Clark's Compelling Catwalk: Recent Episodes
Clark Cowden
The Rev. Dr. Clark Cowden reflects each week on our compelling catwalk through life. The catwalk is a narrow bridge between the compelling world of the Christian scriptures and our contemporary world of today. Each week, in his sermons, and in other reflections, Clark will be considering compelling ideas for the best way for you to live your life in our confusing world. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/clark-cowden/support
God has given every one of us great potential that He is seeking to draw out of us to develop and help us realize.
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Some people in our society today think that all shame is bad. That is not true. There is Destructive Shame and Constructive Shame. All Destructive Shame is bad. But, we have forgotten that Constructive Shame is very beneficial to us as individuals and to our society as a whole. What's the difference?
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In America, we don't like pain. We run away from it. We go to great extremes to avoid it. But, in doing so, we often make our pain worse, rather than better. What is a better way to deal with our pain?
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In the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, God is telling us that we need to Be Open, Be Curious, and Be Flexible.
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After Jesus' resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday, He returned to talk to His disciples about the mission He wanted them to go on after He returned to heaven. What did He say? And what does that mean for the mission He wants us to go on today?
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The Easter story is true. Jesus Christ really was resurrected. He actually came back to life from the dead. What happened on that first Easter Sunday? And what does it mean for us today?
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When Jesus rode into Palm Sunday on a donkey, people cheered wildly. They were so excited to see Him. But, after they heard what He had to say, many lost interest. What was Jesus' Palm Sunday message and what does it mean for us today?
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In John 17, Jesus teaches us to pray
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After the Last Supper, before He was arrested, Jesus spoke to His disciples about Who the Holy Spirit is. The two main verbs He used were that the Holy Spirit convicts us and guides us. Listen to this episode to hear why this is important and what difference this makes in our lives today.
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In John 15, Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the branches and apart from me, you can do nothing. In this chapter, He tells us that we must stick with Jesus, we must love one another, and we may be hated by the world.
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In John 14, Jesus answers four questions for us: 1)Who is He?, 2)Where is He going?, 3)Why does this matter?, and 4)Will you believe in Him?
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The story of Jesus' Last Supper with His disciples before His crucifixion, and the story of Judas Iscariot leaving that meal to betray Jesus, has some interesting insights on how God wants us to live our lives today.
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What does it mean when Jesus says you are the salt of the earth and you are the light of the world?
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Part of participating in the mission of God means loving the city where God has placed us.
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Hinge Moments are times of major change that we go through in our lives, where the consequences of those moments affect us for years to come. They may be doors that close in our faces or new doors that God opens for us for new opportunities. The Bible gives us some key Hinge virtues to help us navigate these important times of change.
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Romans 8 gives us some insight about the power of God that is available to everyone who believes in Him as we look ahead to the new year.
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Today's podcast is about the story behind the Christmas Carol "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and what the message is that it seeks communicate to us.
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What is the story behind the Christmas carol O Holy Night? What is the message of the song? And what does it mean for us today?
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One of the classic pieces of Christmas music is Handel's Messiah. What is the story behind this great piece of music? What is its message and how does it inspire us to live for Christ today?
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In light of the poverty in our world, how does the Bible teach us to manage our money? When God blesses us with finances, how do we best steward it for the life of the world?
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What are you thankful for? What are the habits of gratitude that we can practice on a daily basis? And what are the benefits of living a grateful life?
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Sacrifice is not a popular word in our culture today. But it's a word that is at the core of the Christian faith and it's an action that is at the center of meaningful lives. Why is sacrifice so important? And how we can we live it out as part of our daily lives?
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In this episode, we look at four of the keys ideas that we find in the Bible related to generosity.
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We come to the end of our series on Shaping our Souls. We have been walking through the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel, looking at the lives of the prophet Samuel and King Saul. In this message, we look at the tragic end of King Saul's life. He started off with so much potential, but he never reached it. He fell short. What held him back? What did he struggle with? And what lessons can we learn from his life that we can avoid so that our lives don't end up like his did?
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In the Old Testament, King Saul that going through religious rituals was more important than obeying God. He was wrong. He tried to control God through these rituals rather than submitting to His commands. Many people today are trying to do the same things. These stories are shared to help us avoid the mistakes that King Saul made.
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When we look at the life of King Saul in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel, we see that his reign as king never lived up to its potential. It was held back by Saul's impatience, his running ahead of God, his superstition, and his disobedience. We struggle with the same tendencies today. We can learn how to avoid some of our mistakes today by learning what King Saul did wrong.
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The story of the prophet Samuel anointing Saul to be the first king of Israel, show that the three key things we need to lead are Character, Calling, and Courage.
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1 Samuel 3 is the story of God's call on Samuel's life. As we read about how God called Samuel, it helps us understand how God might be calling us today.
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Religious leaders have not always acted morally, ethically, or appropriately. In today's reading from the book of 1 Samuel in the Old Testament, we see how Eli's sons, who were priests in the temple, were scoundrels. They were guilty of abuse and apathy. It was a sad and tragic time that hurt many people. But, in the seeds of their wrongdoing was the anticipation of a new and better priest whom God would raise up to correct the situation. In the short-term, that person would be Samuel. In the long-term, the story points us ahead to Christ, who is our ultimate prophet, priest, and king, who makes everything right again.
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The book of 1 Samuel begins with the story of Hannah, Samuel's mother. It's a story about her Pain, her Prayer, and her Pledge. It's a story about how God moves her from Heartbreak to Hope.
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If you could see our world and your self and your life through the eyes of God, and understand reality from His perspective, how would that change your life?
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Often we overlook the importance of gratitude in our lives. We are not born as grateful people. Being thankful is something that is learned as we grow up. People who are thankful have better physical health, better mental health, sleep better at night, are more fulfilled in their careers, volunteer more, and are more involved in churches and other places of worship. Today we look at what the Bible says about gratitude and why it is so important.
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There are people today who think that compassion is about weakness. There are people who think that compassion is the opposite of the truth. There are people who think they need to be aggressive and angry and forceful in order to do good things. None of these is true. When we read about the character of God and the life of Jesus in the Bible, we find that compassion is one of the essential foundations of a faithful life.
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Every door that open has a couple of hinges on it, that allow it to open and close. We all face some major transition moments in our lives, that are like doors that open and close on us. These transition moments open and close on a few hinges - a few key virtues - that help us respond to them in ways that open us up to the opportunities that God is presenting to us. What are these virtues? And how can we be ready for these opportunities when they present themselves?
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As we wrap up this series on Questions of Faith, we conclude with a series of questions that people asked about death and grief. In this message, we look at what the Bible says and what it doesn't say and how we can imagine our future.
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In this message, we respond to questions that people asked about the creation of the world and the power of God in our lives.
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As we approach the 4th of July, there are often questions asked about the relationship between the Church and the state. What is the proper connection? What does the Pledge of Allegiance say? The Pledge contains the phrase "under God"? What does this mean? When many people in the United States don't believe in God, does it still make sense for this to be a part of the pledge?
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If you want to be a Christian, or if you call yourself a Christian, what do you have to believe? What is it that Christians must believe? What should you believe? If you boil it down to the shortest summary, what are the most important things to believe in as a Christian?
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Today we are beginning a series of messages built around questions that people have asked in recent months about God and faith and life. This is our first installment. We kick off this series by looking at some questions about pain, anxiety, and conflict, and looking at what kind of insight, truth, wisdom, direction, and guidance we receive from the Bible about these things.
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The story of Corrie Ten Boom is a story of faith, perseverance, and forgiveness. She endured many difficult situations in her life that stretched her faith and gives us an example of how we can live by faith in the face of great difficulties.
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People got to know Eric Liddell from the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire, which described how he won the gold medal for Scotland in the 400-meter dash at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. But, most people don't know about his early life or what he did after the Olympics. Eric became a missionary to China and devoted his life to serving Jesus Christ. His life is a remarkable story that helps us see how we can live out our faith in Christ, even in the face of some challenging situations.
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The story of Mother Teresa is a story of faith. The way that she lived out her life gives us an example of how we might live out our faith in our world today.
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The Apostle Paul wrapped up his letter to the Romans with 3 concluding comments - 1)We need to help others, 2)We need healthy relationships, and 3)We need hope in God.
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When you have a disagreement with another person, how do you try to resolve the disagreement? When you are a part of a church or a club or an organization, and people see the same issue differently, how do you try to work out your differences? In Romans 14, Paul talks about how we can learn to Deal with our Differences.
