ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 5, 2020Scripture: Matthew 7:18-19A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thought for the Day: I bought a few peaches last month. They looked really good, and I was hoping for a little peach juice dripping down my chin. You know those really
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 4, 2020Scripture: Psalm 118:1-2, 5-6Give thanks to the LORD because the LORD is good, because his faithful love lasts forever. Let Israel say it: “God’s faithful love lasts forever!” …In tight circumstances, I cried out to the LORD. The LORD answered me with wide-open spaces. The LORD is for me—I won’t be afraid. What can anyone do to me? Thought for the Day: It is hard
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 3, 2020Scripture: Matthew 5:9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Thought for the Day: Sunday afternoon our Elders had their monthly meeting, and during the closing time the question was asked, “Any last thoughts about the coming week?” One of our Elders, next year’s Vice Chair, Robert Neunkirch, made two suggestions. First, based upon our current study of the Sermon on
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 2, 2020Prayer for the Week: It is so easy to forget; so easy to be distracted; so easy to allow our emotions to get the best of us. Gracious God, the Gospel is unambiguous in regard to what you hold as your primary value. It is love, beyond some self-serving love this culture attempts to pass off as holy. It is love, a love lavishly poured
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSNovember 1, 2020Scripture: Romans 1:7To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thought for the Day: Today is All Saints’ Day, a day we usually think about the great witnesses of the faith who have died, both ancient and recent. But the word saint does not necessarily describe the
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 31, 2020Scripture: Romans 6:3-5Or don’t you know that all who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried together with him through baptism into his death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too can walk in newness of life. If we were united together in a death like his,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 30, 2020Scripture: Isaiah 50:4bThe Lord wakes me up in the morning. The Lord wakes me up, and opens my ears so that I am ready to receive the divine call. Thought for the Day: Are we awake? Has the alarm sounded? Did we hit snooze? When people of faith think about a holy calling, so often it includes a mountain, a burning bush, a clap of
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 29, 2020Scripture: Psalm 31:23Love the Lord, all you his saints. The Lord preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily. Thought for the Day: We often see subtle and not so subtle contrasts within the Psalms. In this case, there are the saints, those who are faithful, as compared to those who are haughty. This latter group, the haughty or arrogant, will get
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 28, 2020Scripture: John 10:27My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. Thought for the Day: We have a joke around the house – when the TV is a bit too loud and someone asks, “Can you turn it down,” the response is always, “What! I can’t hear you over the TV. Maybe I should turn it down.” There are times in history
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 27, 2020Scripture: 1st Corinthians 1:2To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours… Thought for the Day: The word ‘sanctified’ has always intimidated me. To be sanctified sounds so holy and righteous,