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Flying Free?
Isaiah 28:14–22; Luke 4:14–21 “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.” ― Corrie ten Boom What does it mean to be a captive? What does it mean to be free? In the ongoing COVID season this isn’t quite straightforward. Many people feel captive in their homes (voluntary or
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Indulge Me
Matthew 23:23–36 Narcissus was a hunter in Greek mythology. He was the most beautiful person. He was so dissatisfied with those who claimed they loved him that he expected them to kill themselves to prove their love of him. It wasn’t until he passed a smooth pool of water and saw his own reflection that
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Crossing the Line
2 Chronicles 7:12–22; 2 Kings 21:1–17; 2 Corinthians 4:7–17 A great tragedy occurs every day, babies and children are abandoned. In all grace and truth, many of the parents are truly afraid of the responsibility and their inability to fulfill it. Some of these are abandoned at hospitals in the same way as babies used
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Substantial Character
Daniel 6:1–24; Philippians 2:3–16 Adventure! Drama! Let’s see the big scene! Daniel and the Lion’s Den is a dramatic story. No question about that. It’s a great one for kids. Daniel, himself, is a great character. Daniel has great character. If you read the story carefully, you’ll notice something interesting. Daniel only has spoken words
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Beach Party!
1 Corinthians 11:20–29; John 21:1–13 Have you ever been to a beach party? I have…once. It was a surreal yet enjoyable experience. I was the 3rd wheel. We had a huge pallet bonfire and roasted hot dogs. Even as the outcast that I normally am (or perceive myself to be), I felt included. These weren’t
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What a Feast!
Matthew 22:1–14; John 6:53–58 When you’ve been invited to a party or some sort of celebration, have you ever received a little card that had you select from entree and/or other options? Or have you been to a buffet and been overwhelmed by the selection (or underwhelmed)? Over the years there have been many tales
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Join the Feast
Matthew 22:1–14 When you were a child, perhaps one of your favorite times was when you were invited to a birthday party. For some, an invitation was proof that they were actually “seen”. Even if that person was thought to be a friend, it was a surety that the friendship was true. If your parent(s)
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Criminal Christian
Luke 23:32–43; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 A criminal is saved on the cross. Talk about a “bedside” or “execution” salvation! He was on the cross when he was saved. Look at the words the criminal stated. Look at the words that Jesus spoke. We often have longer phrases and understandings (even from Jesus’ own words) of
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Stirring
Isaiah 43:8–13; Romans 11:13–29 What or who are you fighting for? If you are not fighting for God, then are you fighting for an idol? Often Christians dismiss the Israelites of the Old Testament as the clueless. They were the people that didn’t get it. This view seems to be reinforced by Jesus’ words, yet
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Internal Sweep
Judges 17:1–13; 1 Samuel 8:1–9; Ezekiel 14:1–11 Judges 17:6 sums up the problem, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him.” Not that long ago, the US would use the term “wild west.” Depending on the historian, the “wild west” lasted around 10-40 years. On the other