I have been putting the finishing touches on tomorrow’s sermon, “Follow the Leader,” based on Philippians3:17–21. However, a sermon should never end. Pastor and congregation should apply its truths at home and in the world of work and recreation.
A bad virus (Is there such a thing as a good virus?) sidelined me this week, but I feel well enough to preach tomorrow. The warm sunshine streaming through my office window feels good on my back and causes me to think a game of golf might be good therapy early next week.
Molly, Rosie, and Sadie, my little canine office assistants are resting at my feet, but I am sure they will jump to attention when I say, ”Let’s take a walk in the park.” Funny how such a small diversion gives them so much joy!
We really don’t need to depend on big, elaborate schedule breaks to bring us joy, do we?. A vacation in Hawaii is fine, of course, but a daily walk with God beats a luau any day.
“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
Rediscovering the Bible
Carrying a Bible to church used to be standard procedure for believers. Sunday School teachers taught from it, and pastors preached from it. You needed a Bible if you wanted to follow along in the text. Then we came to a time of prolonged interaction and “worship” and minimal Bible teaching and preaching. As feelings replaced faith as the focal point of the church-going experience, Bible exposition became rare and the presence of Bibles in a church service became almost non-existent.
It may be hard to get back to the Bible, but we need to try. Perhaps, Christians will tire of the fluff and feathers of empty emotionalism and insipid entertainment and begin to seek the milk and meat of the Word. It would be so refreshing to hear pastors say, “Thus saith the Lord,” instead of “Here’s how I feel.”
I hope I live long enough to see the Bible restored to its rightful place in worship.
It may be hard to get back to the Bible, but we need to try. Perhaps, Christians will tire of the fluff and feathers of empty emotionalism and insipid entertainment and begin to seek the milk and meat of the Word. It would be so refreshing to hear pastors say, “Thus saith the Lord,” instead of “Here’s how I feel.”
I hope I live long enough to see the Bible restored to its rightful place in worship.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Moody Alumni Day
Tuesday of the Moody Founder’s Week Conference is Alumni Day, a day of class reunions and special meals. Last year, the Class of ’57, the greatest class to graduate from Moody Bible Institute, celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. I attended the celebration and enjoyed seeing many classmates, including some I hadn’t seen since 1957. Most of us recognized one another!
Ours was the best-attended class reunion in the history of Moody. In spite of our 70-something age bracket, about 175 of us mingled together. We compressed 50 years into a day of fellowship and shared stories from our student days.
It was a very special time.
It was also a time to reflect on Moody’s program of training current students to share the gospel in cross-cultural settings. Our class decided to launch an endowment fund, called the ’57 Fund, designed to help students travel to mission fields for short-term missionary training and experience. Our goal was to raise $57,000. No small task for a bunch of silver-haired or no-hair people, most of whom were involved in full-time Christian ministry. Some of us are still preaching or teaching or counseling or doing something productive in the world of work. But as far as I know, none of us will receive a Wall Street ticker tape parade.
Today, Glenn Ruby, one of our classmates will present a check in the amount of $37,000 to Moody’s Alumni Director. As Winston Churchill said, “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. It may be the end of the beginning.” Our class will keep on giving and reach our goal of $57,000.
Happy Alumni Day, fellow Moody alumni!
Ours was the best-attended class reunion in the history of Moody. In spite of our 70-something age bracket, about 175 of us mingled together. We compressed 50 years into a day of fellowship and shared stories from our student days.
It was a very special time.
It was also a time to reflect on Moody’s program of training current students to share the gospel in cross-cultural settings. Our class decided to launch an endowment fund, called the ’57 Fund, designed to help students travel to mission fields for short-term missionary training and experience. Our goal was to raise $57,000. No small task for a bunch of silver-haired or no-hair people, most of whom were involved in full-time Christian ministry. Some of us are still preaching or teaching or counseling or doing something productive in the world of work. But as far as I know, none of us will receive a Wall Street ticker tape parade.
Today, Glenn Ruby, one of our classmates will present a check in the amount of $37,000 to Moody’s Alumni Director. As Winston Churchill said, “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. It may be the end of the beginning.” Our class will keep on giving and reach our goal of $57,000.
Happy Alumni Day, fellow Moody alumni!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Sinus Infection and Spousal Reflections
It’s Sunday, and I will not be preaching. A sinus infection has sidelined me. A retired pastor, who attends the church I am serving as the interim pastor, will sub for me. I will miss the usual fellowship and ministry I have come to enjoy in Penrose, and I hope to get well quickly so I can minister next Sunday.
I wasn’t feeling well yesterday, but I conducted a funeral service in Florence, Colorado, for an 87-year-old woman who attended church with her husband Ed until they became too frail to attend. They married in Chicago in 1945 when Ed returned home from World War II. Mildred’s death ended their 63-year-old marriage.
Ed and Mildred’s long marriage honored their commitment to love each other until death. Unfortunately, some couples separate before 63 days of marriage. Their irreconcilable differences may include disagreements about such matters as money, in-laws, meals, and TV program selection. A few marriages grow stale faster than leftover wedding cake.
Christians who honor the Lord may enjoy not only a long-lasting marriage but also the prospect of a joyful reunion in heaven. Death may remove one spouse from the other, but the separation is only temporary.
“ . . . let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Eph. 5:33).
I wasn’t feeling well yesterday, but I conducted a funeral service in Florence, Colorado, for an 87-year-old woman who attended church with her husband Ed until they became too frail to attend. They married in Chicago in 1945 when Ed returned home from World War II. Mildred’s death ended their 63-year-old marriage.
Ed and Mildred’s long marriage honored their commitment to love each other until death. Unfortunately, some couples separate before 63 days of marriage. Their irreconcilable differences may include disagreements about such matters as money, in-laws, meals, and TV program selection. A few marriages grow stale faster than leftover wedding cake.
Christians who honor the Lord may enjoy not only a long-lasting marriage but also the prospect of a joyful reunion in heaven. Death may remove one spouse from the other, but the separation is only temporary.
“ . . . let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Eph. 5:33).
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