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What should be the relationship between Church and state? How should Christians respond to what the government does, when we agree with it, and when we don't agree with it?
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In Romans 12, Paul talks about 3 ways Easter changes us. 1)Easter brings us into a relationship with God, 2)Easter brings us into the Church, and 3)Easter changes how we live.
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Part of the message of Easter Sunday is that the Irreversible has been Reversed.
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When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He disrupted the city and the temple and the religious leaders. He didn't act the way many people wanted Him to. This story is about the Cleansing, the Curing, and the Cursing.
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The people of God does not include just one kind of person. This community is not just one language, one culture, one skin color, one educational level, or one economic class. God weaves all kinds of people together from all kinds of backgrounds to live together in a brand new community.
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Every so often in history, there is the discovery of some new knowledge that changes the world. In Romans 10, Paul talks about some transformational knowledge that can change our lives and change our world.
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How should Christians today view the nation of Israel? How should we view the Jewish people? Christians have wrestled with these questions for a long time. The Apostle Paul addresses them in Romans 9.
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What would you say have been the most signficant shifts in your life? In Romans 8, Paul describes 4 of the most significant shifts that happen to us when we believe in Jesus, and we may not even be aware of them, when they happen.
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Today's message marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent is the 40 days plus Sundays leading up to Easter. Historically, it has been a time for people to focus on what is not right in their lives, and what they need to stop doing and turn away from, in order to appreciate and celebrate Easter Sunday. Easter doesn't make any sense if we don't believe in sin. But, it seems as if many people in our culture today don't believe in sin. How do we understand sin in a healthy way that will lead us to understand the huge importance of Easter?
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In Romans 7, Paul writes about a spiritual battle that was going on inside of him. It's a picture of what we all go through - how our good desires and our bad desires fight within us. How can we feed our good desires so that they become bigger than our bad desires? How can we feed the positive side of our nature and starve out the negative side of our nature. Romans 7 gives us some clues.
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Many people live as slaves to the problems in their lives. Many people are imprisoned by their failures, their faults, and their regrets. It doesn't have to be that way. In Romans 6, Paul talks about How we can be set free, what we are set free From, and what we are set free For.
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What difference does Jesus Christ make in your life? In Romans 5, Paul says that the difference Christ makes in your life is that He gives you peace, hope, and a future.
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Sometimes we revise the stories of history to make them say what we want them to say. Sometimes we misunderstand our history and learn the wrong lessons from our past. In Romans 6, Paul is writing to counter some Revisionist History that had taken place in the Jewish faith. He believed the Jewish people had learned the wrong lessons from their father Abraham and their great King David. He wanted them to see that the teachings of Jesus were rooted in their scriptures, in a true understanding of Abraham and David. It shows us the importance of understanding our history today and what a huge difference this can make in our lives.
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When we realize that that all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and there is nothing we can do to earn God's forgiveness, the fact that He does forgive us, is pretty far-fetched. In Romans 3 Paul talks about how incredible God's forgiveness of us really is.
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In chapters 2-3 of the book of Romans, Paul talks about our Pervasive Predicament. He talks about how the same root problems of our world affect every single one of us. None of us is perfect. We all make mistakes. We all do things we shouldn't do. So, what is the solution? The answer is the same for everybody. And Paul talks about it here.
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Today we are beginning a message series walking through the Book of Romans in the New Testament of the Bible. The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to Christians living in Rome, probably in the AD 50s. He laid out for them the depth of the Gospel - what it is, what it means, and why it is important for you to know it, understand it, and live it. Today we begin with chapter one, where he describes Our Urgent Need for the Good News.
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This year's Christmas Eve message is called Joey to the World.
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When C.S. Lewis wrote his classic book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, he picked up on the Biblical imagery that the Messiah is a Lion. As he tells his story, he actually helps us understand Christ better, and why His arrival into our world at Christmas is so important.
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As we continue this Advent series on Who is the Messiah?, today we are talking about how the Messiah is a Servant. Since we are called to be like Christ, it's important for us to understand Who He is, so that we can be like Him and live like Him. Being a servant is central to Who Christ is.
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This is message #2 in our four week Advent message series on Who is the Messiah? Today we are looking at the idea that the Messiah is the Creator.
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This is the first of four Advent messages. Advent is the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. Historically, it has been a time to prepare our hearts and minds for the birth of Christ. We will be looking at four message on Who is the Messiah? This is the first where we talk about how the Messiah is the Word of God.
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With this message, we conclude our walk through the Old Testament book of Judges. We look at the problems we find in the book and the solutions that the book points us towards. The time of the Judges in Israel is much like the time we are living in today in the United States. The lessons are as relevant today as they were back then.
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The end of Samson's life achieved a victory in defeat. His greatest achievement came in his death. It is when we become weak that we become strong.
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Sometimes we have talent that we waste. Sometimes we have knowledge and skills and relationships that we waste. Some time we don't take full advantage of the opportunities that come our way. This was true of Samson in the Old Testament. He had this amazing strength, this amazing ability, but he wasted what God had given him, and he did not live up to his potential. We don't want to do that. Today, as we look at part of Samson's life, it is an encouragement to us to not waste our opportunities.
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Many people feel a sense of hope about the birth of a baby. It's a time that can bring excitement, fear, anxiety, and wonderment about the future. In Judges 13, we read about the birth of Samson to his parents after his mother had been unable to get pregnant. The announcement of his birth from the angel brought a great sense of hope to them. And the story tells us some things about how God still works in our lives today.
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The story of King Midas from ancient Greek mythology has some connections with the story of Gideon in the Book of Judges. It shows us the Danger of Success, the Danger of Desiring a King, the Danger of Acting Like a King, and the Danger of Judgment. The message for us today is - Be Careful What You Wish For.
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Sometimes we win battles we have no business winning. Sometimes we win games by someone else's efforts. Sometimes we can lose a match before we even step out onto the court. In this episode, we look at a story in the life of Gideon in the book of Judges about how the Israelites won a battle they probably should not have won. We look at what this tells us about God and what it says to us today.
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In today's episode from the book of Judges, we are introduced to a reluctant leader names Gideon. As God calls him into leadership, he is full of questions and is hesitant to assume a new role. The questions he asks are the same questions we ask of God today. And as we read his story, we get some insight into how God answers our questions today.
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In Judges 4, we read about a Surprising Situation with a Surprising Judge and a Surprising Judgment. It is not what we would have expected to happen. But, it helps us understand how God is at work in our world today.
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In Judges 2, the Israelites struggled because they didn't obey God, they didn't pass on their faith in God, and they didn't listen to God. We have the same problems today, but we can learn from their mistakes. We don't have to fall into the same cycle of sin that they did.
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Today we beging our series walking our way through the Old Testament book of Judges. It's a book that describes a time in the life of Israel when many people had a half-hearted faith in God. They were not opposed to God, they just weren't completely committed to Him. And this half-way faith ended up creating a lot of problems for them.
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We all have a worldview that colors how we see life and how we make sense of what is going on in our world. There are many different worldviews that people have. What is a Christian worldview? What is the Christian view of what is going on in our world, what should be going on, and what our role in the world is? Check out this episode as we think through these questions.
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Each one of our lives tells a story. But, sometimes, we can miss the forest for the trees. In other words, sometimes we miss seeing how our individual lives are a part of the bigger stories going on in our world. Do you know where you fit? Do you know what your story is? And do you know how your story affects other people? In this episode, we look at the three big stories of life and how God wants to redeem and direct our stories.
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Studies show us that students have an intensely religious faith, do better in school. They tend to get better grades, tend to be treated better by teachers, and tend to have a more positive outlook on life. How can we as adults pass on our faith to the next generation? What do we need to know about this generation and how we can more effectively share our faith with them? Listen to this episode and find out.
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A recent study of about 2200 young people discovered that many of them are asking the exact same, big questions about life. Do you know what those questions are? If we know what the questions are, we can do a better job of helping them find the answers that Christ provides and which the Bible guides us towards. Actually, many adults are also asking these same questions. So, if we want to help people, it would be good to know the deepest questions people are asking.
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How do you handle the difficult relationships in your life? Why does it seem that the people who hurt you the most are other people in the church? How do you reconcile with people who don't want to reconcile? Listen to this episode as we think about these questions.
