The dynamics of discipleship (part 35)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” – LUKE 4:19To preach “The Acceptable Year of the Lord” is the time when God is willing to accept of people, or to receive sinners coming to him.

FRONT-PORCH GOSPEL: Santa Claus is comin’ to town!

Good week. Welcome to the “Front Porch.”Well, by the time this column hits your mighty-well-lit and finely-decorated front porch Christmas will be in full swing.I never get to this place without some healthy December cravings.

OUT TO PASTOR: As luck would have it

Quite frankly, I do not believe in luck in any degree. Sometimes things happen that you can’t plan for, which turns out to be rather good. Luck has nothing to do with it.This past week my granddaughter went to the hospital on a Tuesday morning to have her first baby.The day was busy for me.

The dynamics of discipleship (part 34)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” – LUKE 4:18Oppression means to crush by abuse of power or authority, to weigh down or to burden.

SPEAKING TRUTH: The darkest day of Christmas

In our modern celebration of Christmas, it is a joyous time of the year.But when we look at the origins of the holiday, we find a dark and tragic side.And when we go deeper, we discover how a little baby posed such a grave threat to one man’s power.

OUT TO PASTOR: Do I need to file a missing persons report?

Every week comes and goes, and some go faster than others.Such was last week. It started pretty well, but then everything went downhill.I had my semiannual doctor’s visit. After all, he has kids that need to go to college.After his complete examination of me, he said, “You’re doing great.

The dynamics of discipleship (part 33)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me to give recovery of sight to the blind.” – LUKE 4:18There are two kinds of sight, physical sight and spiritual sight and we have been given the authority to recover both.

SPEAKING THE TRUTH: Why should we pray over our meals?

Have you ever been in a restaurant where at one table, after people received their food, they just plowed right in and started eating, while at another table you observe a family bowing their heads over their food in prayer first?Where does this tradition of praying over meals come from?

OUT TO PASTOR: Do I really talk in my sleep?

For a long time, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage has accused me of talking in my sleep.I never believed her and just thought she was joking.At least, I thought it was a joke.One time she accused me of that and said, “Why do you talk so much in your sleep at night?

OUT TO PASTOR: Do I really talk in my sleep?

For a long time, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage has accused me of talking in my sleep.I never believed her and just thought she was joking.At least, I thought it was a joke.One time she accused me of that and said, “Why do you talk so much in your sleep at night?