ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS February 12, 2020 Scripture: Matthew 7:4-5 Or how can you say to your neighbor, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.” Thought for the Day: If we are honest with
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS February 11, 2020 Scripture: Genesis 19:4-5 Before they went to bed, the men of the city of Sodom—everyone from the youngest to the oldest—surrounded the house and called to Lot, “Where are the men who arrived tonight? Bring them out to us so that we may have sex with them.” Thought for the Day: This Sunday, we are going to have a serious conversation on same-sex
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS February 10, 2020 Prayer for the Week: Our lips, our vocal chords, our lungs – they create song; they give witness to a joy that may not be easily expressed in expository form; they provide a mechanism by which our gratitude reverberates in the hearts of others. We sing to you a new song, O Lord. The melody may not be well known. In fact, it
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS February 9, 2020 Scripture: Psalm 98:3-4 The Lord remembered to love us, a gift to his dear family, Israel – a tireless love. The whole earth comes to attention. Look – God’s work of salvation! Shout your praises to God, everybody! Let loose and sing! Thought for the Day: This is a portion of this morning’s scripture. I must confess how I’m drawn to the language
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS February 8, 2020 Scripture: Psalm 30:10-12 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper!” You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. Thought for the Day: As a kid,
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS February 7, 2020 Scripture: Colossians 1:24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. Thought for the Day: I am rereading Ronald Osborn’s book, “Creative Disarray,” a discussion on ministry and church-life in America. Osborn was one of our denomination’s great
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS February 6, 2020 Scripture: Exodus 15:20-21 Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women followed her playing tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang the refrain back to them: Sing to the LORD, for an overflowing victory! Horse and rider he threw into the sea! Thought for the Day: I can’t say that it would have made Casey Kasem’s Top 40
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS February 5, 2020 Scripture: Matthew 5:46-48 If you love only those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore, just as your heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone, so also you must be
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS February 4, 2020 Scripture: Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Thought for the Day: If my Greek is coming back to me, a literal reading of the passage would be: All things I have vigor/strength in/with the one empowering me. The Greek word for ‘strengthening” (I translated it as empowering) is Endunamoo. En = in, by or with; dunamoo =
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS February 3, 2020 Prayer for the Week: How do we not see? How do we not recognize the historic bias, the prejudice born from insecurity, the limits we have placed upon your limitless potential, your immeasurable creativity? Our skewed perception is alive and well, it is at work in and through your church -attempting to the restrict- -aiming to fetter- your Spirit’s work in the world,