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Why does God allow us to go through situations that are so difficult for us to handle? How should we think about the immigration problem in our country? And how can we tell explain what we believe to people who don't believe?
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What is the role of faith in the United States of America? How do we think about how we live out our beliefs in our nation? How can our spiritual faith help our nation be all that it can be? You are invited to reflect on these questions in this week's message.
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As we come up on the 4th of July, what were some of the big ideas and symbols that shaped the founding of the United States? How do these interact with our Christian faith? And what do they teach us about how we can forward in a positive and healthy way?
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In today's episode, we talk about three questions that people asked about God.
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In today's episode, we look at four questions that people asked about heaven. What look at what the Bible says about heaven and what we can look forward to.
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In this episode, we look at 3 questions that people asked about prayer and consider what the Bible has to say about them.
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One of the ways that we seek to follow Jesus in these turbulent times is to tell the truth in a world that doesn't seem to value the truth anymore.
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Do you know what the mission of the Church is? Do you know why the Church exists - why we are here, and what we are called to do? Listen to this episode as we talk about our reason for being.
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What does the Kingdom of God mean for us today?
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In the first of the 10 Commandments, God tells us not to have any other gods before Him - not to worship idols. Most people today probably think they aren't worshiping idols, but an idol is anything that is more important to you than God. Given that, there are actually a lot of idols that people are worshiping today. In this episode, we look at what some of the common idols are, and how following the Bible will lead us in a better direction.
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In this episode, we talk about some of the reasons we find in the Bible for why nations rise and fall. We also look at what the Bible describes as the solutions to prevent the fall of nations. If you have ever wondered why this happens, you are invited to listen in.
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How would you describe the story of your life? Is it just a personal story that you are making up every day? Or do you see how your story fits into the one true story of the world? Do you know what this story is? If you understand THE story, you have a better chance of understanding your story.
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Easter is the ultimate day of hope. What does this mean for us today?
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Many people are familiar with the Palm Sunday story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey in a big parade at the beginning of the week that led up to His death and resurrection. But, many people are not familiar with what Jesus actually said that day after He arrived in Jerusalem. What was His message that day? And what does it mean for us today?
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How do people move from atheism to faith? How do people move from no faith to some faith faith? Some people seem to believe in God easily, while for others, it is a very difficult journey. In this episode we look at how people can move through the difficulties and roadblocks to a vibrant faith in Jesus Christ.
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Sometimes we feel stuck in a life that keeps repeating itself. We wake up each morning and do the same thing we did yesterday and the same thing we will do tomorrow. We feel stuck. Sometimes we wonder if life will ever change and get any better. The Easter story tells us that when we believe in Jesus and in His resurrection, Jesus gives us hope for a new day. Our lives can change. Things can get better. He gives us the hope that we need.
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What does it mean to be converted to a religious faith? What does it mean to be converted to Jesus Christ? What does that look like, how does that happen, and how can that give us hope? In today's message, we look at what conversion means and how it can make a difference in our lives.
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During these last two years of covid, a lot of people have been confronted again with their fear of death. Many people have taken extreme measures because they have been so afraid of getting sick and possibly dying. This is understandable. But, does God want us to live with such massive fear? How can we deal with our fear of death? We talk about this in this episode.
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Somebody once called forgiveness the most unnatural act of humanity. Forgiveness does not come quickly, easily, or naturally. And yet, it is essential to a healthy life. If we don't practice forgiveness, why wind up hurting ourselves, often more than we hurt the other person. But, how can we bring ourselves to forgive people who have hurt us deeply, when we don't feel like it? Today, we are talking about grace and forgiveness, and look at some examples that give us encouragement and hope to do what doesn't come naturally.
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Have you ever noticed how certain characteristics can get passed down in families from one generation to the next? Sometimes these are positive qualities. But, sometimes these are negative qualities. Sometimes we see this happen with attitudes. An unforgiving heart, a hard heart, or a stiff neck can get passed down from one generation to the next. And the longer it goes, the harder it is to break. How can we break these unbroken chains in our lives and in our families? Listen to this message as we discuss this.
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Some people think that some things are so bad, that they don't deserve to be forgiven. Some people think that some people are so bad, that they don't deserve to be forgiven. They think to forgive them would be wrong. A scandal. A miscarriage of justice. What does God think? What does the Bible say? What are the limits of God's forgivness for us? In this episode we talk about some stories that demonstrate God's forgiveness of us, and how God wants us to respond to others who hurt us.
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We have a crisis of truth today. People can't agree on the truth. We can't agree on the same set of facts. Some people don't think we can know the truth. Some believe everybody has their own truth. So, what is the truth? Can we know it? If so, how? These are the questions we look at in this week's message.
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During the pandemic, as we have quarantined and social distanced, we have realized the problems that have come with isolation. We have seen an increase in loneliness, which has led to other problems. We are once again seeing the Need for Community. Why is that? And what can we do about it? Listen to this episode as we discuss our Need for Community.
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As we begin a New Year, we want to make the most of the time that we have. But, do we really understand how time works? People have actually been able to reverse the aging process by understanding time. The Bible calls us to understand the times that we live in. And we need to understand the different kinds of times we experience, so that we can redeem the time. Listen to this message to reflect on what we have learned about time and how it affects us.
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Do you feel like your day yesterday was a masterpiece? Would you describe your day today as a masterpiece? What would have to chance to make it so? As we begin this new year, one thing I think we need to focus on is how to Make Each Day a Masterpiece. You can listen to this podcast to get some ideas on how we might do that.
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I am beginning the New Year of 2022 with a series of messages called Turning Over a New Leaf. This is the first of those messages which is called Flip the Script. As we flip our calendars from 2021 to 2022, we need to leave some things from last year in last year. We don't want to carry them over into this new year. We don't want to be confined to the mistakes and the sins we committed last year. We want to experience the new opportunities God has for us this year. How do we do that? Listen and find out.
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Today, we are wrapping up our series on the Movies of Christmas by talking about the Miracle on 34th St. The movie is about the Journey to Believe, which is also what the Christmas story is about. How do people move from a place of unbelief to a place of belief? How do people change their minds? We'll look at that as we consider what these stories have to say to us today.
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The Polar Express follows 3 children who get on board the train to go to the North Pole to see Santa. These three children represent three kinds of belief we find in our world today. They are 1)Looking for Belief, 2)Crushed Belief, and 3)Helping Others Believe. This story helps us understand where different people are at in their relationship with God and their ability to believe in Him.
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As we continue our series on the Movies of Christmas, today we are looking at the movie White Christmas. It was released in 1954. It's about some soldiers who return to the United States after WWII and who try to find their way in society once again. At first glance, it doesn't seem to have much to do with the Christmas story we find in the Bible. But, if you look close enough, there are some similarities, that help us understand what Christmas is all about.
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Today, we are beginning our Advent series on the Movies of Christmas. We are going to look at four popular Christmas movies in our culture, and see where we can find elements of the Biblical Christmas story found hidden within them. Today, we begin with the movie Christmas Vacation. This is a movie about Expectations, Sin, and Grace.
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This week is the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving. So, today, we are looking at the faith of William Bradford, the early governor of the Plymouth colony. His faith in Christ and the life he lived are examples for us, for how God might be calling us to live by faith today.
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As we continue our series on People of Faith, one of the people who has had a huge influence on our world was a woman by the name of Susanna Wesley. She was the mother of John and Charles Wesley, who started the Methodist Church in England in the 1700s. But, her story is so much more than that. Her influence on their lives and so many others is one that inspires us and shows us how God can work through all of us, to influence the people around us.
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As we continue our series on People of Faith, today we look at the life of William Wilberforce. William Wilberforce lived in England in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He became a leading member of Parliament and a Christian. He dedicated his life to ending slavery in England and around the world. His story is inspiring and instructive to us today, as we consider how to live out our faith in our time.
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As we continue our series on People of Faith, today we are talking about Saint Maria of Paris. She is one of the most amazing Christians you have probably never heard of. But her life is an inspiration of how we can live out our faith in Christ in the midst of some of the most difficult circumstances in life.
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Today is the first in a series of 5 message on people of faith. Many people know that Jackie Robinson was one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Many people know that he broke Major League Baseball's color barrier as the first black man to play in their league. But, many people do not know that he was also a strong Christian. His faith in Christ is what enabled him to put up with abuse and rants and taunts and unjust treatment, eventually winning over a lot of people to his side. His life story is informative and inspiring, and shows us how God wants us to respond to people who treat us wrongly, too.
