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Fire – Lamentations 1:13
Discussing the symbolism of fire in scripture, highlighting its dual nature as both a sign of divine acceptance and judgment. It reflects on personal suffering and God’s sovereignty, emphasizing that while God’s fire can refine and cleanse, it often accompanies lament and discomfort, aligning with the broader pursuit of righteousness.
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What Is Biblical Literacy?
We complain about it, write about it, claim it’s important or even critical, design programs to create it, but what is it? I don’t mean that none of us know what we mean when we say “biblically literate” or “biblically illiterate,” but do we all mean the same thing? I don’t think we do, and…
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Fences: Mending or Rending
The following is a sermon I presented at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Pensacola on September 11,2005 and originally posted here on September 13, 2005. I’m reposting it because when I went to look for it, I found that the original post had somehow been truncated, and also because there is a one word at a…
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Experiencing the (Baptism of the) Holy Spirit
This is a topic where I tend to make just about everyone uncomfortable. Long time readers may recall a previous discussion of speaking in tongues, and my own experience of it. Those who expect me to be intellectually oriented and rational are uncomfortable with mystical experiences, and many who are comfortable with the mystical experiences…
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Dave Black Summits the Riffelhorn
I’ve been texting a bit with my friend Dave Black (also an Energion author) who is in the Swiss Alps at the moment. Today he told me he summited the Riffelhorn. I won’t say how old Dave is, but he is older than I am and has been providing an example for many of maintaining…
Starting a Study of Proverbs
The Sunday School class I co-teach is beginning a study of Proverbs. I’m not leading this one. I’m relaxing a bit, I hope. But I have indicated I’ll do a bit of blogging on the material. The assignment before the beginning of the study tomorrow was to read introductions to the book, both from the…
Strength in Weakness
But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for strength is made complete in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9a (my translation) This is one of the many passages I say are easy to preach, but not easy to practice. The problem with that line is that you may be preaching it wrong if…
John Wesley Sermon 64 – The New Creation
This is translated into modern English by Gemini AI, according to my prompts. You can find the original sermon on ResourceUMC.org. Note that this is divided into sections, and following each section there are comments on the updating of the language. Bold text indicates that there is a related note and is not used for emphasis….
John Wesley, Sermon 63, The General Spread of the Gospel
This is translated into modern English by Gemini AI, according to my prompts. Note that updates on terminology, especially including references to people groups and faiths that would not be considered courteous today are updated, and mentioned in the notes. This is done in accordance with my prompts and I take responsibility for the use…
My Personal Stand on Freedom of Speech
What do I believe is my personal involvement with free speech. This is not about legal mandates, but about personal views.
John Wesley’s Sermon 34 – The Original, Nature, Property, and Use of the Law
(The Law’s Origin, Nature, Characteristics, and Purpose) The following sermon is translated according to my prompts by Google Gemini AI. Note that the sermon was translated in blocks, and in this case I’m choosing to include those translation notes after each block. All bolding is a reference to these notes and is not for emphasis….
John Wesley’s Sermon 77 – Spiritual Worship
The following sermon is translated according to my prompts by Google Gemini AI. Note that the sermon was translated in blocks, and in this case I’m choosing to include those translation notes after each block. All bolding is a reference to these notes and is not for emphasis. I refer to this as “translation,” but…
John Wesley’s Sermon 6 – The Righteousness of Faith
The following sermon is translated according to my prompts by Google Gemini AI. Note that the sermon was translated in blocks, and in this case I’m choosing to include those translation notes after each block. All bolding is a reference to these notes and is not for emphasis. I refer to this as “translation,” but…
The What-About Lifestyle
Especially in political discussions we frequently here something like “but what about,” followed by a misdeed of the folks on the other side. In turn, we hear complaints about “what-about-ism,” which tends to annoy people on the other side, whichever other side that may be. This is not, as you might think, a preface to…
God as Father
God is love! Relentess and unconditional love.
Joseph Husband of Mary
What about Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. We know vere little about him, but I think we know the most important thing. And that thing could empower our lives.
Luke 15:11-32 – The Prodigal
Just who is prodigal?
Luke 11:9-13 – Giving
What does it mean that our heavenly Father asks us to ask, seek, and knock? Why doesn’t he just make everything work the way He wants it?
John Wesley – Sermon 44 – Original Sin
Testing a modernized version of a sermon by John Wesley, #44, “Original Sin.” The modernization is done by Gemini AI.
Matthew 6:9b – Father
A look at fatherood and the Lord’s Prayer. What can we learn from God as our Father?
Psalm 78:5-7 – Generations
We need to share the faith with later generations, spiritual or physical, by living it openly.
Link: On John Wesley and Penal Substitution
I found the article Penal Substitution in John Wesley’s Atonement Theology quite helpful. It’s one valuable note that is often not accounted for enough in scattered Wesley quotations is the development of his own experience. I value penal substitution, though not nearly enough for many of my Reformed friends, in that I believe it is…
1 Peter 2:1-2 – Pure Milk
What does it mean to long for the pure spiritual milk? How does it relate to the expressed need to go on to maturity and solid food?
Romans 12:12 & 15:13 – Hope
It’s easy to hope when things are going well, but what about when things are not going so well? What about wen drudgery seems to overcome us?
Matthew 18:1-5 – As Children
What does it mean to become like a little child? What does it mean that strength is manifested in weakness?
1 Peter 1:24-25 – Endures
God’s word is eternal, but we often label our own ideas and our own interpretations as authoritative, and thus live on withered grass rather tan the eternal word.
John 16:29-33 – We Got This!
In this passage, Jesus prepares his disciples for impending trials and their eventual scattering, emphasizing that true peace comes from being “in Him.” Despite their confidence, Jesus foresees their struggles. He reassures them of the Father’s presence, highlighting that despite failures, peace is attainable through Christ, who has overcome the world.
Psalm 23:6 – Pursued
Living in God’s house forever, pursued by goodness and love.