Archive for November 2022
Good News Spreads
The nature of community is that news spreads through word of mouth. When gas prices go up, friends tell friends where the cheapest gas can be found. When baby formula could not be found on the grocery shelves, friends told friends where formula could be found. In a community we are always trying to help…
Read MoreChristian Progress
Politicians enjoy throwing around the term ‘progressive’ as a banner of respect. I always find myself asking, “What are they progressing towards?” Progress implies a goal. Don’t skip today’s post. It isn’t about politics. It is about progress, but not the sort that politicians praise. Christian progress is moving toward God. Christian progress won’t get…
Read MoreA Sunday Only Experience
I often say that Orthodox Christianity is a 24-hour life. There is never a time when we are not Orthodox Christian. Our faith is not limited to Sunday morning and Feast Days. Our faith is lived daily for Christ. Unfortunately, the Church in America has become in too many cases a ‘Sunday only’ experience. There…
Read MoreEpisode 381 – Generosity
With Thanksgiving just a few days away, our minds are on the idea of giving. We will feast and have plenty of leftovers. We may even give others our leftovers so they also can eat. We fool ourselves if we think that giving after we have had everything we need is generous. Giving from our…
Read MoreThe Cure for Greed
In the parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus teaches us the deadly result of a greedy heart. Faced with full barns and a banner crop, the Rich Fool panics because he has no place to store his growing wealth. “I will do this,” he says, “I will pull down my barns and build greater, and…
Read MoreDon’t Wait to Give
November traditionally is stewardship season in many Churches. It is that special time of year when we are asked to consider our stewardship commitment to our church for the next year. In some cases, still, churches expect certain dollar amounts. In other cases, churches have accepted a completely open expectation for faithful to commit what…
Read MoreTemptation
There are two types of temptation in my estimation. One form of temptation is experienced through the normal routine of life. We walk by something that is forbidden and our mind considers what it would be like to taste the forbidden fruit. In my case it isn’t fruit; it is dessert. It can be just…
Read MoreJust Hold on and Climb!
I believe it is part of the ‘fallen’ human condition. Generally speaking, we do not like to take blame for our shortcomings, let alone our mistakes. Take any young child caught eating something forbidden. With total confidence in the ‘blame,’ a typical child with either blame the dog, claim that what was eaten was not…
Read MoreWho Did You Bring?
The other day I wrote about the difficultly we experience in sharing our faith. We prefer keeping our faith to ourselves to taking the risk in preaching about Christ in today’s society. I get it, but is it paying off like we would like? Rather than gaining favor with God, we are merely buying our…
Read MoreThe Law of Love
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10.27) With these words a certain lawyer told the Lord he knew the Law and what it stood for, but that wasn’t enough for this…
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