ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 27, 2019 Scripture: Ephesians 5:2 Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God. Thought for the Day: Is anyone else a little troubled by the description of an execution smelling sweet to God? Isn’t that what Paul is suggesting here? In Leviticus 1, we find
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 26, 2019 Scripture: Isaiah 43:19 Look! I’m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it? I’m making a way in the desert, paths in the wilderness. Thursday Prayer: Give me the courage to act, not with self interest, but with the interests of Jesus. Holy and Humble God, you demonstrated courage when you humbled yourself – when you took on the
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 25, 2019 Scripture: Proverbs 11:25 Generous persons will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. Thought for the Day: Let’s be clear, I don’t believe this scripture is suggesting that if you give away $100, God will give you back $500 or $1,000. Sadly, there are those out there who will try to convince you they know the special formula. Of course, their
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 24, 2019 Scripture: Psalm 119:68 You are good and you do good. Teach me your statutes! Thought for the Day: This past weekend, I joined the men from the SW Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at the Lake Brownwood Retreat Center. It was a really good event, and Rev. Todd Adams was one of the keynote speakers. I knew Todd back when
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 23, 2019 Prayer for the Week: Everlasting and Ever-Loving God, you have designed and shaped your church to look like Jesus. You have provided us wonderful examples of faithfulness in the words and lives of apostles, prophets and the kindness of those who served you without fanfare. With Jesus as our cornerstone, our model and mentor, your church shall endure. Today, let us be shaped
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 22, 2019 Scripture: Ephesians 1:22-23 God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way. Thought for the Day: As you gather for worship this morning – wherever you might be – look around at those who worship with you. It
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 21, 2019 Scripture: Ephesians 1:17-18 (the Message) But I do more than thank. I ask – ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory – to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 20, 2019 Scripture: 1st John 5:21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols! Thought for the Day: This is how the letter we call 1st John ends. It seems almost anticlimactic, a bit unsatisfying. Throughout the closing verses there appeared to be a big push in regard to who can sin and how prayer can or cannot help in certain situations. And then, the very last
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 19, 2019 Scripture: 1st John 5:5 Who defeats the world? Isn’t it the one who believes that Jesus is God’s Son? Thought for the Day: Hogwash! I had a grandfather who enjoyed using that word. I kind of knew its meaning from the context, but I always struggled to make the connection between cleaning a pig and something being nonsense. I was probably in my
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS September 18, 2019 Scripture: 1st John 4:21 This commandment we have from him: Those who claim to love God ought to love their brother and sister also. Thought for the Day: Jesus summarized all the laws with just one that had a Part-A and Part-B. We are to love the Lord and love our neighbor. The author of 1st John wanted to make sure we did