: William Sloane Coffin, in his book “Letters to a Young Doubter,” talked about a conversation with some rather arrogant folks who brushed off the whole idea of religion. Bill couldn’t remain quiet, so he said, “‘I can understand doubting the quality of the
Scripture: 1st Peter 4:10 Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Thought for the Day: I’m excited for Sunday, and it’s not just because someone else is preaching. In fact, three other people are preaching. Don’t get nervous, they’ve been working on it and I’m sure it won’t be three 20-minutes sermons. But I love
Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-3 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Thought for the Day: CS Lewis wrote in the book, The Four Loves: To
Scripture: Mark 5:35-36 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” Thought for the Day: Yesterday I was reading an article on Christian Century’s website entitled: Believe it or not. It was written by
Scripture: Psalm 36:5-6 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord. Thought for the Day: I was fascinated to read that NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope discovered an Earth-sized planet in what is called the habitable zone. It is approximately 500
Scripture: Mark 1:40-41 A leper came to Jesus begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Thought for the Day: There are few words as beautiful or hope-filled as those we find in this passage from Mark’s Gospel…specifically the
Scripture: Mark 1:30-31 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. Thought for the Day: Simon (Peter) had a mother-in-law. It’s interesting, years ago I played a game of Bible Trivia, and the question I received
Scripture: Mark 1:38 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. Thought for the Day: In a time before press agents, Facebook and a 24 hour news cycle, the idea of someone’s fame spreading quickly was extraordinary. Word would have been shared in the market places, among extended families, and in the town squares. Yet what would people have been saying? To this
Scripture: Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thought for the Day: This is the same passage I used yesterday, but in rereading it, I