Ananias and Sapphira’s Sin
The account of Ananias and Sapphira is one of the most disturbing narratives in the New Testament. It reveals how essential unity within the church is to God, and how seriously God takes deceit that threatens that unity.
Pastor, I Cannot Sleep
I wrote this fictional story while I was preparing a sermon on Matthew 11:28-30. Years ago I received a call from a member of a church whose son had committed suicide. This story doesn’t reflect that conversation nor are the names of the people involved real people. Any resemblance to a real person is purely accidental. Tom, Gloria, and Jimmy are fictional characters in a story I created from similar calls in my life as a pastor. Remember this is a fictional story.
The Lord’s Prayer for 2023
Wow, Lord. Things are mighty ugly down here right now. So many people are hurting ... are hurt ... are angry ... are confused. But you are good and righteous, and just, and Love. We need your kingdom to reign down here as you reign in heaven. A lot of us have so much daily bread, we're bloated
Guard Your Mouth
A careless, thoughtless word can cause lingering pain, and can certainly hurt the relationship if left untreated. I know there are angry, wounded, hateful people who intend to harm others. But that is another "animal". More often our hurts come from those who actually love us.