I just did a quick search on Twitter for "#Blessed." Among the results were: - A pool party for someone's grandson. - Before and after pictures from a diet. - The results of a soccer match. - And someone was celebrating finally hitting 500 followers on Twitter. #blessed indeed! When we count our blessings, we calculate the positive things that lift us up and make us feel valued—and we should! But how does our #blessed list stack up against Jesus' list? "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs...
Apr 24, 2022•22 min
"That which is of first importance." It's buttoning the top button so the others line up correctly. It's the flight check before take-off. It's the surgeon marking the spot for surgery. When we put that which is of first importance first, everything else falls in line. In 1 Corinthians 15:3, Paul writes, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received." He then details the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. When we put first things first, everything else falls in line....
Apr 17, 2022•23 min
"Hosanna!" It's an ancient word that meant "Save me!" If a fisherman fell overboard, he would shout, "Hosanna!" with his last few breaths, hoping to be saved. The fact that the crowds welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem shouted "Hosanna!" ought to remind us that the Easter story is not for people who've got it all together. It's for the hurting, hopeless, and those barely holding on. The Easter story is for people who need a Savior.
Apr 10, 2022•25 min
I was driving home the other day when I noticed it again. As the utility poles passed by, I couldn't help but catch the shape of the cross. Has that happened to you? Maybe you see the cross in the panels of a door, the mast of a ship, or just two pieces of wood that happen to fall together right. Something within us seems drawn to the cross; its image is ever before us. In a moment of wry humor, we might even call it our "cross-eyed view." I believe it's born out of our desire to see Jesus at th...
Apr 03, 2022•23 min
A friend of mine called to tell me of a possible cancer diagnosis he was facing. He said he felt far from God and wondered if he should read through the book of Job in the Bible. Of course, when we think of Job, we think of his suffering and patience. But what of Job's hope? And what of his Easter?
Mar 27, 2022•22 min
As a child, I never understood what the fuss of Easter was about. I simply accepted that once a year, we colored eggs, there was chocolate, and a basket with a few gifts showed up. Oh, and there was that Easter grass . . . that stuff got everywhere! As I grew into faith, Easter took on meaning. I remember the first Easter after I said "yes" to Jesus. I attended all the services: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, even Sunrise (I had no idea God got up that early)! Then, after I came home, I opened my...
Mar 20, 2022•23 min
I never realized the phrase "thoughts and prayers" was viewed with disdain by some people. But, of course, it's easy for me to get defensive about that—prayer has become my first response to tragedy. The problem is, for many of us, prayer is also our last response. We're seldom moved beyond prayer to sacrifice, give, and reach out to those who are hurting. We don't give "thoughts and prayers" a second thought. I feel the conviction of that. And, of course, some question what good prayer does any...
Mar 13, 2022•27 min
One of the first things I remember being taught as a child was my home address. I could rattle it off perfectly long before I started school. My parents thought it was vital to know my address if I ever got lost. Chances are someone who loved you taught you The Lord's Prayer a long time ago. They wanted you to know it by heart for those moments when you needed to pray and even needed to find your way back home. The Lord's Prayer gave you a place to begin a lifelong conversation with your Heavenl...
Mar 06, 2022•26 min
It's been a tough week for me. First, some difficult decisions have led to significant changes at Lincoln Christian University, a place I dearly love. Lincoln has been a massive part of my life and faith, and I find myself grieving. On top of that, the news from Ukraine has me praying for peace but anticipating the worst and concerned about those who find themselves in harm's way. I recognize within myself a tendency to pretend everything is ok. I anticipate that, at some point today, someone wi...
Feb 27, 2022•23 min
Norwegian preacher, teacher, and theologian Ole Kristian Hallesby was not known as a man who backed down from his beliefs. He spent two years in a concentration camp for speaking out against the Nazi occupation of Norway. The strength that sustained him was not found in his intellect or personal convictions. Instead, it was found in the time he spent in prayer. He wrote, "Prayer is the conduit through which power from heaven is brought to earth." I think it's essential to see that downward flow ...
