“WHAT ARE YOU SNEERING AT??”: ~ The Chosen Devotional Vol. 5, Day 12: A PERSONAL REFLECTION. “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were SNEERING at Jesus. He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. . . .” (Luke 16:14-15,…
Flexing the knee is a sign of humility, and humility is the required spiritual posture for prayer and devotion. A sound devotional life is sustenance for the soul. You say, “Yeah, but how?” Want some help? Here’s my advice: Check out the current 5-volume set of “The Chosen: 40 Days with Jesus” devotional series! “Why should…
“If I am no use to your kingdom, then I am nothing!’ This retort from The Chosen’s Judas is not found in the Bible. It is part of the “illustrated sermon”/visual Bible commentary” creative artistry of The Chosen scriptwriters. And like every extrabiblical word, phrase, sentence, sermon illustration spoken by preachers, written in hymns,…
A textbook example of the misuse of a pastor’s ministerial charge! Simply stunning! After reading the article below, please feel free to add your thoughts. I offer my initial reaction and more reflective after-thoughts below: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/desperate-pastors-conservatives-unleash-episcopal-bishop-weaponizing-pulpit-against-trump?dicbo=v2-UiQd2nM. In short, I find this self-professed “sermon” utterly reprehensible and inexcusable. In fact, it may well be the most…
If you have followed my blogs and posts on social media or are acquainted with my current mission, “The Chosen Initiative,” (a strategic plan to connect The Chosen to the Church), my position on this should be clear, but here I offer a rationale and appeal. The Church is the ideal venue for experiencing The…
For all human beings, the failure to comprehend and embrace a sense of purpose and value is not merely debilitating, it can be deadly. Think about it. How many times have you read about people who seemingly “had it all,” yet made the tragic decision to end their life. Perhaps you yourself have faced such…
[For those under age 45, a “Hymn” is a song or poem of praise to God that is characterized by several scripturally-based verses about what God has done for us, each punctuated by a two- or three-line refrain usually forming an appropriate response to what God has done for us.] Let me cut to the…
Sad to say, keeping up with the Joneses is often more important to us than stopping to smell the roses. But we can learn an important lesson by stopping to smell the roses. . . .
The power-grabs of governments to extend their borders and, consequently, their hegemony are not a recent invention–nor are the arguments mustered in their defense. Both have a track record that reaches back to the beginning of civilization. But just as surely as they had a beginning point, they are destined for an ending–and it may…