A friend of mine is having an Epiphany party on January 6th, the day that Christendom celebrates the arrival of the wise men of the East at Bethlehem to worship the newborn King, the Incarnate God, Jesus Christ. She asked me to prepare a devotional on the three...
What we can learn about prayer from Jesus’ statements on prayer……and from his example. 1.) Prayer is expected of believers. Jesus prefaced his instruction on prayer with the words “When you pray…”, not “If you pray…” 2.) Matthew 6:5- Do not pray in order to impress...
Hard word: Telling someone that their prayers for discernment are pointless if they are not committed to spending time in the Word of God connecting with the touchstone of truth and instead are thinking that such wisdom is going to just arise out of their own reason...
God is the Boundary Originator and the Final Boundary…. the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega…. Adam and Eve had freedom within a broad range of options with minimal restrictions…God IS the Original Boundary-and- Boundary-Setter and...
The Committee on the Way Forward, appointed by the Council of Bishops of The UMC has made its first report to the COB. It outlines 3 possible models: Leave the Discipline as it is with an emphasis on accountability. Change the Discipline to allow full inclusion of...
Today I taught the first lesson in a new series called “Christians Growing Christians: Practical Lessons in Christian Living and Discipleship” at one of Lynn Haven Church’s adult SS classes at 9:30. It is designed to equip Christians to engage in...
On the night that I first saw Bill Byrd, I was picked up at my dorm by one of his fraternity brothers and was escorted to a social event on Auburn’s campus for those of us who were candidates for sweetheart of their fraternity. As my escort and I walked down the...
Sometimes as we talk in counseling about the ways in which God has been present to us, I discuss with the women the concept of the “continental divide” of our faith…..that epiphany moment following an uphill journey in search of sufficient evidence to overcome...
The article referenced below on “The Platinum Rule” is interesting, but I don’t find it particularly helpful in light of the current situation within many contexts- churches, workplaces, and communities. For merely superficial, casual associations or...
From Dr. Timothy Tennent of Asbury Theological Seminary: An examination of church history reveals that the church has faced a major crisis roughly every 500 years. The first was in connection with the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. and the struggle to eradicate...
