Devotional

Christological Titles – Alpha & Omega Thesis Norman Vincent Peale, who pastored Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan and in the 1950s was known as the proponent of the theological school of thought known as Positive Thinking, in his autobiography The True Joy of Positive Living dedicated a considerable part of the latter half of his book discussing death. This was certainly out of character from his previous writings. To this day, I think his chronological age when he penned the book gave it this emphasis. Like most people in the twilight of life, his thoughts inevitability turned to impending death.…

Christological Titles – Savior Thesis Cast out. Forsaken. Banished. Condemned. These are very real human emotions experienced by all of us. They sneakily grab us from behind at the workplace. Slowly, but destructively, they creep into our marriages. As a silent fog they roll in and obscure a once meaningful friendship. Unknown faces in everyday places, forced upon us in our daily coming and goings, blindside us with the harshness of indifference. These damnations lurk, never knowing who will unravel our life next. Reproaches are difficult to bear; impossible when it comes from the very hand of God. Sorrowfully, that…

Witnessing But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” So, faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. Romans 19:14-17 Homily The Chartered Market Technician Newsletter…

Come, let us bow down and worship him; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! He is our God; we are the people he cares for, the flock for which he provides. Psalm 95:6-7 STORY Cecil B. DeMille said the most memorable moment of his career was filming the crucifixion scene for the movie The King of Kings. During a mob sequence, the multitude of cast members and extras gathered on the side of a bare and ugly hill before three stark crosses screaming “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Suddenly, DeMille was uncomfortable with the actions before him, for the…

Sanctification But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV) STORY Is it so wrong to be the Charlie Browns of the community? Linus and Charlie are standing behind what they refer to as their “thinking wall.” Charlie, with a profound look of despair on his face, causes Linus to ask, “You seem bothered by something, Charlie Brown…” To which he receives this oration, “I keep having this…

Epiphany Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose…

Guidance It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30 STORY Norman Vincent Peale was an internationally recognized minister and philosopher who made “the power of positive thinking” a household phrase. He spent his tenure as the Marble Collegiate Church in New York City from 1932 until his death in 1984. Peale began his career as a Methodist pastor before becoming a cleric in the Reformed Church in America denomination.  He died on Christman Eve in 1993. Peale was an Ohio-born…

Purposeful Living “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11   STORY Prior to 1966, Brian Wilson wrote California dreaming songs for the Beach Boys. These were songs with tales of girls, cruising, beaches, and, of course, surfing. In the 1960s, when the British invasion came to the states, led by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, and The Animals, Wilson was moved to change the Beach Boys venue by writing songs that had more depth. After Brian prayed,…

Evil He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. Matthew 13:28 (KJV) STORY Rev. James Smith was a Baptist pastor at New Park Street Chapel in London from1841until his retirement in 1850. In 1841, as he began to shepherd his new flock, he wrote a daily devotional that was titled The Believer’s Daily Remembrancer with the subtitle a Pastor’s Morning and Evening Visit. The devotional became so popular that it had gone through 38 editions by 1864. One of the devotionals discussed the manipulative tactics that Satan uses to take control of our lives. The essay was titled “The Enemy,” and…

Death I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.  When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death…