“Neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared,
“Go now and leave your life of sin.”
John 8:11 (NIV)
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It is infrequent that I get to hear a sermon. One of my regular employments is preaching. Hence I am busy when sermons are preached, preaching myself. Those rare occasions when I sit with the congregation to hear the Word of God explained are very important to me. It is like the family member who always prepares the meals going out for dinner.
On this occasion the preacher was expounding the story in John 8:1-11 to us. The story is indeed a fitting description of how Jesus operates with us as sinners. Religious leaders had caught a couple in the act of adultery and brought the woman to Jesus for trial. Jewish law stated that both the man and woman were to be put to death Leviticus 20:10. Immediately we see that the leaders were not concerned about the law being broken or else the guilty man would have been brought to Jesus as well.
Continue reading 'Forgiveness, Yes or No?'»
“but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.”
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
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The majority of the population today would say that I am old.
My hair is gray, I take several medications, I have to see doctors regularly, I do not bicycle any more nor do I run footraces. I can recall things that happened over 6 decades ago. Yes, I must also say, “I am getting old.”
There is a line in an Anne of Green Gables movie where Matthew Cuthbert said, “I got old, I didn’t notice.” That is my comment on life as well.
We who are older look longingly at young people and observe them doing things we once did but cannot do any longer. We yearn for the good old days when we could downhill ski the difficult black diamond slopes.
Continue reading 'Getting Old Is Not For Sissies'»
“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?
the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 27:1 (KJV)
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All of us know, and all of us have been, in one context or another braggarts. This is an especially contagious affliction when grandparents have a coffee together. We either try to one up the other with all our surgeries and physical afflictions or we seek to get a word in about one of our beloved grandchildren’s academic or sports exploits.
Occasionally there is no holding us back in this regard. However, if we wish the floor to make our point, we need to be courteous and give the others time to say their piece. This is only fair and usually the entire conversation is conducted in a spirit of good sport.
Continue reading 'A Spiritual Braggart'»
“It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
John 5:10 (NIV)
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Some people are turned off by the church and Christianity because of so many rules to obey and things to avoid.
Some of us in the church today are doing what Jesus said of the religious leaders of His time (Matthew 23:4-5 NIV), “They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders….Everything they do is done for men to see.”
Jesus had healed a man on the Sabbath as recorded in John 5 and told him to pick up his mat and walk. The man obeyed Jesus but soon found himself in trouble with the teachers of the law who said it violated the law to carry a mat on the Sabbath.
Continue reading 'It Is Too Hard To Be A Christian'»
“Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest
if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
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As a child I had a natural curiosity about everything. I recall my desire to have my own small garden.
My mother, who always planted an abundance of flowers around our home, gave me a packet of pansy seeds and a place to plant them.
I recall being tremendously excited as I dug the holes under my mother’s guidance. I carefully watered the ground after burying my precious seeds.
Continue reading 'Reaching the goal'»
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