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If you knew that you didn't have long to live, what would you want your final words to be? What kind of legacy do you want to leave? What is it about your life, your faith, and your beliefs that you would want people to know about and remember about you? Today, we come to the end of Joshua's life and see what his final words were. They get us thinking about what we would want our final words to be.
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What is the right response to someone who kills another person accidentally? What is the fair and just response to an individual who is unintentionally responsible for another's death? As we continue looking at the stories of Joshua in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, we see that this was a situation the Israelites had to deal with. The ways that God instructed them also instruct us today, as we try to figure out how to respond to people who accidentally hurt another person.
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As we continue to walk through the book of Joshua, we come today to a story about systemic sin. Because America is a very individualistic culture, we tend to think of sin as something that individuals do. But, it's worse than that. Sin can become embedded in the families, systems, cultures, and organizations in which we live. When that happens, it becomes harder to eliminate. So, what do we do? In this message, we look at the nature of systemic and what we can do about it.
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The fall of the wall around the city of Jericho is probably the best known story in the book of Joshua. But, when you actually read the story in the Bible, you see there is a lot more going on than just the fall of the wall. The story is an important one for us today to understand because it talks about how our societies collapse around us and who will survive when they do. What is it that we can and need to learn from this story?
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Sometimes God leads us out of one chapter in our lives and into another. We leave some aspects of our past behind and step into a new future. This is what the Israelites experiences when they finally ended their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and crossed the Jordan River into the land that had been promised to them over 400 years before. It was a major transition in their lives and one where they needed God's help. This is a story that helps us see how God guides us in our lives today, when we encounter new chapters in our own stories.
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Chapter two in the story of Joshua is about the sending out of the spies to check out Jericho before the Israelites invade it. It's a story where the spied are surprisingly saved and aided by an unlikely friend - a foreign prostitute. Without her, their mission might have failed. Somehow, she had a change of heart and began to believe in God and wanted to be a part of God's people. It's one of the most unlikely stories that we could not have predicted. But, it shows us some important lessons about how God's mission works out in our world, and what we might expect as participate in God's mission, too.
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Today, we begin a series of message through the Old Testament book of Joshua in the Bible. Moses had been the revered and respect leader of Israel for the last 40 years. He had just died, and Joshua, his vice-president, was tapped to take his place. The people knew Joshua, but they didn't know if he was up for the challenge of taking over from Moses. The nation was entering a new era. Joshua was their new leader. They were facing a new risk. And they needed a new courage. How would things turn out for them? The book of Joshua was written for people like us today who are going through uncertain times, with new leaders, and new challenges. Sometimes we wonder where the courage will come from. This message invites us to think about our own challenges and how God can provide us with the courage we need to face our risks today.
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Perspective is a very powerful thing. How you look at the world affects what you see. If you look through rose-colored glasses, the world will look great. If you look through blue-colored glasses, the world will look sad. Your perspective influences how you think, how you act, and what your attitude is. Today, we wrap up our three weeks in Romans 8 by talking about the Power of Perspective.
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Hope is very powerful. Hope is something we all need in our lives. Without hope, we fall into depression and despair. We have nothing to look forward to, and we're not sure we can get through today. Hope is essential. Today, we discuss the second of our three messages in Romans 8, and see what it says about the power of hope. The power of hope is part of the power of God that we can experience in our lives. We can't live without it. Today we talk about what it looks like and how we can experience it.
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Knowledge has the power to change your life. There are certain bits of information that will change how you think. There are certain pieces of wisdom that will change how your view the world, how your view yourself, and how your perceive your life. Romans 8 gives us some key points of knowledge that God can use to change your life.
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Every year when we ask people what questions they have about God and faith and life, the most questions we get have to do with life after death. The Bible doesn't give us a lot of specific details that a lot of people are looking for, but it does give us some general pictures that we can count. Today we look at the questions people have asked about life after death and what the Bible has to say about them.
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This is the second of our two part series on "Is America a Christian Nation?" We look at the history of our country, our founders and framers, and see what they had in mind when they thought about the relationship between Church and state. What does this mean for us today?
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Is America a Christian nation? As we celebrate the 4th of July, this is a good time to review what the founders and framers of our country were thinking when our nation began. What role did they want religion to play in our country? What did they imagine the relationship between the church and the state to be? And what does this mean for us today.
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Do you ever get distracted when you are trying to prayer? Does your mind wander? Do you daydream? Do you start thinking about all the things you need to get done? How can we stay focused on God and keep our attention on Him when we are praying? In today's message, we talk about some things for you to consider to help you stay focused when you pray.
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We have been having a lot of conversations about race here in the United States in the last year. There have been a lot of racial tensions, many racial disagreements, and lots of hand-wringing about what has been done or not done. But, what does our faith say about race? What does the Bible say that can help us understand what our words, attitudes, and actions need to be, as we deal with issues of race? This message talks about 4 principles we find in the Bible that give us guidance as we deal with incidents involving race.
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Have you ever thought about how your faith affects how your manage your money? Have you ever wondered what difference your faith in Christ makes in terms of how your steward the resources God has blessed you with? Today, we kick off our summer sermon series with a question someone asked about whether it's OK to save up money to retire on, and then to leave to their kids, after they are gone. This is an opportunity to look at what the Bible says about our financial management and to evaluate the habits and practices of our lives.
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Today, we wrap up our series on Jonah by talking about what this story tells us about Our Relationship to God's World. Are we called to avoid the world because it is so bad? Are we called to blend in with the world and look like everyone else? Are we called to engage the world and work to transform it? In this episode, we talk about Embracing the Storms, Embracing the Other, and Embracing the Mission.
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The story of Jonah ends with a question. When God has compassion on evil people who repent, does that make you angry? When God is merciful towards bad people who change their ways, does that make you upset? It did for Jonah. This story teaches us something about God, about our human nature, and how we look at the world and the people around us.
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Do you know what your mission in life is? Do you know what God has called you to do? Today, as we look at the story of Jonah in the Old Testament of the Bible, we look at what his mission was, and what we can learn from his story, about what our mission is today.
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As we continue our look at the story of Jonah, we see how he didn't really understand the grace of God, and what it took for it to make sense to him. This story is an illustration of what we sometimes have to go through in order for us to understand the grace of God.
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Some people have a hard time facing reality. We don't want to see or admit our faults or our weaknesses or areas where we want to grow. But, because God loves us so much, He wants us to face the reality of who we are and what we have done. This is an essential part of the growth process. Today, as we look at the story of Jonah, we see that God pushed him to face reality, and we learn how God does the same thing with us. Because He loves us so much.
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The second part of the story of Jonah is that when he tries to run away from God, he runs right into a storm. He hasn't escaped trouble. He has run right into it. This story is a great reflection for us about the storms we run into in our lives and what God is teaching us as we go through them.
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Today we begin a new series looking at the book of Jonah in the Old Testament. The story of Jonah begins with God calling him to go on a very important mission that he didn't want to go on. In fact, he ran in the opposite direction. As the story begins, it asks us three questions. 1)Are you listening to God? Do you trust God? And are you running from God?
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The Easter story is about the power of belief. You are what you believe. What you believe matters. Your beliefs shape your attitudes, which shape your feelings, which shape your life. But, believing in something that is false won't help you. You need to believe in what is true. That is why the Easter story is so important. It is a true story that can really change your life when you believe.
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In this bonus edition of the podcast, we look at the meaning of Jesus' Last Supper with His disciples before His death on Good Friday and His resurrection on Easter Sunday.
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Today is the message for Palm Sunday. As we reflect on what happened on this day, and during the beginning of Jesus' last week before His death and resurrection, we see the story is about Jesus entering the temple, clearing the temple, and judging the temple. If He were here today, would He be doing the same thing?
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When Jesus was preparing His disciples for His death on the cross, He described to them how He was willing to give up His life, so that they could gain their life. He was both a willing sacrifice and a humble sacrifice. Nobody forced Him to do it. He did it willingly. He didn't demand that people worship Him or follow Him. He came to serve and to invite others to humbly serve alongside of Him. It was counter-intuitive. But, it changed the world.
