Ezekiel Finds God in Babylon

Do you ever feel like the proverbial fish out of water, especially when it comes to your faith? I believe we all do at some time or another. We want to fit in. We want to be popular ... or at least liked. And, to be honest, for the most part, our faith doesn't require much of us. We dress like everyone else, talk pretty much like everyone else (hopefully not using some of the more "colorful" words in the dictionary), go to the same restaurants, and enjoy the same hobbies. ...
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A Friday Benediction

The Lord bless you and keep you;the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.(Numbers 6:24-26).This week went by quickly for me - or at least it seemed that way. We're at Friday already, but it seems like it should be Wednesday. Going into the weekend, I thought I would offer a benediction and this one from Numbers is the way I often conclude Sunday's service. "May the Lord bless you and keep y...
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The Words We Speak

“Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift." (Ephesians 4:29; The Message).  "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29; NRSV).How we speak to one another matters. The words we use can tear down or build up. We all know this, and yet we all say things we wish we ...
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The Big Book of Questions?

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the person of God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17).Discuss the Bible with a roomful of people and you will get different answers as to how and when it was written, the purpose for which it was written, and its importance to our lives today. Those are good questions, but the Bible, and its contents, remain m...
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Expressing Our Faith

O for a thousand tongues to singmy dear Redeemer's praise!The glories of my God and King,the triumphs of his grace.Charles Wesley wrote a lot of hymns (an understatement since some estimates place his total at around 7,000). As you might expect with a prolific writer/composer, many are good, about as many aren't so good, and some are brilliant. Imagine Christmas without Hark! The Herald Angels Sing or Easter without Christ the Lord Is Risen Today. Wesley's great hymn that ...
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Sacrificial Love

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." - John 15:13 (NIV)On this Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom. As Wesleyan believers, we are called to reflect deeply on the profound love demonstrated by those who laid down their lives for others, echoing the sacrificial love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The sacrifice of those we remember today reflects a grace-filled...
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My Rock and Salvation

For God alone my soul waits in silence;    from him comes my salvation.He alone is my rock and my salvation,    my fortress; I shall never be shaken.For God alone my soul waits in silence,    for my hope is from him.On God rests my deliverance and my honor;    my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.Trust in him at all times, O people;    pour out your heart before him;    God is a refuge for us.Despite life's storms and uncertainties, the psalmist declares a profound truth – ...
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Abundant Living

“You make known to me the path of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” –Psalm 16:11"I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” -John 10:10Do you ever feel like you're stuck in the proverbial rut, that yesterday was a repeat of the day before and that today will inevitably be a repeat of yesterday? I think we all get trapped in that way of thinking - and of living - from time to time. The routine of life...
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Words, Words, Words

"Let no evil talk come out of your mouths but only what is good for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:29-3...
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Awaken the Dawn

My heart, O God, is steadfast;I will sing and make music with all my soul.Awake, harp and lyre!I will awaken the dawn.I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;I will sing of you among the peoples.For great is your love, higher than the heavens;your faithfulness reaches to the skies.Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;let your glory be over all the earth.(Psalm 108:1-5)I "awakened the dawn" this morning. I woke up just after 4:30 and couldn't go back to sleep. The dogs t...
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Running to Win the Prize

"I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us ... Now that we’re on the ...
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Happy Mother's Day

This Sunday is Mother's Day and while I'm not generally a fan of consumer "Hallmark holidays" I am a fan when it comes to my mom. Proverbs 31:25-26 - She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.My mom wasn't perfect (of course, neither was I) ... but she was a wonderful mother. She worked hard to make our house a home. She was a hard worker, thought of others more often than ...
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What If Jesus Was Coming to Dinner?

I've been reading the Gospel of Luke, and this morning came to Chapter 19 where Jesus encountered a man named Zacchaeus. If you aren't familiar with the story, Zacchaeus was a tax collector in Jericho, and Jesus happened to be passing through. We aren't told why exactly but, for some reason, Zacchaeus desperately wanted to see Jesus ... but the crowds were too great. So, he climbed a tree. Jesus, walking by, stopped, looked up, and saw Zacchaeus. Then, Jesus invited himsel...
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Pass the Coffee!

Yesterday was busy and stressful, and I'm feeling the aftereffects this morning. I need caffeine and have been thinking about what might be a Wesleyan devotional for a weary soul.  The Gospel According to CoffeeScripture (okay, not really): "Give us this day our daily brew, and forgive us our grogginess, as we forgive those who have not yet had their caffeine." - The Book of Plentiful Beans, 1:16Reflection: As the morning sun brings light into our lives, so does the aroma ...
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Getting Away

Where do you go when you need to get away? There was a time in my life when I enjoyed going to the movies, but the truth is that most of the movies being released don't appeal to me (I seem to no longer fit their prime demographic!). I can watch older movies on TV, but that's not really "getting away." There was a time when I enjoyed traveling, but it's infrequent now. I find it more of a hassle than it's worth. I have always found that when life overwhelms me, I can immer...
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