TagHoly Spirit

The Rats in Our Lives

Our thanks to Greg Hand for offering this week’s devotion! Plato was reported to have said, “The greater part of instruction is being reminded of things you already know.” Samuel Johnson put it a slightly different way: “Man needs more to be reminded than instructed.” And Robert Fulgham probably received substantial royalties from his book,…

A Perfect Day

FUNERAL ANNOUNCEMENT — for those who wish to attend the funeral service for Pastor Dick Geib, it will be this Friday, July 2nd at 1:00 p.m. in the church sanctuary. Bring a mask as we will be singing two hymns. A time of greeting with the family will be held from Noon to 1:00 p.m.…

Day of Pentecost

On the 50th day of Easter, we celebrate that third, mysterious aspect of the Triune God, the Holy Spirit. We hear of the Holy Spirit being poured out and remember that this Spirit brings mercy to places we would probably otherwise not expect it. In this week’s readings a crowd of strangers speaking in many…

Words from the Cyber-Wilderness

I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the…

When Love Shows Up

Our Gospel reading includes one of the most well known and cherished Bible verses of all time. In 27 words, the message of God’s good news…the entirety of God’s work in Jesus is shared. It usually takes me much more than 27 words to say anything of value. And yet here is the story of…

Lent 2 Worship Preview

So don’t be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born from above’—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it’s headed…

Do I Really Have to Read the Manual?

What Comes as Standard Equipment for Anyone Calling Themselves a Christian? As you know, today is Trinity Sunday. And since my husband and I recently got a new car and I’ve been trying to read the manual, I’d like us to consider what safety features come as standard equipment in the most basic model. Not…

Always

How excited I was to find two apps that would really come in handy. One was a sleep timer for music and the other was a fitness monitor. As it turned out, I never installed either one. I could not accept the terms and conditions of use. In today’s passage, Jesus asks for obedience (willingness to accept God’s terms) in order for us to gain the most benefit from the presence of God’s Holy Spirit. It’s absolutely free.