Promises for the Battle
Grace
Patience #3—Longsuffering Love
Love produces a willingness to suffer at length. 1 Corinthians 13:4 What good news! If we are having difficulty being patient with irritating individuals, love will enable us to suffer that irritation at some length while we continue to work for their good. Even in (or, maybe, especially in) the confines of family, we experience irritation … Continue reading
Humility #4—Humble Graciousness
Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5–7 Fear and arrogance … Continue reading
Peace #8—Peaceful Praise
Whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute; if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things … practice these things; and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8–9 O God of peace, we rejoice in your tranquility; we exult in your serenity. … Continue reading
Christmas Sonnet 2016
While John’s gospel does not contain an infancy narrative, his first letter is most insistent about the reality and significance of the incarnation. So today we celebrate the incarnation from the context of 1 John. Eternal life, immeasurable love, Existed as the Father and the Son Together shared the joy and glory of The perfect … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … Star-Inspired Faith
This past summer I went back-packing in the Sierras with part of my family. For two nights we camped beside a lake at an elevation of about 9,500 feet. As one who lives in the middle of the seventy-mile-broad megalopolis of the Los Angeles basin, this campsite afforded my first chance in many years to … Continue reading
Speech #1—Edifying Words
Let no rotten word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification (according to the need of the moment) so that it will give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29) Because we live in a community with other human beings, it is extremely important that we be conscientious … Continue reading
Strength #5 — Contented Strength
The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is brought to completion in your weakness.” … Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 Contentment is a requirement for … Continue reading
Christmas Sonnet 2015
For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called: Extraordinary Strategist, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His dominion will be vast and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening … Continue reading
Partners In Service
The night before Jesus was crucified, he met with his disciples for one last, extremely important lesson. He began this time together by washing the disciples’ feet and then pointing out to them the implications of what he was doing. Here is a Q & A session to help you consider this significant moment in the … Continue reading
Christmas Sonnet 2013
Here’s this year’s Christmas sonnet/prayer. It comes from thinking about the two sentences below (from Paul’s letter to the Christians at Ephesus), and from an objection to the typical rhyming pattern found in Christmas carols: child – mild, as in “meek & mild;” meek, yes; but mild? I never perceive Jesus as “mild;” rather he … Continue reading
Promises for the Battle 