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In our world today, we see the pursuit of money as a good thing. But, we often get angry at the super-rich for for their privileges and the benefits they enjoy that most of us don't have. We don't like it when people get super-rich, but we don't see the problem of us having more money. In the message for this week, Jesus talks about the problem of money in our lives. Money can become a trap that we don't often see, and we don't realize how it can entrap us, if we are not careful
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Halfway through the gospel of Mark, Jesus starts talking to His disciples about going to the cross. He starts talking about His death. His disciples have a hard time understanding this, and we do too. He always says that if we want to follow Him, we need to imitate Him. We need to pick up our crosses and follow Him. What does this mean for us today?
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How do you approach God? Do you approach God with fear and trepidation? Or do you approach God very casually, like it's no big deal? In today's message, we look at how one woman approached Jesus, and what that tells us about the attitude we need to approach God.
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In Mark 7, Jesus addresses the Old Testament cleanliness laws which were such an important part of ancient culture. Because of the coronavirus this past year, it seems like we have adopted our own version of these cleanliness laws. But, the Jewish people thought that by observing these laws, it would draw them closer to God, too. Is that really true? Find out what Jesus has to say in this message.
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This special bonus message for this week was prepared for Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent, which is the 40 days plus Sundays leading up to Easter. It is a time of preparation, of self-reflection, and self-examination, as we look at our lives to see what has been holding us back. This message is about patience and waiting. It's about thinking through why God seems to act slowly in our lives and understanding the larger purpose He has for our lives.
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In this episode, we look at the story of Jesus healing a paralyzed man. We look at what the surface issue was, what the deeper issue was, and what the even deeper issue was. Are you only coming to Jesus with your surface problems? Or are you coming with your deeper issues and your even deeper issues?
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Jesus calls us to follow Him. What does that mean actually? What does that look like? Today, we look at the story of Jesus calling His disciples to follow Him and consider what that means for us today.
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Today, we begin a new message series going through the Gospel of Mark. We begin with the opening verses of the book and think about our relationship with God in terms of dance. God has come to us and invited us to dance with Him. Have you accepted His invitation? Are you dancing with Him now?
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Today, we wrap up our series on New Year's Resolutions by talking about Seeking the Common Good.
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With all the turmoil that has been going on in the United States over the last year, one of big needs is to Heal our Land. We have a lot of divisions, a lot of misunderstandings, and a lot of hurt feelings. What can we as Christians do to heal our land? What does the Bible call us to do and how do we do it? Today we talk about what the Bible says and what each one of us can do to heal our land.
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In this 2nd message on New Year's Resolutions, we are talking about Living with a Limp. After the rough year last year, I think all of us are walking with a limp. All of us have been hurt. Many people are struggling. But, the power of God can transform these difficult situations and use them to help grow our character and our strength and our resolve. Instead of weakening us, they can strengthen us.
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Today, we are starting a new four-week message series on New Year's Resolutions. Today, is the first one, which is Growing in Your Faith. As we have come through a difficult year, it is very important that all of us grow deeper in our faith, to give us the strength that we need to survive and grow through these hard times.
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This is our end of the year message. As we come to a close on the 2020 year, many of us are ready to turn the page, and hope that the new year of 2021 will be better. Today, as we reflect back on what this past year has been like, we look at some passages in scripture, a sermon from 100 years ago, and an article on hope, to help us think through what God might be doing in our lives, during this difficult time.
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This Christmas Eve message is about The Misfit. This message is about using our imagination to imagine what the Christmas story would have looked like from one of the Magi, who travelled long distances, to discover the newborn King of the Jews. It's considering what they might have been thinking and feeling and looking far as they encountered this new experience with Jesus and how it might have changed their lives. Merry Christmas.
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There are 3 key prophecies in the Old Testament book of Isaiah that talk about the Messiah's birth, the Messiah's impact, and the Messiah's mission. We will look at what these say and what they mean for us today.
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Psalm 110 was one of the most important Messianic Psalms in the Old Testament. The Jewish people read this passage to see some clues about Who the Messiah would be. This passage tells us that the Messiah will be the King, the Priest, and the Judge. This helps us understand Who Jesus is and why His entry into our world at Christmas is so important.
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For hundreds of years, the true identity of Israel's Messiah was hidden. People don't know who He was or what He would do. But, God gave them clues about who to look for. The prophets in the Old Testament told them what to look for and the kind of person He would be. One place where we find these clues is in Psalm 2. In this message, we look at three things we are told about the Messiah's True Identity.
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Today we are beginning a four week message series called Anticipating Christmas. The four Sundays leading up to Christmas are called the Advent season. They help us prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. Over these next four messages, we are going to look at some of the Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah that they Jewish people had, and see what clues they were given about Who to look for. These prophecies function like Previews of Coming Attractions for us. In the same way that we watch movie trailers to see what new movies are coming out, the Old Testament prophecies give us a preview of the Messiah is coming. We are going to see what we can learn from them, what they mean, and what they mean for us today.
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Today, we wrap up our message series called Pay it Forward by talking about Thanksgiving Blessings. Often when we think about our blessings, we think of things we have received. But, we also need to think about the blessings from what we have given away.
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Many people have been approached with options for where to invest our money. We understand what that means. But, do you know what your spiritual investment opportunities are? God has blessed everyone who believes in His Son Jesus with time, talents, and treasures. What are we to do with these resources? Where are we to invest them? How do we think about this and what guidance does the Bible give us about where God wants us to invest ourselves?
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Many years ago, scientists discovered they could make it snow. They flew an airplane into a cloud, dropped some dry ice into it, and the cloud exploded with snow. As Christians, God calls us to fly into the clouds of our world, and seed them with our faith, our understanding, and our generosity, so that we can make it snow God's blessings on our world.
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This month, I am beginning a new series called Pay it Forward. We are going to reflect on what we have to be thankful for. We are going to think about how God has blessed us and how God wants us to pass on these blessings to other people. Today, we begin by looking at Jesus' Parable of the Talents and how Jesus is telling us not to bury our talents. What is a better response? What does God want you to do with what you have been given?
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Today, we wrap up our message series called The Journey by looking at the end of Moses' life. The book of Deuteronomy was Moses' last speech that he gave to the Israelites before he died. Have you ever been around someone whose death was imminent? What did they say? What would you want to say if you knew you were dying? When we hear people's final words, it helps us understand who they are, what's important to them, and what they are experiencing. They also help us reflect on what is really important in life.
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Are you afraid of the future? Does thinking about the coming year make you feel nervous or relaxed? Today, we return to our series on The Journey where we are looking at the life of Moses and the Israelites in the time of the Exodus. In today's message, they have arrived on the edge of the Promised Land and they have an opportunity to take it. But, people are overcome by fear and they panic. Their story speaks to us today and teaches us how to deal with our fears about the future.
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It seems as if we human beings don't like rules. We don't like other people telling us what to do. We rebel against them. This reaction has been around for thousands of years. As we continue to look at the stories of Moses and the Israelites in the Exodus, we see that they rebelled against the rules, too. In today's episode, we talk about the story of God giving them the 10 Commandments and how they rebelled by building a golden calf to worship instead. What does this story teach us about our situation today? Listen and find out.
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When Moses finally led the people through the Red Sea to the freedom from slavery, the people celebrated. But, it didn't last long. They suddenly realized they were in the wilderness - in the desert. It wasn't like what they were used to. They had gone off the map. They weren't ready for it. It made them anxious. They complained. But, it also led to a much deeper formation of their faith. God continues to walk with us through this same journey today.
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I think all of us probably have a few unforgettable moments in our lives - those moments that were so momentous and impactful on us that we will never forget them. Today, we look at three unforgettable moments in the life of Moses and Israel in the Exodus story and how they were shaped by them. God works through these moments in our lives to shape us and to lead us in new directions.
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We all have defining moments in our life. These are significant events that shape who we are or the course our lives take. In today's message, we are going to look at 3 defining moments in the life of Moses and what we can learn from them about how God is at work in the events of our lives to shape us into the people He created us to be.
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Moses could well be considered to be the most important person in the Hebrew Bible, what Christians call the Old Testament. He was the major figure who influenced the entire nation for hundreds of years after his death. Today's message comes from Exodus 1-2, which describe his birth and the world he was born into. The story of his birth is a story about the Fear of the Stranger, the Fear of God, and the Providence of God. This story is as relevant for us today as it was 3500 years ago.
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The story of Sacagawea and Lewis and Clark is similar to the Old Testament story of Rahab and the Jewish spies. They are both instances of people going off the map, learning from unexpected people, working with unexpected people, and having to think outside the box. These are stories that speak to what we are going through today and how God is changing us as we encounter new realities.
