Water is essential to life on this planet. The Bibles applies the life-giving properties of water in a spiritual sense when it speaks of the river of life and of the water and blood that poured from Jesus' side, . There is also a dangerous side to water, such as Jacob's description of Reuben, his … Continue reading Unstable as water
Jesus Christ
What are the signs that someone is a Christian?
A brother asked that question Sunday evening — a couple of verses of Scripture came immediately to mind, and more have come since that tine. I will put those thoughts down on the computer screen. I believe they give a good picture of what should characterize a true Christian, and while I acknowledge that it is … Continue reading What are the signs that someone is a Christian?
The conversion of Josiah Henson
I was born, June 15, 1789, in Charles County, Maryland, on a farm belonging to Mr. Francis N., about a mile from Port Tobacco. My mother was the property of Dr. Josiah McP., but was hired by Mr. N., to whom my father belonged. The only incident I can remember, which occurred while my mother … Continue reading The conversion of Josiah Henson
The life is in the blood
There is a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Emanuel's veins; And sinners washing in that flood Lose all their guilty stains. -William Cowper Christianity is a messy, bloody religion. Some people find this repulsive and would prefer a neater, bloodless form of Christianity. But that is a lifeless Christianity — the life is in … Continue reading The life is in the blood
God, jihad, crusades
"The Roman church had an unswerving belief in itself as the vessel of divine grace in the world and the source of all divine authority, ordained by God and founded by His Son Jesus Christ on the ministry of His disciple St Peter, the first Bishop of Rome. In such a mindset it was impossible … Continue reading God, jihad, crusades
The church is a faith community
Forty years ago the pastor of the church my wife and I were attending went to California for several weeks to take a course in church growth. He was really pumped when he got back and expounded to us how the key to growing our congregation was to target people in our community who had … Continue reading The church is a faith community
My boomerang won’t come back!
This was the title of a hit song from about fifty years ago. Sung by a British singer with a cockney accent, it was the lament of a young Australian Aborigine who couldn't get his boomerang to come back to him. It was the type of politically incorrect, culturally insensitive song that would never be … Continue reading My boomerang won’t come back!
Confusion of tongues
For about a year now our congregation, in addition to our old hymnal, has been using a supplementary collection of gospel songs. Sunday evening we sang one of those songs for perhaps the second time. The English words were not familiar to me, but the melody was. I realized it belonged to a familiar French … Continue reading Confusion of tongues
What you stare at, you steer for
That was what my wife was taught many years ago in her driver's education class. If you see danger on the road ahead and fix your eyes on it for fear of hitting it, you will unconsciously steer in the direction you are looking and will hit it for sure. The way to avoid danger … Continue reading What you stare at, you steer for
God with us
If the resurrected Christ is not a living reality for us, we are proclaiming a false gospel, for the Good News that we proclaim is not dead news, nor tired news, nor even old news. It is living news (God-with-us news), the exciting personal news that the Jesus who came as a babe to Bethlehem … Continue reading God with us
Flatlander Faith 