    (…continued)  I went to church conventions for over 40 years. I heard many debates on resolutions in which well-meaning Lutherans have supported various causes in the name of peace and justice.  Some have wanted to support unjust regimes because at least they kept the peace, and some have wanted to support violent revolutions […]
3333) Peace and Justice and Pontius Pilate (2/2) Read More »
   Many Christians place a great emphasis on ‘Peace and Justice’ issues.  There are many churches in which you will hear more about peace and justice than about Jesus Christ.  To be concerned about these issues is certainly implied in the teachings of our Lord, who was called the ‘Prince of Peace,’ and who
3332) Peace and Justice and Pontius Pilate (1/2) Read More »
C. S. Lewis’s classic book The Screwtape Letters is an imaginative and powerful look at temptation.  Lewis creates two characters, Screwtape and Wormwood, who are demons in the service of Satan.  Their job it is to tempt a certain Englishman so they can corrupt him, destroy his faith, and win his soul for the devil.  Screwtape is
3330) The Temptations of Middle Age Read More »
PSALM 78:4…6-7: We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders… So that the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children. So,
3329) Passing on the Faith Read More »
A WEDDING MEDITATION Â Â Â Connor and Julia, family and friends, grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Â Â Â Everyone hopes for good weather on their wedding day, and the two of you sure have that today. Â What a nice day on which to begin your marriage! Â May your
3322) Oops! Wrong One. Now What? Read More »
By Tony Campolo, Let Me Tell You a Story, page 88, © 2000    A study done on mothers around the world asked the question, “What do you want your children to be when they grow up?”  Mothers in Japan almost always answered, “We want our children to be successful.”  The result is that
3321) What Do You Want for Your Children? Read More »
    Willie was a stuttering plodder.  The only job he could get was as a shoemaker’s apprentice. The only girl who would marry him was Dorothy, who suffered from mental illness. But everything changed for Willie when he read a runaway bestseller. Most who read Captain Cook’s journal were captivated by the exploits of a
3314) “I Can Plod” Read More »
Photo above:Â Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the courtyard of Tegel Prison, summer 1944 ************************************** A reading from the modern classic The Cost of Discipleship (1937) by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945). Â This is a great passage to apply to other people. Â We should also apply it to ourselves. Â Â Â Â Â Â Cheap grace is the mortal
3312) Cheap Grace Read More »
  (…continued) But as soon as one starts talking about government, things get complicated, so I’ll illustrate this with a less complex setting– the family.    Let’s say little brother hits big sister.  Now big sister has at least three options.    Option #1 is she can just ignore it.  If she
3306) What Good is Government? (2/2) Read More »
     “I don’t get mad, I get even,” is what we used to say on the playground, trying to sound tough as we plotted our revenge.  The Bible, however, has a different approach to the matter.  “Love your enemies and pray for those who hurt you,” it says.    But then it
3305) What Good is Government? (1/2) Read More »
