Looking for an earlier Watchword?
- Imago Dei? - Imago Dei?: Imago Dei? Image of God. What does that mean? You and I, this is what God looks like? Be serious! Well, the New Life Version of the Bible puts it this way, And God made man in His own likeness. In the likeness of God He made him. He made both male and female. How are we to take that? Some understand image of God to mean those qualities that make us human. You know, like free-will, ability to think and reason, having a soul. So many favorite Scripture passages are found in the Book of John, specially the opening verses that are filled with poetry and truth. And there is Jesus! Right at the beginning, taking part in the joy of our creation. Continue reading
- Changes Coming to Watchwords - Starting in January 2023, I will be sending out a regular weekly Watchword on Wednesdays, which I hope will distill a full week's worth of inspiration. Occasionally I will send additional ones on some other days. Continue reading
- Geography Lesson - Geography Lesson: There will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles will be filled with glory. How? Why? When? The life and times of Jesus our Lord and Savior, God Incarnate! Our reading of Scripture, or listening to the lessons being read during worship services, doesn't give us a sense of where Jesus’ ministry was happening, or what we might call His base of operations. Specific events in His life might carry a name, such is Cana or Bethsaida, but we’re still left with trying to figure out where was that place. Continue reading
- Christmas Is Over! - Christmas Is Over! Christmas day has come and gone. Wait! That’s not right! Let me start over -- Christmas day has come, thank God. Christ is with us now and forever, as he has always been. We are so privileged, and I’m afraid, too often, we are careless with the blessings we have been given. The greatest present we could ever receive is the Presence of our Lord. Think on this: The Creator of everything, the heavens and the earth, the stars that shine, the beauty around us, the snow that falls, the animals large and small, your loved ones, on and on and on. All gifts to You and to me, free and clear, batteries included. Complete. The only thing remaining is our acceptance of these gifts. Continue reading
- My Best Christmas - [As my gift to you, I share this wonderful true story written by Matthew Miles around 1900.] My Best Christmas: Pa never had much compassion for the lazy, or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving. It was Christmas Eve - 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas... Continue reading
- The Christmas Letter - The Christmas Letter: Christmas letters. Family traditions. It's that time of year when many of us turn our attention to a narrative of family life that is included with Christmas cards to family and friends. Stories of family events, accomplishments of the kids, all the news of family life shared with love and best wishes. Yes, life and times recorded in Christmas letters to family and friends, each one saying "we love you and we want you to know how our life and family has been this past year, and how the presence of the Lord is valued beyond measure." The Christmas letter, planting seeds as Jesus has instructed. Declaring our gratitude and faith to others, thus making disciples, also one of Jesus' commands. Paper and ink used as a way of loving others as Jesus has loved us. It's that time of year? Make that, it's always that time of year. Continue reading
- Fellow Water-Walkers - Fellow Water-Walkers: The Matthew passage is an amazing story of shaky faith on the part of the disciples. Think about this; they were fresh from the feeding of thousands from virtually nothing, and yet they doubted. They had witnessed healings of lepers, sight and sanity restored. Yet, they doubted. Not only that, but Peter underscores their doubt by saying “if it is you, tell me to come.” So, Peter calls on Jesus to let him come to him on the water, and He does. Is it that Peter wants proof that it is the Lord? But after a step or two he gets scared, his faith leaks out, and he panics. “Lord, save me.” Note, Peter now calls him “Lord”. He realizes who Jesus is, but still he was not all in, he had some tentativeness, some doubt. He did have “little faith”. Darn that Peter! Oh, wait a minute. Darn, Peter? How about darn you and I? Continue reading
- Almost There? - Almost There?: We are all anxious to get back to what was our old normal, kind of, but in the back of our minds I think we are all hoping that this new version of our normal is going to be better than the old version of our normal. We’ve had quite a stretch this year, and we have learned a lot from these past 10 months. But we want this class to be over, we want to take what we have learned, and maybe apply it so as we go beyond the pandemic, we are better people, stronger people, people whose time with the Lord is stronger for all of this testing we’ve gone through. It calls to mind the question I had asked in an earlier Watchword: What could I say to you that would bring you comfort, that would encourage you, that would strengthen you as you go through this adversity? That is still an appropriate question, but one that we need to grapple with. What is better than an encouraging word? Continue reading
- Get in the Boat! - Get in the Boat! Did you note the first phrase in the Matthew passage? “Immediately after this…” Immediately after what? Those faithless guys in the boat had, just that day, witnessed the feeding of the 5000! It’s no wonder Jesus marveled at their lack of faith. Why did Jesus “insist” that they get back in the boat? Was it a set-up for a lesson they had to learn? Can’t you just hear the thoughts going through their minds as they now try to process what they had seen and heard and tasted and experienced, and walking on water? Come on! Their doubts dissolved away in the face of the power of the Holy Spirit. Continue reading
- Light in Our Darkness - Light in Our Darkness: We are the people who walk in darkness and some of us have seen a great light. That light is Jesus. We bear the reality of a prophecy written over 2000 years ago. The fulfillment of that prophecy began with the birth of our Lord as a baby in the manger and it is ongoing. We rejoice when people see the condition of their lives and reach out to Jesus and embrace him as Savior. This is the good news and while it sometimes is difficult to grasp the idea that Jesus died for our sins, when we ponder that fact, the light of His Word shines even brighter. Continue reading
