Posts from January 2023
JANUARY 25, 2023
Dear Friends, How can we know that God really loves us? It’s January, which means if you’re following any kind of Bible reading plan, you’ve probably spent some time this month in the book of beginnings, the book of Genesis. It’s in chapter 22 where we find the account of God telling Abraham to take his son, his only son, up to Mt. Moriah where he will offer him up as a child sacrifice. It’s a startling command from the God who…
JANUARY 18, 2023
Dear Friends, It would be an understatement to say that Peter was an impulsive fellow. He was certainly passionate. At times, that passion drove him to grab a sword and go for the jugular. At other times, his passion led to a bold, Spirit filled and Spirit led declaration of the deity of Jesus. I’ve been reviewing the life of Peter this week as I’m preparing to speak this Sunday on his well-documented, humiliating denial of Jesus. And something that happened earlier…
JANUARY 11, 2023
Dear Friends, “A sower went out to sow some seeds…” With those words, Jesus begins one of his best known, and in some respects, most hotly debated parables. It’s also one of the few parables where Jesus actually explains who represents what in the parable. In reading through Matthew 13 this week, I was struck by one element in the Parable of the Sower. As you likely know, some of the seed which the Sower scatters in this parable lands on the path. …
JANUARY 4, 2023
Dear Friends, By lunchtime on Tuesday, just about everyone had heard the news. With 5:58 left to play in the first quarter during the Monday night football game, the Cincinnati Bengals were driving, hoping to retake the lead from the Buffalo Bills. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had just completed a pass to receiver Tee Higgins who was tackled by Bills safety Damar Hamlin. It was a clean, hard hit. Both players got up. And then Damar wobbled and dropped to the turf. And…