Blog Posts
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No Time for Words
Read more: No Time for Words“While he was still speaking…from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved…listen to him!’” –Matthew 17:5 Among the joys of living close to our grandchildren is the ability to be present for the more ordinary occasions. When our children were growing up, we lived hundreds of…
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The Cost of Freedom
Read more: The Cost of Freedom“For freedom Christ has set us free.” –Galatians 5:1a “Freedom isn’t free. Freedom isn’t free. You’ve got to pay a price. You’ve got to sacrifice for your liberty.” One day in 6th Grade, my class sang those words as part of a school assembly. I don’t remember the theme of…
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In Need of Translation
Read more: In Need of Translation“And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.” –Acts 1:6 During my seminary years, I once had some free time between the end of a semester and the start of a summer job. So before leaving…
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The Hardest Job
Read more: The Hardest Job“Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.”–Proverbs 22:6 Last November, I officiated at the wedding of a niece, my youngest brother’s oldest daughter. That event marked the 14th time (including my mother-in-law and our two children), when I was privileged to hold that role…
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Divine Messages
Read more: Divine Messages“‘Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?”–Numbers 12:2 The question above is from a conversation between Moses’ two siblings, Aaron and Miriam. Aaron had been by Moses’ side in ministry since his brother’s encounter with God at the burning bush. Miriam was the…
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The Central Thing
Read more: The Central Thing“But Abram said, ‘O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless?” –Genesis 15:2a One day a few years ago, Lori and I were riding the PATH train from Manhattan to New Jersey. One stop before our exit a young woman seated on the opposite side of…
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More Important Than Getting Wet
Read more: More Important Than Getting Wet“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” –Psalm 119:105 I have a friend from my college days named Elliott who served for a time as a mission co-worker in Port Edward, South Africa. He was an economics major as was I and his…
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The Blessing of Community
Read more: The Blessing of Community“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”–Matthew 18:20 One of the blessings of this blog for me has been its reach over the four months since launching. Counted among subscribers and others who see a post through social media are family…
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The Power of Hymns
Read more: The Power of Hymns“When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”–Mark 14:26 One Sunday morning, early in my pastoral career, while leading worship I became aware of a commotion in the sanctuary. Looking to my left, I saw that an older woman in the congregation named Frances…
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A Fearless Faith
Read more: A Fearless Faith“So with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.” –Luke 3:18 One day during my North Carolina pastorate, our Clerk of Session invited me to accompany him to a golf tournament called the Masters. It’s held each April in Augusta, Georgia. I had ridden by the…