The play, Peter Pan, has as one of its themes the desire to avoid growing old, and dying. It is the story of a boy who flees the prospect of adulthood and goes to a place where he can remain a child forever, ruling a gang of ‘lost boys’ who have been abandoned by their mothers.
Read moreThe most popular Christmas movie this year is THE POLAR EXPRESS, produced by Tom Hanks. A boy dreams of contacting Santa Claus. He dreams that a train picks up children who take a night-time ride to the North Pole to see Santa Claus. Some of the children are skeptical about Christmas. Some have been disappointed in the past and are afraid to hope that Santa will come for them on Christmas morning. Some doubt that Santa exists.
Read moreIn contrast to the views of philosophy, mysticism and New Age spirituality, the witness of the apostles is to the coming of Christ into their midst: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched.” (1 John 1:1)
Read moreAfter supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible; instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though; I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.
Read more“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)
Read moreAt times we are tempted to think of God as unconcerned for us, who is indifferent to our fate, who just doesn’t care. Such a God is irrelevant to our needs. And since he seems irrelevant, we lose interest in him, for it doesn’t seem to make any difference whether we believe in him. Such a view of God is far from the face of God Jesus reveals to us.
Read moreI had a schedule which totally dominated my life. In order to get everything done, and to avoid being left behind, or not fulfilling my expectations, I had to keep rigidly to the schedule. Life was a series of appointments, meetings and preparations. If I missed an appointment or meeting I was hauled over the coals by my boss. If I failed to prepare adequately I would be shown up in public as incompetent, ineffective or defective.
Read moreThe numbers that we have to crunch in dealing with the annual operating budget and capital funds for building purposes, maintenance, staff support, and outreach, can so preoccupy us that the amount of time and space we give to Jesus can be squeezed out. We say that the church is Christ-centered, but so many other activities and interests can displace the presence of the Lord from our center to the periphery.
Read more“Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his wisdom and knowledge and riches! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! For who among us can know the mind of the Lord? Who knows enough to be his counselor and guide? And who could ever offer the Lord enough to induce him to act? For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore.
Read moreOne short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And Death shall be no more, Death thou shalt die.
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