Feb 20, 2022•28 min
6.5 million dollars will buy you a thirty-second commercial during tonight's Super Bowl. You can bet that at 6.5 million, every word has been carefully chosen for impact and engagement. We will talk about some of those ads for weeks to come. In Matthew 6:7, Jesus warns of those who, in their prayers, believe they will be "heard for their many words." While they would not have understood the value of 6.5 million dollars, they did believe their words were valuable, and the more words used, the bet...
Feb 13, 2022•19 min
The word for the day is “Labyrinthine.” It is the tendency to make things overly complicated or convoluted. I love that “Labyrinthine” does exactly what it defines! It’s quite anfractuous, don’t you think? Preachers tend to make things far more labyrinthine than necessary (See what I mean?). We add unnecessary complications to faith and following Jesus. We even have ways to complicate prayer! But, when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he didn’t confuse them or overload them with ...
Feb 06, 2022•26 min
Jerry Seinfeld once noted that most people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. This means that the average funeral attendee would feel more comfortable being the person in the casket than the person delivering the eulogy. Moses would have preferred the casket. In Exodus 4:10, he cries out to God, "I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue." There's something familiar to me in Moses' words. I've hea...
Jan 30, 2022•27 min
Carolyn “Sue” Parker, age 78, of Kansas, IL passed away at 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at The Gibson Family Center for Hospice Care, Terre Haute, IN after a long, hard-fought battle with frontotemporal dementia. She was born on October 30, 1943 in Union Center, IL, the daughter of Roy Clifford Black & Edith Fern Black (Lilly). On April 21, 1962 she married the love of her life, Terry Fredric Parker, in Morris, IL. Survivors include her husband of nearly 60 years, Terry Fredric P...
Jan 29, 2022•17 min
Parents ask a question that prompts an almost universal response in children. You witness a toddler holding a strange item, and you ask, “What’s that in your hand?” A heartbeat later, the toddler takes off running! I remember for Megan, that item was often the television remote; for Connor, it’s more than likely a fork full of food. Either way, ask, “What’s that in your hand?” and the chase is on! There’s no way they’re giving their prize up without a fight! So in Exodus 4, after Moses has given...
Jan 23, 2022•27 min
It seems to have become a daily occurrence on Facebook. You sign in and find a friend request from someone who is already a friend. What do you do? Delete it, report it to Facebook, or send a message to your actual friend asking, "Is this really you?" In Exodus 3, Moses encounters God at the burning bush. In verse 13, he asks a question that's akin to, "Is this really you?" He asks God for his name. "Do I really know you? Can I trust you?" Maybe you've wanted to ask God the same question. Can I ...
Jan 16, 2022•25 min
Are you familiar with "Imposter Syndrome?" It's that little voice inside your head that loves to tell you, "you're a fake, a phony, and one day everyone is going to figure you out. You can't fool them forever." Do you ever hear that voice inside your head? I love what Adam Grant says about Imposter Syndrome. "Imposter syndrome is a paradox. Others believe in you but you don't believe in yourself. Yet, you believe yourself instead of them. If you doubt yourself, shouldn't you also doubt your judg...
Jan 09, 2022•28 min
One of our favorite songs at Kansas Christian Church is "Holy Ground." When we sing it, I can look around the room and watch as my friends become acutely aware of the presence of God. We sing the line, "And I know there are angels all around," and I genuinely believe we do. The song builds off several Bible passages, most notably Moses' encounter with God through the burning bush. But while our song is beautiful, Moses' story is strange and lonely. He's out there because of his guilt and shame. ...
Jan 02, 2022•22 min
It's the day after Christmas. So what's left to do other than put away the tree and toss out the used wrapping paper? We've spent a month working ourselves up for the big event, and now it's time to put it all behind us, right? At the end of Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol," after Scrooge's transformation, we read, "And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge." I believe that "keeping Christmas" must be something done more...
Dec 26, 2021•24 min
"Fear not!" Those words, spoken by the angel Gabriel to a young girl named Mary, are followed with words of incredible value. "For you have found favor with God." With those words, any fear of judgment or condemnation was assuaged. This was a message of grace, and God's grace banishes the fear of judgment. Those around us need to know there is favor to be found with God. Instead, they spend their lives hearing words of condemnation. They are told they aren't good enough and are made to feel they...
