Tag: flame
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Good Fire. Bad Fire.
Sometimes only purification is needed. Sometimes a clean slate is needed. The same can be said about our lives. The same can be said about our actions. Sometimes we think we’re doing one when we’re doing the others. Sometimes we just want to watch things burn. Fires of prophecy can take many forms. Many people…
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Skies and Hearts Aflame
Psalm 74; 1 Kings 18:17–40; Revelation 20:7–15 Being made a fool of for Christ is something that Christians have had to deal with through the ages. Whether it’s because of beliefs and practices that go against the norm, or the reality that Christians are just as fallen as the rest of humanity. There is, however,…
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Flame Bright in the Dark
Matthew 25:1–13 The Nicene Creed (one of the statements of belief that cross all Christian denominations) is as follows (maybe even read it aloud): We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,…
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Falling Down
Numbers 11:24–30; Joel 2:27–29; Acts 2:1–21 (read online ⧉) Just in case you didn’t know, today is Pentecost. Some call it the “true” birth of the Church for the Holy Spirit fell upon the people of God, and has not left us yet. It is also called Whitsunday, of which part that is white (for…
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Evangelizing the Body
Proverbs 15:1, Proverbs 25:15, Isaiah 40:10–14, Matthew 12:11–21 (read online ⧉) The mission statement of the Church of the Nazarene is, “to make Christ-like disciples in all nations.” In case you’ve forgotten, though you probably haven’t, one of the tasks of Christians is to make disciples. The mission statement of the Church of the Nazarene…
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Stars of Hope
Genesis 22:15–18, Deuteronomy 1:10, Isaiah 54:1–10, Romans 4:13–25 (read online ⧉) Twice God promised Abraham (and once for Jacob) that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Imagine all the stars without our modern lights drowning them out. For Abraham that was a promise beyond expectation, and certainly beyond anything that God needed…
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Receiving Peace
Luke 12:49–53, Luke 14:31–35, Luke 19:32–38 (read online ⧉) Jesus has the title of Prince of Peace, yet our first passage today from Luke certainly causes one to question that. Some scholars align this with the Jewish zealot party, which sought the overthrow of the Roman Empire in Israel by (primarily) violent methods. However, it…
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Second Thursday of Lent
Psalm 27, Genesis 13:14-18, Philippians 3:2-12 David was no saint insofar as not always being a good example to follow: thuggery, adultery, murder, failure to lead and/or protect his family. On the other hand, David wrote God-inspired psalms, designed the Great Temple, outline the rules and families for worship (who did what), and was—by and…