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This is the 3rd message out of 4 in our series on Canoeing the Mountains. We are looking at the story of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery, to see how they learned to survive the wilderness. Many people today feel like our the challenges and crises of our modern world are a present day wilderness. How do we survive? We will look at the picture of the Church as the Body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12, as an image that speaks to us about how to survive our present day wilderness.
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When you go off the map into uncharted territory, you have to learn how to adapt. When you encounter things you didn't expect, you have to adjust. The story of Lewis and Clark is the driving metaphor for our world today. As they experienced a complete different world than the one they were expecting to encounter, the same thing is happening to us today, too. We are dealing with problems and issues most of us never thought we would have to deal with. But, we are. In this week's message, we look at a similar experience that the Hebrews went through in 586 BC and how that gives us guidance for how we are need to adapt today.
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The story of Lewis and Clark is an apt metaphor for our world today. They went looking for the Northwest Passage that everybody assumed existed. Everyone was sure it was out there somewhere. They discovered that everybody was wrong. All the experts and all the explorers were wrong. When they got to the Lemhi Pass, instead of seeing the Columbia River that would take them to the Pacific Ocean, they saw miles and miles of Rocky Mountains. They stepped off the map and into uncharted territory. We are doing the same thing today. What difference does faith in Jesus Christ make when you are going off the map? What is God wanting to teach us as we move into uncharted territory? This week's message talks about what is going on in our world and what God might be doing in your life.
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This weeks message is about the training the self-discipline that are required for us to become resilient people.
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Titus 3 is about the new birth and how Jesus can change your life.
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Titus 2 is about relationships and wise living.
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Titus 1 is about how God wants you to live and how God doesn't want you to live.
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Esther 9 and 10 concludes the story and reminds us that God surprises us and turns things upside down in our world.
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Esther 8 is about how God surprises us and turns the tables on the evil in the world.
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Esther 7 is about falling into your own trap.
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This week's message is about how repenting of our sins and turning away from the problems and mistakes of our past will actually help build a more resilient life.
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Esther 6 is about how God turns the tables on people.
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Esther 5 is about "pride goeth before a fall."
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Esther 4 is about "just such a time as this."
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Esther 3 is a crisis chapter.
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Esther 2 is about the instability of our world.
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Esther 1 is about a bad decision, bad advice, and a bad law.
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Psalm 139:23-24 helps us examine ourselves in the light of God's Word as we consider where we are in terms of our race relations here in the United States.
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2 Corinthians 13 is the last chapter in the book. Paul is encouraging people to be self-aware, to reflect, to be joyful, and to know that God's love and peace is with you.
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2 Corinthians 12 is about the power of weakness.
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2 Corinthians 11 is about the authority that comes from suffering.
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2 Corinthians 10 is about leadership and authority.
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2 Corinthians 9 is about your attitude towards giving.
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The three keys for the Church to become more resilient are Discipleship, Diversity, and Development.
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2 Corinthians 8 is about generosity.
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2 Corinthians 7 is about constructive conflict.
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2 Corinthians 6 is about the hardships and the happiness of the Christian faith.
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2 Corinthians 5 is about your body and your relationship with God.
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2 Corinthians 4 talks about holding up under severe stress and strain.
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2 Corinthians 3 is about how the new covenant is better than the old covenant, and that the only way to really understand the Bible is by believing in Jesus.
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Terry Clark pastors an African-American church in Terre Haute, IN, and also teaches African-American studies at Indiana State University. We talked about what's been happening in our country since George Floyd was killed a few weeks ago and what we might learn from this situation.
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2 Corinthians 2 is about forgiveness and a fragrance.
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This is the second in a series of messages on The Resilient Life. I talk about examples from the past and the present, from the Bible, from literature, and from world missions, that help us understand how to develop the kind of resilience we need to bounce back from the tragedies of our times.
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2 Corinthians 1 is about finding comfort from God when you go through times of trouble.
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Malachi 4 is the very last chapter of the Old Testament. What does it say and how does it point us ahead to what's coming in the future?
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Malachi 3 is about God correcting the wrong things in the world, if you return to Him, He will return to you, and if you tithe and give to the Lord, He will send greater blessings into your life than you can begin to imagine.
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Malachi 2 is about the problems that result from systemic leadership issues.
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Malachi 1 addresses 3 problems the people have in their relationship with God.
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This is my conversation with Vigo County Health Commissioner Dr. Daren Brucken. Dr. Brucken has worked for the county health department for almost 20 years and has been the health commissioner for the last 7 years of so. He has been on the front lines of the corona virus pandemic here in west central Indiana and has a lot of knowledge of what is going on. He has talked with a number of business owners and school districts as well as health care professionals. He has a lot of interesting things to say about what we are facing and what we are going through.
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Daniel 12 is about the question - how long will these troubles last?
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Today, I am beginning a series of weekly message on The Resilient Life. Here in America, we are now facing 3 crises at the same time: a health crisis, an economic crisis, and a racial crisis. They are all difficult and complex to solve. None of them will be solved quickly. Will we be able to bounce back? Can we learn to be resilient? Today, we look at the story of Caleb in the Bible and how he can teach us to be more resilient.
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Daniel 11 is about the problems with power and politics.
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Daniel 10 is about precious patience.
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Daniel 9 is about praying for your people when your world is falling apart.
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Daniel 8 is a vision of Daniel about how we butt heads with each other in our world. We knock heads over all kinds of issues trying to gain more power than others. But, at the end of the chapter, he says that if you abuse your power, or misuse your power, you will lose your power. God will break those who use their power inappropriately. Instead, it's a call to work together, to collaborate, and to build a team that will serve God and serve the world.
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Daniel 7 gives us a picture of God. It also talks about the Son of Man, which is the term Jesus used to describe Himself in the New Testament. He was referring back to these verses in Daniel to let people know Who He was. And then the chapter tells us that beasts and the kingdoms of this world, in Daniel's vision, will see their power come to an end. It will be taken away and give to those who serve and obey God.
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I recently sat down for a conversation with State Representative Tonay Pfaff to talk about the pandemic - what is she seeing, what is she hearing, what does she think we are learning during this time? I invite you to pull up a chair, put up your feet, and listen in on our conversation.
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Daniel 6 is the story of Daniel in the lion's den. It's really about the old adage, "In times of crisis, you don't rise to the occasion, you revert to your training.
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Since the 1970s, one of the key questions facing the Church has been "Can the West be Converted?" It is the realization that the West is just as much of a mission field as the rest of this world. But, as we are going through this pandemic crisis, our culture is changing in dramatic ways, and not all of them are good. Many people feel our world is unraveling. What do we do? In this message, I discuss some of the key themes in the Bible that address this important task of converting a changing culture. This often happens in ways that surprise us.
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Daniel 5 is a chapter about learning to read the writing on the wall.
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Daniel 4 is about how God humbles the proud. King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and calls in Daniel to interpret it for him. The dream is about a large tree that reaches up to the heavens and rules the earth, but then someone comes along and cuts it down. The king is like the tree and because he is proud, and because he does not worship God, he will lose his power and his kingdom. The chapter tells us this actually happened, but later, when he finally looked up to heaven, his sanity returned, and he worshiped God. The chapter ends by telling us that God is able to humble the proud.
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Daniel 3 is about trusting God in uncertain times. Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego refuse to bow down and worship the huge statue the king has made of himself. They get called "on the carpet" to answer to him. They tell him that God is able to save them, but even if He chooses not to, they will not worship his idols. God did not promise them that He would save them from the fiery furnace. They had to trust Him. We are living in uncertain times, and God doesn't promise us what He will do in each and every situation. He simply invites us to trust Him and see what happens.
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Daniel 2 is a story that shows us that God can do the impossible. In this chapter, the king asks his wise men to tell him the interpretation of his dream without even telling them the dream. It was impossible. Nobody could do it. The king threatened to kill all of them, which would have included Daniel and his friends. But, they prayed and God gave Daniel the king's dream and what it meant. The king was so impressed he promoted Daniel. Sometimes God allows us to be put into impossible situations so that we will learn that God can do what is impossible for us. Sometimes, this pandemic feels impossible, but nothing is too big for God.
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I had the privilege of sitting down with Dr. Deborah Curtis, the president of Indiana State University, to talk about the effects of the pandemic on their institution. Universities are complex systems with lots of people and lots of moving parts. It was interesting to hear how they have been experiencing this crisis. I invite you to listen.