Dec 19, 2021•20 min
When we were first married, Trish bought us a beautiful porcelain nativity with many pieces. It has camels, a donkey, all three wise men, and a smattering of shepherds. There is a problem, though. Every year when I set the pieces out, I have to wonder, "Is this a shepherd . . . or is it Joseph?" I admit there's been more than one year when I've mistaken Joseph for a shepherd and vise versa. Joseph tends to get lost in our Christmas story. Sure, he belongs in the center of the nativity, but he of...
Dec 05, 2021•28 min
It has often been said that the most common command in the Bible is "Fear not." But what amazes me is how often those words appear in the Christmas story. "Fear not" is spoken to the shepherds by the angels, Mary by Gabriel, and Joseph in a dream. But before those words are spoken of Jesus' birth, they're said to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. But it's not just "fear not." Zechariah is told, "Fear not, your prayer has been heard." The command to not be afraid is tied to the deepest d...
Nov 28, 2021•24 min
Thanksgiving is coming. Every November, people on Facebook spend the month sharing what's on their list of things they're thankful for. Those posts often cause me to realize that I'm thankful for the same things! Their giving thanks literally gives ME thanks! Giving is like that, whether it's thanksgiving or caregiving, or simply giving to support someone's need. Our gift has a far more significant effect than just meeting a need. And in some miraculous way, we receive back more than we can know...
Nov 21, 2021•27 min
There are verses from our Bibles that find their way to our refrigerator doors. We put them there to remind us of their truth or promises. Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice," might be one of them. It's a great reminder of God's call to rejoice despite our circumstances. But the verses immediately before this call to rejoice likely won't find their way to our refrigerator. In verses 2 and 3, Paul writes of two women in the Philippians church who weren't getti...
Nov 14, 2021•29 min
There are people on your list and people on mine, those who showed you what it truly means to be a Christian. Through their kindness, they demonstrated the love and compassion of Jesus. They made the life of faith seem possible and within your grasp. If they could do it, you could do it! In Philippians 3:17, Paul writes, "keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us." Sometimes we need to look back to see those who showed us what this life looks like. When you can't s...
Nov 07, 2021•25 min
My priorities changed at 3:53 this morning. A little girl named Ruby came into the world, and I want to do everything I can to know her. But, to do that, some things that used to be important will have to be laid aside, and other things that previously weren't important to me will have to be taken up, like being known as "grandpa." I hear something of my change of priorities in the words of Paul from Philippians 3:8, "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ J...
Oct 31, 2021•27 min
The Beatles told us they get by with a little help from their friends. A generation earlier, Cole Porter told us friendship is just the perfect blendship. Then my generation came along, and we were stuck with Michael W. Smith telling us friends are friends forever, which we sang at every campfire on the last day of church camp. The song lasted longer than most of those friendships (or it felt like it did anyway). Whatever your "friendship anthem" is, you know the importance of those relationship...
Oct 24, 2021•26 min
It's a standard movie trope; we've seen it over and over again. The hero stands over an active bomb while the timer counts down to zero. He looks at the wires before him and asks over his phone, "Do I cut the red wire or the green wire?" His hands shake as he closes his eyes, hopes for the best, and snips the black wire. (The hero might be colorblind) "Fear and trembling" describe those moments as the timer beeps and the hero makes his decision. Those are also the words Paul uses to describe the...
Oct 17, 2021•28 min
"Make my joy complete." What could someone else do for you that would make your joy complete? Pay off your debt? Buy you a new home? Make sure your favorite team finally won? Whatever it is that would make your joy complete says a lot about what you've got your heart set on. Paul wrote to the Philippians, "complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." The greatest joy Paul could imagine from his prison cell was that the Philippians would ...
Oct 10, 2021•27 min
We're fascinated with famous last words. Everything from the inspiring, like Todd Beamer's recital of the Lord's Prayer followed by "Let's roll," to the ironic, like Union General Jon Sedgwick, whose last words were, "They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist—." Will our last words reflect the faith that sees us to death? The Bible doesn't record Paul's last words, but we would imagine them to be something like his words in Philippians 1:21, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain." Those are wo...
Oct 03, 2021•29 min
