Scripture: 1st Samuel 20:34 (the Message) Jonathan stormed from the table, furiously angry, and ate nothing the rest of the day, upset for David and smarting under the humiliation from his father. Thought for the Day: I like the way the Message presents this verse of scripture, earthy and real. The situation was complex, made even more thorny by the fact that jealousy and paranoia were involved. Have
Scripture: Jonah 4:4 And the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Thought for the Day: It may seem a bit strange for a Christian to discuss a Jewish book using a quote from Buddha, but I’m going to do so nonetheless. The Buddha said, “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you
Scripture: Romans 12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Thought for the Day: Going back to the mid-70’s, Disney had a movie entitled, Peter’s Dragon, starring Mickey Rooney. It is the story of an orphaned boy who had an invisible friend who just happens to be a dragon. There is a scene in the movie where the boy is the scapegoat for a
Scripture: Ephesians 4:25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Thought for the Day: It is time! It is time for the church to speak up! It is time for the church to name names (well I’ll be cautious there prior to talking to my attorney)! I just finished watching five minutes of
Scripture: Proverbs 15:17 Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it. Thought for the Day: There are times when the words of Mother Teresa sum things up pretty well. She said, “In the West we have a tendency to be profit-oriented, where everything is measured according to the results and we get caught up in being more and more
Scripture: 2nd Chronicles 6:40 Now, O my God, let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to prayer from this place. Thought for the Day: This was part of a passionate prayer Solomon shared on behalf of his people. As I read these words, I was reminded of Barton W. Stone, one of the founders of our denomination. Stone wrote years ago, “Let us therefore come boldly
Scripture: Psalm 9:18-19 For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever. Rise up, O Lord! Do not let mortals prevail; let the nations be judged before you. Thought for the Day: I am a fan of the movie Kingdom of Heaven (staring Orlando Bloom and Liam Neeson), and I was watching it again last night. One of the characters referred
Scripture: Jonah 3:3-4 So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” Thought for the Day: Bill Moyer wrote, “Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the
Scripture: Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Thought for the Day: The French author, Pierre Coneille, once wrote, “Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of others, but from doing something worthwhile.” The above words of scripture are shared as Paul and Barnabas are struggling to remain faithful over against many who would like to
Scripture: Matthew 12:34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Thought for the Day: I have been enjoying Brian McLaren’s new book, Why Did Jesus, Moses, The Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road? He begins chapter 5 with a quote from Blaise Pascal, the 17th century mathematician. Pascal wrote,