Scripture: Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Thought for the Day: Yesterday, I preached on these words and talked about the need for us to practice joy. We do so, not to perfect it, but to make it possible. Joy, especially in times of difficulty, does not come easy. There is so much negativity in our world attempting to limit our perception
As many of you know, our own Jimmy Jacobson was in a serious accident a little over a week ago. The following is a Facebook note Jimmy wrote as he was being released from the hospital (I am reprinting it with his permission)… Thank you, thank you everyone for all your outpourings of love and prayers… I have felt them all. This has been a really hard
Scripture: Luke 1:78-79 “By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Thought for the Day: From the beginning of time, God has been changing darkness into light. Where shadows shroud what God loves, the divine nature
Scripture: Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Thought for the Day: I hope this doesn’t sound too weird, but I believe babies, animals and even the child in a womb is more aware of his/her setting than we realize. Time and maturity squeeze the spiritual sensitivity out of us. God showed up in
Scripture: John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. Thought for the Day: On Sunday right before the 8:15 service, I broke a candleholder in the stairwell behind the Forum. I went in search of a broom and dustpan to clean up my mess. Later in
Scripture: Luke 1:45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord. Thought for the Day: Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth, the mother of John, come together during their pregnancies. Elizabeth offers a beautiful statement about Mary that concludes with the above words. Basically Elizabeth is saying that Mary is happy because she truly
Scripture: Zephaniah 3:19-20 Watch what I am about to do to all your oppressors at that time. I will deliver the lame; I will gather the outcast. I will change their shame into praise and fame throughout the earth. At that time, I will bring all of you back, at the time when I gather you. I will give you fame and praise among all the neighboring peoples
Scripture: Luke 2:13-14 Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” Thought for the Day: A few translations say the angels sang, and though that’s the way I imagine it to be, the word praise is a bit more generic. Yet for most of us, we
Scripture: Luke 1:28-30 When the angel came to Mary, he said, “Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!” She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you.” Thought for the Day: Today in worship, you will hear these words spoken. The angel’s response to Mary’s confusion was to encourage her
Scripture: John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. Thought for the Day: I referenced this passage in last Sunday’s sermon. I tend to have a favorite passage of the month, but this one makes an appearance in that top spot on a regular basis. There are probably many reasons for why that occurs, but I believe it happens so often