What will you give up for lent? Will you take up a spiritual practice to grow closer to Jesus? How will you sacrifice so as to draw nearer to the cross? Twenty five years ago, Connie taught an aerobics class at our church. I kidded with her about her dance class, assured with my daily 6 […]
Author Archives: paulrpurdue
Sunday I will be asking these questions as I preach about Matthew 14. There are a few quotes too! Get your feet wet Sermon Notes & Questions In Matthew 14, Jesus and the disciples seek to ________________ after hearing terrible news. Instead they end up ______________________ people. Immediately Jesus made the disciples get […]
A Short Roll Call of Biblical Servants by Profession Adam, Eve, Able and Elisha who farmed Abraham and Sara, shepherds and traders Joseph a minister of agriculture Erastus, a director of public works Noah a vine-dresser, prophet, captain, zookeeper David a shepherd, musician, poet, warrior, king Bezalel and Aholiab builders silversmiths, artisans, and weavers Heman, […]
A few weeks ago I was asked to pray at the Chamber of Commerce Annual Diner. I spent some time pondering how exactly to pray. It struck me that God called working people: Abraham, Moses, Peter and Lydia. Jesus even took on a trade. I am not sure the church has articulated a good theology […]
O Thou Eternal God, O Thou Eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being. We humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds And we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us. We have all too often […]
God’s Christmas story is full of travel. Mary and Joseph traverse some 80 miles on foot and burrow, traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The shepherds leave their fields and flocks in haste, racing to the manger to see the newborn Savior. The Magi, Persian princes, see a prophetic star and caravan across the desert […]
What’s on is your Christmas list? What are you asking for? What do you hope to unwrap on Christmas day? What are you longing for? What are you praying for? Are you imagining God doing something new and lovely in your life? Advent means “arrival or coming.” Advent not only anticipates the Christ child laying in a […]
In hospital, Anna was not too far from the end of her life. Her husband of 50 plus years was too frail to come and visit her. Maybe thirty years, before they lost their only son in an unspeakable tragedy: a drug fueled robbery. Anna and Bill lived with a beauty, grace, courage and generosity […]
Although sounding similar “the pursuit of happiness” and “the act of thanksgiving” are fairly different. One is the seeking of an emotional state somewhat dependent on outside persons, resources, luck, or events. Thanksgiving is a slowing down to render an internal accounting of the blessings, beauty, gifts, and God’s goodness in any circumstance. The pursuit of […]
Almighty God, Giver of life, Creator of all We long for the day spoken of by the prophet Isaiah When your Love and Light eclipses our sin When You come to judge the nations, when all swords shall be hammered into ploughshares, and all spears crafted into pruning-hooks; when nation shall not lift up sword […]
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