Word of the Week – Page 3

Dichotomy

December 14, 2015
by Rich

Happy Monday! It’s time to let go of today’s word-of-the-week… DICHOTOMY We’re comfortable with dichotomy, even when it’s false. Good/evil. Friend/enemy. Conservative/liberal. Life’s easier when our ideas, politics, or theology can be reduced to a nice, simple dichotomy. Would-be “leaders” capitalize on this desire for simplicity. So they create powerful, simplistic, repetitive imagery that appeals to […]

Space

December 7, 2015
by Rich

HAPPY MONDAY! A thought from my friend Dick Foth inspires today’s word-of-the-week… SPACE Gratitude occupies a lot of space. Gratitude crowds out most other emotions. When you focus on the things for which you’re thankful, it’s difficult to find space for things like anger, hate, competitiveness, or greed. Want to try an experiment? Next time you’re feeling […]

Bureaucrat

November 30, 2015
by Rich

HAPPY MONDAY! A dramatic conversion brings us today’s word-of-the-week… BUREAUCRAT The Holy Spirit isn’t a bureaucrat. That may be the strangest statement you’ve ever read, but think for a moment about how we expect God to operate. How often have we heard It’s not fair? Even when we know better, don’t we think some folks–mass murderers, terrorists, child […]

Weapon

November 23, 2015
by Rich

HAPPY MONDAY! My Facebook feed, and a lot of temptation, brings us today’s word-of-the-week… WEAPON Jesus isn’t a weapon. He didn’t show up to give you and me the trump card in an argument. He didn’t give His life so I could make someone feel guilty for what I perceive as a lack of generosity. He didn’t offer […]

Respond

November 16, 2015
by Rich

HAPPY MONDAY! Difficult current events prompt today’s word-of-the-week… RESPOND Of course we’re sad. Confused. Afraid. Angry. Hopeless. God’s not surprised by events that we find beyond comprehension. And He’s not offended by the range of emotions that rush over us. Jesus came, not so we would deny our feelings, but so we could face them, deal with […]

Guilt

November 9, 2015
by Rich

HAPPY MONDAY! Our desire to tell a story prompts today’s word-of-the-week… GUILT We don’t want you to do this out of guilt. You hear it all the time. Here’s the cause. You understand the need. The scriptural mandate is clear. We hope you’ll respond. But we don’t want you to respond out of guilt. We’re beginning […]

Gremlins

HAPPY MONDAY! A bunch of cute kids who rang our doorbell last Saturday bring us today’s word-of-the-week… GREMLINS They were all over our neighborhood. We know they’re make-believe as we toss candy in their bags. The superheroes, princesses, goblins, and monsters are just the kids from down the street. It’s all in fun. Nobody’s afraid of […]

Rejoicing

October 26, 2015
by Rich

HAPPY MONDAY! The early church brings us today’s word-or-the-week… REJOICING The apostles were called in front of the Sanhedrin and ordered to stop proclaiming the gospel. To reinforce the point, the men were flogged before they were released. Of course the apostles defied the rulers and continued to preach, but I’m stuck on this little verse. The […]

Comfort

HAPPY MONDAY! A thought-provoking quote brings us today’s word-of-the-week… COMFORT “Comfort isn’t a solution.” Take a minute and think about that statement. It’s a truth that turns a lot of our instincts on their heads. We all know not to simply put a band-aid on even a small infected wound. First you clean and perhaps apply […]

Really?

October 12, 2015
by Rich

HAPPY MONDAY! Our small group brings us today’s word-of-the-week… REALLY? “Do you really believe that? Really?” In Acts 3, Peter tells a 40-year old man who’s been crippled since birth to walk in the name of Jesus. He takes the man’s hand and, just like that, the guy walks, leaps, and dances. Our small group discussed […]

Talk

October 5, 2015
by Rich

HAPPY MONDAY! Pope Francis’ visit to America inspired today’s word-of-the-week… TALK I’m challenged by Pope Francis’ efforts to walk his talk. He could easily withdraw into a protected bubble and issue pronouncements about humility, service, and accepting risk. Instead, he does all he can to integrate those values into his life, much to the consternation of […]

Simple

HAPPY MONDAY! Recent experience has me re-visiting a previous word-of-the week… SIMPLE What Jesus asked of us is simple. I need to remember that today. Maybe you do too. He asked us to love with no strings. Sacrificially. Love God. Love others. Love ourselves. That’s it. Of course, it’s not easy. Or safe. Or cheap. But […]

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