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Daniel 1 takes place around 586 BC when King Nebuchadnezzar came in and wiped out Jerusalem and carried off most of the people in exile. They were forced to live in Babylon. Daniel and his friends were chosen for a leadership development program in Babylon. They had an opportunity to become some of the top 1% of that culture. But, Daniel took a big risk when he turned down the rich foods they wanted them to eat, because it went against their faith. He persuaded them to let them try an experiment for 10 days with a different diet and see if they didn't come out healthier than everyone else. It worked. It shows us that sometimes we need to turn down the benefits and the privileges our culture offers to us, in order to stay faithful to God. If we do that, God will always lead us to a better place.
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Today is Memorial Day. It is a day we remember people who have died serving our country. We don't know their names ow who they were, but they are important, and we benefit because of what they did. Colossians 4 is that kind of chapter. Paul mentions 9 different people in the early church whom we don't know, but we benefit today because of what they did. Most of the people in the world will never know your name or who you are. But, you are still important to God, to the church, and to the world. What you are doing every day is important to us. Keep it up.
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This is the message for May 24, 2020. This is a message, based on the life of Harriet Tubman, and a variety of verses from the Biblical story, that help us understand what we need to know, as we seek to have a missionary encounter with our own culture. Our own culture is a mission field. It is a hard mission field. God has not called us to do easy work. God has called us to do important work. And sometimes that is hard. This message helps us think through what we need to do to be effective in living out our faith in our every day lives.
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Colossians 3 is about making a choice of what kind of clothes you are going to wear. Paul describes the nature of our old sinful desires as being like the old clothes we used to wear. He gives us a list of sins that were part of our old nature and he tells us to strip off the old nature. He tells us to put on the new nature, and describes the quality of the new clothes Christ wants us to put on. He tells us to clothe ourselves with love. Which set of clothes are you going to wear today? Because what you wear shapes who you are.
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Colossians 2 is about gaining the strength to face adversity. Our strength comes from two sources - think, substantial relationships with other people, and putting our roots down deep into Christ. He wants us to grow deep and wide. This enables us to face the adversity of our day. In this chapter, the adversity is empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense and legalism. He says the rules may seem wise, but they don't have the power to help conquer your evil desires. So, grow deep and wide - with other people and with Christ.
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Colossians 1 talks about the incomparable Christ. No one has ever lived who has been like Christ. He is supreme. He is dominant. He is without rival and without equal. Everything that has been created was created through Him. He is the image of the invisible God. Christ is the one Who is holding all of creation together. He has reconciled us to God. And we can stand firm on this truth. So, when you feel like the world is falling apart, or your world is coming apart, remember Christ is the One Who is holding it all together.
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Philippians 4 has two well-known parts to it. Verses 6-7 tell us not to be anxious about anything, but through prayer, petition, and thanksgiving, present our requests to God, and the peace of God which passes all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.
And then in v.11-13, Paul says he has learned the secret of being content - whether he is in plenty or in want, whether he is well-fed or hungry - he has learned to be content in all circumstances.
Many people today are anxious. Many people today do not feel content. But, Paul is telling us that if we have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our anxiety can be replaced by the peace of God, and we can learn to be content, no matter what is going on around us.
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In Philippians 3, Paul is reflecting on his past and contemplating his future. In looking back, he says that all he had gained in the past he considers to be loss. He calls is garbage or rubbish. Now, that he knows Christ, his values have changed, his priorities have changed, and he is focused on different and better things. As he looks to the future, he describes it as a track race. He says he has not crossed the finish line yet, he hasn't attained the prize or the medal yet. But, he is pressing on and straining for what is ahead. God has something really good waiting for you in your future.
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On Friday, May 15, 2020, I sat down with Richard Payonk. Richard is the Executive Director of the United Way of the Wabash Valley. We talked about what the United Way was doing before the pandemic hit and what has changed for them after it hit. We talked about how they are working to have a positive impact on our community, and what they are hearing and seeing and learning.
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Philippians 2 is about the mindset of Christ. This is a very famous passage that talks about how Christ came to earth from heaven, not considering equality with God a thing to be grasped. He humbled Himself, sacrificed what He had, and became obedient. Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This pandemic is a very humbling experience. And yet people seem to be drawn to those who are proud and arrogant and boastful. But, the Bible tells you that if you exalt yourself you will be humbled. But, if you humble yourself, you will be exalted.
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If you are new to the Church, you may not have a good idea of what the Church really is. If you have been in the Church for a long time, you may have gotten fuzzy on why the Church exists. But, any Church that wants to come through this pandemic in a healthy way, needs a strong sens of identity and purpose. If we don't really understand who we are and what we are supposed to be doing, we will flounder and fall apart. In today's message, I talk about three key aspects of the nature and the purpose of the Church, that will give us focus for how we live each day.
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Philippians 1 has 3 key verses. V.1 says He Who began a good work in you will bring to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. V. 21 says for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. And V.29-30 says that you have been given the privilege of not only trusting in Christ, but also suffering for Him. We are in this struggle together.
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Lamentations 5 is the last chapter in the book. Jeremiah ends with a final lament for his people and his culture and the sorry state they are in. But, he closes with a prayer of trust and restoration. He says that God remains the same and prays that He will restore their joy. God is our rock. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He brings stability into our lives. He gives us firm footing to stand on for today, and He gives us hope for tomorrow.
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Lamentations 4 is a chapter where people are lamenting the state of their country. They are grieving what they have lost. They are not what they used to be. This was caused in part by a leadership problem. But, then they turn to the wrong people and the wrong places to fix their problem. We are in a similar spot today. Many people are lamenting the loss of the great country we used to be. But, sometimes we look to the wrong people to save us. The chapter ends with a brief word of hope. God will end their suffering and return them from exile. Suffering is only for a season. And at the right time, God will bring it to an end.
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Lamentations 3 is a chapter about moving from grief to hope. The first 20 verses are about grief and sadness and the darkness the writer feels has come over his life. But the chapter turns at v.21, where he dares to hope, based on the character of God. The character of God is not based on our circumstances. So, no matter what our world looks like, there is always hope. He encourages us to examine ourselves and turn back to the Lord.
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The theme of Lamentations 2 is the anger of God. There were a lot of things going on at that time that made God angry. I think there are a lot of things going on in our world today that would make God angry. That's not surprising. The rest of the chapter gives us 3 responses to God. 1)Cry. Crying is a good, healthy, appropriate response. 2)The inappropriate response is that there are people who are giving others false hope. We see this today as well. Some people tell us everything is going to be fine when its not based on any facts or reality. Don't listen to false hope. 3)Cry out to God in prayer. The appropriate response is to turn to God, to honestly express your feelings, and lift your prayers to Him.
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On Friday, May 8th, I had the privilege of sitting down with County Commissioner Brendan Kearns to talk about what is going on around our county with the corona virus pandemic. We had a great conversation and it was so interesting to hear about how he and our county are experiencing the crisis and how people are coping and responding to it. I invite you to listen in as we share our thoughts and observations.
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Today we begin the Old Testament book of Lamentations. We often skip over this book and don't read it because it is a book about grief and loss. But, it is strangely very relevant to what we are going through today. It talks about how the streets are empty. No one is coming to their festivals any more. People are mourning the loss of the good old days. It shows us that we are invited to lament to God. We can always express our honest emotions to God. And God comes and laments with us. And strangely, that is what we need. People to lament with us. It helps us get through the day until God leads us to a better time.
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When we look back through history, its easy to see times when the Church has lost its way. We can see the Church in Nazi Germany and the Church in apartheid South Africa as obvious examples. But, some of the same attitudes that were present in those instances can be found in the Church in North America today, and not all Christians can see it. What can we do? How can the Church recover its way and get back on track with what God wants us to do? In today's message, we look at four teachings in the Bible that describe who the Church is and what the Church is called to do, that will help the Church of today recover its way.
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Joel chapter 3 ends this short book by continuing on with the theme of the Day of the Lord. There is a scary side to it and a good side to it. The scary side is that God will finally step in to correct all the wrongs of our world. He will fix what needs to be fixed. The judgment that is needed will take place and it will be fair and appropriate and just. The sun and the moon and the stars will grow dark and the heavens and the earth will tremble when the voice of God speaks. The good side of the Day of the Lord is that He will provide all the wine, all the milk, and all the water we need to drink, and we will live in the presence of the Lord forever.
