By Fred Craddock (1928-2015), Craddock Stories, ed. by Mike Graves and Richard F. Ward, 2001, Chalice Press, pages 101-102. ————————-    I remember the first time I went to a minister to talk about something personal; it was tough as toenails.  It was hard to go and talk to a minister.    I had […]
2790) What Are You Carrying Around? Read More »
   (continued…)  The next day one of the nurses saw her pastor who was visiting one of his parishioners in the same hospital.  She asked if he would stop in to see the woman, and he agreed to do so.  He went into her room and introduced himself and asked if she wanted
2700) Deathbed Confession (b) Read More »
   I heard this story from another Lutheran pastor.  I will tell it as I remember it, filling in the conversation a bit as I go– but this was the gist of it.    A middle-aged woman was dying of cancer in a big city hospital.  She received no visitors, and she was
2699) Deathbed Confession (a) Read More »
From The Scarlet Thread, by Gardener C. Taylor (1918- 2015, pictured above), p. 100f. Preaching on Galatians 6:7-9 ——————– Â Â Â We are willing and ready to admit to the presence of law, governing law, in every area of our existence except in the part we call moral and spiritual. Â It would take a prize
2697) God is Not Mocked Read More »
   One of the best selling religious books of the 20th century was Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking.  The book contains much Biblical truth.  One important Biblical theme that Peale emphasized was that of gratitude, and he was right about that.  If you remember to be thankful for all the many
2627) The Power of Negative Thinking Read More »
“The Elephant in Every Room” ——————— NOTE TO READER: Sundays (at least for a while) I will be posting a one hour video in two parts: Part One will be a worship service, and Part Two will be something else. The video is directly below this text. Below the video on this page is the
2568) Sunday Worship #6 Read More »
Painting above: Jeremiah, on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel, Michelangelo (1465-1564) ——————-    (…continued) Jeremiah is one of the Bible’s tragic figures. He was a good and godly man, but was given an unpleasant and even dangerous task. He was called on to give a word of repentance and judgment to a people
2384) Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet (part two of two) Read More »
Above Painting: The Prophet Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalum, 1630, Rembrandt (1606-1669) —————–    Mindy was a good kid, but could be “quite contrary,” just like Mary in the old nursery rhyme. She was always ready to argue the point, anxious to question and challenge everything said to her, and slow to back
2383) Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet (part one of two) Read More »
    (…continued) There is one more to go.  As you know, Hilary Clinton’s name recognition and rise to power come from who she is married to.  There are many women in both parties who have served with distinction as elected officials far longer than Hilary Clinton, who has not yet even completed her first term
2365) Old News (part two of two) Read More »
“Jesus Gave Me What Boozing and Brawling Couldn’t: My journey from the criminal underworld to the foot of the cross” by Allen Langham, author of Taming of a Villain: A Message of Hope (2019, Lion Hudson). This article was published in Christianity Today, June 2019 issue, pages 79-80 (www.christianitytoday.com) —————————-    Six years ago—lost,
2282) People Can Change Read More »
