“Christ is King, but life’s still hard.” I looked at his lined, weathered face and thought I’d rarely heard a better seven-word sermon. I also thought I likely had no idea what “hard” meant in his world. It’s easy to discover the truth of either half of my friend’s statement. When the sun shines and all […]
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The God Who Sees
Hagar was a slave and and she was in a mess. Some of it was her fault, some of it wasn’t. But now she had run away into the wilderness. Pregnant and alone, she waited by a stream to see what might happen. An angel of God appeared and delivered a surprising promise. He told her to […]
Continue readingMore TagWhere’s Your Focus?
“What was Jesus’ primary focus during His three years of public ministry?” It’s a trick question. I’m always a bit suspicious of single correct answers to complex questions. # # # Thomas wasn’t around when Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection. When his friends told him what happened, Doubting Thomas earned his forever […]
Continue readingMore TagFreedom
HAPPY MONDAY! Something I saw (and can’t remember where) prompts today’s word-of-the-week… FREEDOM I’m grateful for freedom. I’ll bet you are as well. As a wheelchair user, I might be more aware of day-to-day freedom than a lot of you. I know first-hand what it’s like to not be able to go where I want (can’t use that door), to […]
Continue readingMore TagTwo Roads Diverged?
Should we focus on teaching scripture or on outreach and social justice? Yes! Scripture-or-social-justice is a false choice created by people who are afraid. They want to build thick, fortified walls, fill the moat with monsters, and pull up the drawbridge so the big, bad, scary world can’t get in. Trouble is, Jesus said we’re […]
Continue readingMore TagAre You Efficient?
Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity. Henry Van Dyke Have you ever considered the limited time Jesus had on Earth? The central figure in all of history […]
Continue readingMore TagWhat About Those Stairs?
What do you see when you approach a staircase? Me? I see a diabolical obstacle designed to keep me from reaching the other level. Of course I don’t believe the builder intended to frustrate me. I’m simply seeing the stairs through my personal biases. I know the creator of this sign meant well. I’m sure he didn’t […]
Continue readingMore TagTen Things Someone Might Need
How can you help someone who needs you? A while back I was asked to do a workshop for folks who are working in difficult areas of ministries. Since I’m a wheelchair user, I was supposed to offer a seated perspective of things people have done that have been helpful and some that haven’t. At the […]
Continue readingMore TagDo You Suppose He Was Serious?
“Peace be with you.” Jesus said those exact words at least three times in John 20. The other night during our small group study a random thought popped into my head: Do you suppose He really meant it? What if He was serious? What if He really intended for us be at peace? It’s a […]
Continue readingMore TagWhat’s Hope Look Like?
How do you talk about hope without talking about God? It’s a common question as we travel and tell our story to audiences that aren’t always church-based. How do you tell a faith story without faith words? I think the answer lies in one of my favorite admonitions: Always preach powerful sermons. If absolutely necessary, use […]
Continue readingMore TagIs There An Instruction Manual?
Jesus lived a remarkable story, but what if there’s more to it? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full […]
Continue readingMore TagWhen You See A Bully In Action
Last week I asked a tough question. How we can oppose injustice while demonstrating unconditional grace and forgiveness? I even posed a specific situation and asked what you would do if you observed this event: Suppose a guy in a wheelchair visited a public spot that, by its nature, was minimally accessible. And imagine that […]
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