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About Faith: Deeds along the road
There is a legend about a very wise king who decided to build a highway from one end of his kingdom to the other. Everyone approved of the king’s plans, and watched with anticipation as road crews went to work. This highway would be the pride of all who lived there. It would be used by soldier and monk, royalty and pauper, citizen and sojourner alike, and all who traveled it would bless ...




Grace Notes: Put on the full armor of God
You are at war. I know, you probably didn’t have to swerve to miss any IED’s on the road today, and I’m sure you weren’t dodging any heat-seeking missiles when you went to get the paper. Nevertheless, you are at war. That’s the way God’s Word describes your life here on this earth: War.




About Faith: This is hard!
In the gospel stories, I do not recall any occasion when the disciples complained of being hungry, or tired, or of pain. As followers of an itinerant rabbi, they were prepared to hike for miles over rough terrain, sustained by meager fare and perhaps suffer violence at the hands of their detractors. We see stories where the disciples note a lack of food ("send the crowds away so that they may go ...




Grace Notes: Your treasure, your heart
Have you ever had that feeling like you’re spinning your wheels? Does it ever seem like you work work and work and don’t seem to get anywhere? You know you make as much as a bunch of people, but it just doesn’t seem like you can ever get ahead? God’s Word for us today in Haggai 1 explains why that happens.




About Faith: Peace amidst the storm
The news recently has celebrated the antics of Jet Blue flight attendant Steven Slater, who pulled off his version of "Take this job and shove it." He made his grand exit from the plane (and his employment) by shouting a series of expletives, opening the emergency escape door, deploying the escape chute, and sliding down to freedom. The two beers he took with him added a dramatic flourish. But more notable is the ...




Grace Notes: Be joyful always
"Be joyful always." That’s what the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul to tell us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16. Now, if you’re looking for a verse of the Bible to memorize, that is one of the easiest, right alongside the classic "Jesus wept." Actually, did you know there is a shorter verse in the NIV translation? Job 3:2 is just "He said." But I digress. I was saying that "Be joyful always" ...




Thanks, but no thanks
I disagree with both the liberal and conservative approaches to the current economic crisis.




About Faith: Pardon my dust
Well, my doctor has advised me to reduce my salt intake for the sake of my blood pressure, a task which has proven to be very difficult. I can pass by the obviously salty things like chips and bacon, but salt is hidden in everything from artichokes to zucchini. Cooking without salt is not hard, but dining out low-sodium style is next to impossible.




Grace Notes: Lord, teach us to pray
Our church’s construction project has hit a little delay. We’re still waiting for approval from the Department of Transportation. So, I asked the contractor who’s trying to work through all this what I could do to help. I was thinking he might tell me to make a phone call or supply some documents. His answer? Pray.




About Faith: Answers and questions
In this information age, almost anything you want to know can be gleaned from the internet or some other source. The recent "Wiki Leak" of tens of thousands of war diary entries from Afghanistan is only the most recent in the flood of data made available to us. The problem with data, though, is that it is up to the user to analyze it and draw conclusions. While our knowledge has grown exponentially ...




Grace Notes: One thing needful
Are you busy? You know that question precedes someone asking for a moment of your time, right? You know that it might come off as rude to say "yes" and then walk away, even if you are busy. But you are busy, aren’t you? Doesn’t it always seem that there are more things to do than time, money, and energy to do them? Are there things you don’t get to because your life is so hectic? My guess is "yes."




Grace Notes: Trust in the Lord
Tomorrow, I’ll be conducting a funeral of a man not yet 50 years old. So, needless to say, there are a bunch of people asking a bunch of questions. Have you ever been in that situation? Have you ever asked God "Why?" And maybe it isn’t even about a death. Maybe you’ve tried to figure out why you lost a job, or why your child rebelled, or why your health failed, or ...




About Faith: A Meaningful Life
If you asked 50 people what they wanted in life, you would probably get 50 answers. But at the heart of each answer would run a common theme: meaning. We all want meaning in our lives. We all want a sense of purpose and gravity around something bigger than ourselves. This is part of what John Wesley called Prevenient Grace. It is God’s gift to us which includes our innate awareness of ...




Grace Notes: The price of freedom
You know the saying: "Freedom is not free." As we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July this weekend, it’s important to appreciate that. Think of how much so many have given so that you could be reading this in peace. Think of the lives given so that we can be so comfortable in our security that seeing things exploding in the sky this weekend will not be scary.




About Faith: Roots and Branches
Current events can sometimes take a toll on my spirit. Recently, the news outlets have bombarded us with this hot news flash: More Of The Same. More economic stagnation, more sweltering heat, more closures and foreclosures, more oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. Even a new field general in Afghanistan does not mask the fact that it is the same old war. Politicians campaigning for office are giving us the same ...




Grace Notes: Be built up
Here’s a quandary for you. When you see a building going up — who gets the credit? Is it the contractor, the supplier, the fund-raiser? Or what about the architect, or the laborers? I know that a whole bunch of people will be at least partially taking credit for my church’s new building. The contractor and the stone supplier and the stained glass guy have already asked for pictures to use in ...




Grace Notes: Receive with believing hearts
"The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace." For 25 centuries, believers have been holding God to these promises that he gave us to use as we bless each other. But what exactly are these words saying?




About Faith: The church’s one foundation
The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord. Or so the song goes. We sing it often, and its theme is reflected in many places throughout the New Testament. So why must we be reminded of church unity so frequently? Are we such disparate people, so inclined to fragmentation, that unity goes against our very nature? Would the Church universal spin off into a thousand shards without our constant efforts to ...







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