Scripture: Amos 5:20 (the Message) At God’s coming we face hard reality, not fantasy – a black cloud with no silver lining. Thought for the Day: God has come anew this Christmas season, and with all the joyous singing we have shared these past few weeks, there is also a hard reality that is making an appearance for many. Amos was pretty harsh on his folks, calling it
Scripture: Luke 2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Thought for the Day: There is an amazing song in our hymnal entitled, I Am The Light of The World! Though the song was written by Jim Strathdee, it was based upon a poem by Howard Thurman entitled: The Work of Christmas. It says: When
Scripture: Luke 2:10-11 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Thought for the Day: We have here an individual gift with an universal application. The Good News is given to a small
Scripture: Luke 2:6 While they [Mary and Joseph] were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. Thought for the Day: “The time has finally arrived” are words most everyone loves to hear. When that long awaited event is finally about to occur, the excitement reaches its highest intensity. Suddenly, there is new found energy. It is like sprinting the last quarter-mile of a marathon as
Scripture: John 1:16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. Thought for the Day: What is grace upon grace? According to William Barclay, this phrase is referring to how grace comes to us as we need it. Grace is not one-dimensional, with only one means of expressing itself. Grace is multifaceted, with an ability of conveying itself in any circumstance. Last night, I spent some
Scripture: Matthew 1:1 An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Thought for the Day: In our English translation, we miss an important word. In Greek, the word genealogy is geneseos. That word looks a lot like Genesis, and that’s because it is. As the book of Genesis is a story describing the creation of the world and the
Scripture: Matthew 1:24-25 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. Thought for the Day: Joseph was about ready to jettison Mary because she had become pregnant before their marriage, and Joseph was pretty certain he was
Scripture: Mark 10:45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. Thought for the Day: Yesterday, I had the joy and honor of attending a graduation in Austin. Joseph Cano, a member of our congregation, finished his training to become a State Trooper in Texas. He, along with 108 other men and women, joined
Scripture: Daniel 6:13 Then they responded to the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the interdict you have signed, but he is saying his prayers three times a day.” Thought for the Day: The internet here at the church office was running slow the other day, so I did a quick speed test. A speed test shows
Scripture: Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel. Thought for the Day: I love the words of James G. Kirk who said in speaking Emmanuel, God with us, “Your footsteps shall accompany us, your breath shall give us new life, your arms will console us, and your