Last week we began a series contemplating the meaning and the purpose of life. We gave several criteria by which we can evaluate what would qualify as a good purpose of life. This week, we will examine what scripture reveals to us about what life is about. But the way the Bible tells us our […]
It’s early June and for many students and parents summer is in full swing. For college students it’s time for a break from studies for internships or times of reflection. For many High School students it means tutoring, SAT prep or summer camps. For parents it means kids at home and for older folks it […]
From The Desk of Pastor Jeff Pastoral Reflection: Points (Part 2) Last week we reflected about a country that is trying a radical and powerful social experiment. This country is using social media, cellular information, financial information and Internet presence to create a profile of each person in the country. In monitoring a person’s purchasing […]
This week I had a conversation with someone about a country that is working on improving the behavior of its citizens. It is a form of social engineering that is intended to promote better behavior among its citizens, give incentives to make good friends, and also as a means of preventing criticism of the government. […]
When I was serving a campus ministry in California, we had a phrase among the staff: “Everyone wants to be a servant until they’re treated like one.” There is much truth in that statement. For the Christian it is the very call that Christ calls us to imitate. When the disciples argued among themselves who […]
Often people are drawn to the extraordinary and the dramatic and forget the wonder of the ordinary. For example, when people in church give testimonies, audiences are naturally more curious when there is a miracle or a sudden life change. But when it seems as if nothing is happening or change is slow, we often […]
John 15:1–2 [1] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. [2] Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (ESV) I am no expert in gardening. Whatever I have learned about gardening, […]
When you see pictures of gardens in magazines or advertisements, they always seem so clean and pristine. I must be doing something wrong because every year I grow a garden, it never looks like the ads. It’s almost inevitable that I will have weeds. Not only that, but since the beginning, I’ve also had to […]
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and […]
Lessons from the garden are some life and spiritual lessons that I have learned while working on the garden at the side of my house. Here is Part 2: Deuteronomy 29:18–19 [18] Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the LORD […]