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In Joel 2, the prophet talks about hope in the midst of despair. As the Israelites are dealing with the terrible plague that is upon them, Joel says the great and terrible Day of the Lord is upon them. The people wonder - who can survive? We have people today who wonder if we will survive our plague. Joel tells them to return to the Lord and reminds them of the compassionate character of God. The chapter concludes with the famous prophecy that Peter quoted on the Day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts - I will pour out my spirit on all people and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
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Joel 1 is written to people who are going through a plague. We are going through the corona virus plague today. They were going through a plague locusts. The plague had devastated their economy, disrupted their nation, and ruined their lives. People were weeping and crying and in despair. Plagues show us that we are not in control. We do not have the power to prevent pandemics. So, what do you do? Joel tells the people that the Day of the Lord is approaching and it is time to grow closer to God. This is a time for us to grow closer to God, as well. We need Him to get us through these difficult days.
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On Monday, May 4th, 2020, I had the opportunity to sit down with Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce President Kristin Craig to talk about the corona virus pandemic we are going through. It was wonderful to have a chance to connect with her again and listen to the things that she has been hearing from people, what she sees going on in our community, and how we can come through this crisis. I invite you to listen to our conversation and share it with others who might be interested, as well
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2 Peter 3 talks about how scoffers and time affect your life. Peter is writing to people who are having to deal with some people who scoff at the truth. We have people in our world today who won't believe the truth, who believe lies, and try to pass it off as the truth. They are upsetting the Christians asking how come Christ hasn't come back yet. Don't let them upset your faith. Sometimes when we pray, we wonder why God is so slow to answer our prayers. But, Peter says God is not being slow, He is being patient to give more people time to repent and believe in Him. And because of these things, Peter says to live godly, holy, peaceful lives, that are built on the secure footing of God's Word.
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2 Peter 2 is about false teachers. This chapter is a wake-up call that there are some really, really bad people in the world. Peter gives us a long description about all of the evil things these people do. He tells us about God's appropriate judgment on them. But, he also tells us that God knows how to rescue godly people from their trials. Are you going through some trials right now? If so, and if you put your trust in Jesus, God can rescue you from them and lead you back to a better place.
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This is Episode #1 of the Pandemic Podcast. I am going to be sitting down with various people around the community to talk about what's going on with the corona virus pandemic, how it is affecting us, and how we can move through it in a positive way. Today, I begin with State Senator Jon Ford. Jon has served in the Indiana State Senate for the last six years. He has a great view of the community, gets to hear from a lot of different people, and gets to see how our state is trying to help people through this crisis. I think you'll be interested in his perspective and what he has to say.
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2 Peter 1 talks about the promises of God. Peter tells us that God has given us everything we need for a godly life. Do you feel that way? Do you feel like you have everything you need? Some people have a scarcity mentality - they never have enough. But, the Bible encourages us to have an abundance mentality - you have everything you need. Peter says respond to this in the way you live, and know that the words in the Bible didn't just come from people. They came from God. God has given you everything you need.
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I thin a lot of people today are looking for hope. People are tired of social distancing and quarantining and hearing lots of news of the numbers of people infected with the corona virus. Where can we find hope today? The Bible is a story of hope. The Bible gives us all kinds of hope for the future Kingdom of God - the life that we will experience after this life is over, if we are followers of Jesus. What will the future Kingdom be like? What can we expect? What do we have to look forward to? That's what we talk about here.
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1 Peter 5 is about 3 things: 1)Humble leadership. Don't lord your leadership position over others. Lead willingly. Serve others gladly. 2)Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour. Don't be surprised when he comes to pick you apart. You can stand firm against him. 3)You can survive your sufferings. People all over the world are going through the same sufferings you are going through. But, cast all your cares on the Lord, and He will take care of you. You will survive the suffering.
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1 Peter 4 continues the theme of suffering from the previous chapter. Peter is telling us not to be surprised by our suffering. It is to be expected. Because Christ suffered, and we are following Christ, we will suffer as well. We need to have the same attitude towards suffering that Jesus did. And yet, in the midst of it, we need to continue to live out our calling. He tells us to keep praying, keep loving our people, keep opening up our homes, and keep exercising our spiritual gifts. Don't be surprised at suffering. Don't let it paralyze you. And don't let it stop you from living out your calling.
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1 Peter 3 is about the transformative power of suffering. Peter talks about the example of Jesus. Though He never did anything wrong, though He never sinned, He suffered a lot in His life, and He suffered when He died on the cross for you. In our culture, we think suffering is to be avoided at all costs. We think it's unjust, unfair, and always bad. The Biblical idea of suffering is different. This chapter says to repay evil for evil. When people insult you, bless them in return. This is not the weak response. This is the strong response. This is part of the way we can change the world when we suffer.
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1 Peter 2 tells us that Jesus is the chief cornerstone of God's temple. He is the only appropriate foundation for your life. If you get the foundation of your life wrong, everything else will be off. If you believe in Him, you become a living stone, building on what Jesus did. You become a priest in God's temple. This is the idea of the priesthood of all believers. If you are a Christian, you are a priest, and you can minister to other. And then he tells us that because Jesus suffered for doing what was right, we will also suffer for doing what is right.
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Today, we begin the book of 1 Peter and look at chapter one. He talks about two problems and two answers. The first problem is that the people are scattered. They have lost the sense of community they used to have. They are not in touch with each other anymore. They are isolated - like many people are today. the second problem is that the people are going through many trials. It's not just one or two trials. It's many trials. They are being tested. What are the two answers? Listen to this podcast and find out.
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Nehemiah 13 is the last chapter of the book. They have finished their major building project, but now the people have fallen back into some of their problems from the past. Nehemiah has to "call them out" and "call them back" to God. After this corona virus situations passes, what happens if we just go back to the problems we had in the past? We happens if we don't carry forward any of the lessons we have learned during this time? That happens a lot. We need to develop habits and routines to keep us growing in our faith in Christ that won't come to an end, but will continue forward.
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The main idea of The Big Story of the Bible is the Kingdom. And yet, a lot of people seem unfamiliar with the concept. In this talk, we explore three key aspect of the Kingdom of God. 1)It is Abundant. 2)It is Cosmic. 3)It is Spreading. We talk about what this means, what this means for you, and why this is important. If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you. If you enjoy this talk, please share it with others.
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Nehemiah 12 is about the dedication of the wall. The Israelites have completed their big project. The re-building of the wall has now been finished and now it is time to celebrate. When we come to major milestones and important events in our lives, God wants us to pause for a moment and celebrate. It's good to have joy. It's good to thank God for where He has brought us and what He has brought us through. What do you have to celebrate today? What are thankful to God for today?
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Nehemiah 11 is a chapter with lots of names that we typically skip over. But, what is interesting is that it tells us that 3044 people were willing to move to Jerusalem and start life over there. These people were willing to engage in adaptive change. We typically don't like to change. We resist change. We try to preserve the status quo. But, our biggest opportunities for growth come when we engage in significant adaptive change. This corona virus situation is an opportunity for you to do that? Is God prompting you to make some adaptive changes in your life?
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Nehemiah 10 is about giving God your best. The people promised to give God the best of the work, the best of the income, the best of their children, and the best of their land. Have you been giving God the best of your life? Have you been giving God your leftovers or a second-best effort? How would our lives be different if we gave God our best? Part of re-building society is to give God our best.
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Today's devotion is a summary of Nehemiah. It's about a solemn assembly, reflecting on how God has helped you through the struggles of your life, and what the next promise is that you need to make to God.
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This is the first of a series of 6-7 episodes on the The Story of God. In this series, we are going to be looking at the big ideas of the whole Bible, and particularly, what is says about the Kingdom of God, the Church of God, and the Mission of God. We are going to look at questions of identity and purpose. Who are we and why are we here? We are going to be talking about what God is doing in the world and where we fit into the Mission of God. In this first episode, we are going to look at the Big Story of the whole Bible. This summarizes the overarching story of the entire Bible from beginning to end. This will help us so we don't miss the forest for the trees.
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The Story of the Two Boats is an Easter story. You might not think of this as an Easter story, but it is. This is the message I gave on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020. Most of you probably have heard some of the story of the first boat - the Titanic. But, you probably have not heard the story of the second boat - the rescue ship that braved its way through a field of dangerous icebergs to rescue the people after the Titanic sunk. When you put the story of the these two boats together, it helps us understand what the Easter story is all about.
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