- Being a Friend - How To Be A Friend: He met me in the quiet village street — And stopped and stood and talked a while — Did lend himself entire to me. Moments fleet Raced by! He taught me how to be a Friend. Isn’t that a beautiful and blessed piece of poetry. How do you teach that? What are the nuances of that process that results in learning that Grace? Who were your models growing up? Were you aware of the affect they were having on you? How have you passed those on? Whether we are conscious of them are not we do pass on both the good and the bad, the language and the habits, our little idiosyncrasies, speech mannerisms, and on down a very long list, all of which get passed on in one form or another to those who look up to us, who have counted on us. Continue reading
- Flee to God - Flee to God: It’s been said it’s been said that there are no atheists in foxholes. That is probably true, to a certain extent. A friend of mine and I have shared a common experience: We both have been taken to the hospital in an ambulance after heart attacks. He tells me that throughout the trip he recited the Lord’s prayer over and over again. As I said, a shared common experience. You and I may have regular times that we set aside for meditation and prayer, but often our circumstances, not our schedule, drive us into the arms of the Lord. Anyone who has been brought to the brink of desperation knows the feeling of great relief, that washes over us when health and safety are restored. Continue reading
- The Silence of God - The Sound of Silence: Sixty years ago, Paul Simon wrote a strange but insightful poem that he set to music. It was recorded by Capital Records and released in 1966 as The Sounds of Silence. God uses silence as a means of communicating with us. That may sound a little bit odd, but in a very real way it is true. Often God’s silences are His answers to prayers, to hopes, to our times of need. There is a wonderful thing about God’s silence, it is contagious. Continue reading
- Waiting - Waiting: Advent is a season of waiting. It’s a sacred season, symbolically waiting for the blessed Jesus to arrive. Celebrating His arrival in our lives, his forgiveness and the blessedness that He represents – God among us. I wonder if we sometimes test the Almighty? We may wonder why doesn’t God save me? Then I think, that one is on me. In truth, based on faith, He has accomplished and provided for my salvation and it is I that has not entered into a regular relationship with Him. Continue reading
- Matthew 6:9-13 - Matthew 6:9-13: In the course of the worship service, the pastor tells us to turn to Matthew 6:9-13 and says let us say this in unison. There is no Bible in the pew, you look at one another, search your brain for a clue, nothing. Then the pastor says, “Let us begin…”. and he starts with - ‘Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be they name…’ Phew, oh yes, and you immediately follow along the familiar prayer. Isn’t it interesting that we have any number of Bible verses that we can recite by rote memory but we would have a hard time identifying where in the Bible that versus appears. I have a friend who can do that seemingly without a problem. While I wish, I had the memory retention of my friend, and I’m not belittling his gift, it may be more important to know the verse and live the verse and not worry too much about cataloging the verse. Continue reading
- A 40-Day Fast? - A 40-Day Fast? What an interesting topic, and just twelve days after Thanksgiving. Have you ever been on a fast, a true fast? You know, multiple days with no solid food, only liquids. Jesus’ Ministry begins with 40 days in the Judean wilderness, a vast grassland.His time in the wilderness is a time of searching. He knows that he has a special, God-given purpose.Here in this desolate place he is tempted by Satan. The magnitude of 40 days without food brought him to a point where Satan tempted him to use his power to find something to eat, turn these stones into bread. He answered the temptation with “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every Word that comes from the mouth of God.” Continue reading
- Look! Appreciate! Know! - Look! Appreciate! Know! Several months ago, Oswald Chambers’ devotional started with this: “We have all experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and have wanted to stay there.” I know that we all have those moments that we treasure, remembrances we call to mind and find that sense of amazement is still fresh. Maybe it was a sunset, or a special event in your life, an unexpected grace that just astounded you. Why is that? I believe it is the Glory of God being revealed to us and through all of creation. Continue reading
- What’s Next? - What’s Next? In the 1999 TV series, West Wing, there are multiple episodes where the President, played by Martin Sheen, after hearing all the discussion on a topic, asks the question, ‘What’s next?’ For the apostles, the believers of Jesus, members of The Way, the temple and the tongues of fire and wind is behind them. What the Master had promised, the Holy Spirit, was now within. Their brief time with Jesus on earth was over and, yes, they knew the lessons, the memories were clear; what they have seen and heard. But, now, there on that street in Jerusalem, at that time, the question: What’s next? What’s next? You, me, each of us, we have a “next”, directed by the Holy Spirit that is speaking to us, right now, this moment. Continue reading
- At Jesus’ Feet - At Jesus' Feet: We believe that Jesus is Lord, and, therefore, we are gifted with the Holy Spirit. The very Spirit that equipped and prepared the disciples, and us, to be the eyes, the voice and the hands of the Lord. Our faith journeys are many and varied, but each one of us is led by that Holy Spirit. For the two pairs of brothers, Simon and Andrew, James and John, as well as Levi, the invitation to come follow was a life-changing invitation. That is their story, but you and I have similar stories. Oh sure, the times may be different, the names have changed, but the story is the same. We are transformed, we are changed because of this Man, this God-Man, because His love surrounds us at all times. Continue reading
- Never Retire! - Never Retire! Several years ago, a very close friend of mine and my pastor, reached what, in our culture, was ‘retirement age’ and told me in strong words, “I’ll never retire.” It took me a while to fully understand what he meant. Now I understand. There are all kinds of examples of people who have continued their life far beyond that magic age of retirement and yet continued. Victor Borge continued doing concerts until he died at age 91. At 86 I had my first book published. What is the common denominator here? God gives us as many years as we are allowed on this earth, and It’s up to us to make every one of those years count. Continue reading
