Fear and Trembling

What follows is a sermon that I had the privilege of preaching at my home church a few weeks ago.  Some associated parts of the liturgy are included. New Testament Reading: John 10:1-18 Epistle Reading: Revelation 7:8-17 Sermon Text: Psalm 23 The Lord Is My Shepherd A Psalm of David. 1  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2     He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3     He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness     for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,     I will fear no evil, for you are with me;     your rod and your staff,     they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me     in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil;     my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy sh...

“So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: "I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!” —Martin Luther

I was going to put together a solid post linking to Bible reading plans for 2017, but Tim Challies beat me to it.   This is a link to his post.  Please note links to Ligonier Ministries' plans as well. Personally, I am going to use the Legacy Plan located at this link . Read through the Bible.  I dare you.

The week before Thanksgiving, thousands of people from across seven countries are turning empty shoeboxes into gifts—filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items—for children living in poverty overseas. Through Operation Christmas Child, a project of international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse, volunteers are rallying with hopes of contributing shoebox gifts toward the 2016 global goal of reaching 12 million children in over 100 countries. A list of drop-off locations and detailed information can be found at samaritanspurse.org/occ . More information can also be found at Facebook (facebook.com/OCCshoeboxes), Twitter (@OCC_shoeboxes), and Instagram (@operationchristmaschild). Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together...

Almighty and Most-merciful God, You have given us the United States of America as our heritage.  Make us always remember your generosity toward us.  Bless us with honest industry, sound learning, and an honorable way of life. We come from many nations with many different languages.  Make us a people united under a culture that honors you above all else.  When times are prosperous, let our hearts be thankful; and, in troubled times, do not let our trust in you fail. Bless the courts and the magistrates in our land.  Give them wisdom and understanding, that they may perceive the truth and administer the law impartially as instruments of your divine will.  Grant that we as a nation would turn to you from our many sins, especially the scourge of abortion, that your glory might be displayed for those in other nations to see.  Let our sexuality no longer be a source of sin.  Let the rest of the world glorify your name because of what they see i...

Andy Stanley has inspired the rearranging of many electrons across internet pathways in the last few days.   He said some truly troubling things in a sermon designed to encourage young people to remain in or return to the Christian faith , a noble and necessary effort.  He stated that the Christian Faith was not based on what the Bible says, but on the fact that Christ was raised from the dead.  He flatly stated that the Bible does not have to be completely true in all that it says in order for Christianity to be accepted.  According to Stanley, the Christian faith is based primarily on the eyewitness testimony of the Apostles and Disciples and their interaction with Jesus Christ.  In an effort to be charitable, Stanley is trying to reach skeptics on the basis of the historical reliability of the New Testament writings.  He points out that these documents are based on very carefully recorded eyewitness testimony, and they are basically reliable accou...

“(Thirty) years now, Where’d they go. (Thirty) years … I don’t know. I sit and I wonder sometimes, where they’ve gone.” -           With apologies to Bob Seger’s song “Like a Rock” I write this the night I attended my thirty-year class reunion.  It was good to see so many of my friends; to hear of their joys and pains; and to know they care about me after so long. Many spoke of the good things that have transpired after thirty years: marriages that have lasted, educations that have paid off, businesses bought and sold, the pride of military service, the honor in completing ‘a good day’s work’ for year after year, and the overwhelming joys of children and grand-children.  But, O, the bad things: the aches and pains of growing older, divorce, the rigors of military service for ourselves and our children;  friends, parents, and family separated by death; cancer and illness, car wrecks, and the overwhelming sorrow ...