Life and Faith Together

Matthew 6:5-15 (ESV)      5 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you....

Matthew 6:5-15  (ESV)      5 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you....

To Celebrate Christmas is to embrace two important characteristics of God -- the smallness of a child born in humble circumstances and the grandeur of the Heavenly Host singing to the Glory of God. This episode ( After the Lights ) focuses on the second characteristic, the Heavenly Host singing to the Glory of God, and its effect on those who were there at that moment in time. The previous episode...

To Celebrate Christmas is to embrace two important characteristics of God -- the smallness of a child born in humble circumstances and the grandeur of the Heavenly Host singing to the Glory of God. The episode (The Smallest Light ) looks to the the first of these characteristics of God, a child born into humble circumstances. The following episode ( After the Light ) focuses on the second characte...

Speaking to a large and friendly crowd, Jesus says, "Y'all are the light of the world." ( Matthew 5:15 ) Later in his life, Jesus is speaking to a large and UNfriendly crowd. To them Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." ( John 8:12, ESV ) So, which is it? Or, in the power of our God, can both statements be equally...

When we think of the Light of God, it is easy to think of this as something personal, light for you and light for me. But the Bible teaches that the light of God is also Light for the Nations. As we prepare for Christmas and see the images of light all around us, we are reminded that the Light of God is greater than we can even begin to imagine.  

As we prepare for Christmas, the season is marked by the images of light coming into the darkness.  We even decorate our homes and shop with lights and trees. What is the importance of this light? Jesus says to a crowd, "You are the salt of the earth...." and "You are the light of the world." ( Matthew 5:13, 14 ) As Jesus speaks to that crowd, he effectively speaks through them and to each of us....

This began with a simple question: What is the relationship between light and darkness? We want to believe that the answer is simple – something like, light always extinguishes darkness.  We want to believe this.  But we know it is simply not this easy. When you look at the night sky, you see both darkness and light.  In the darkest moment of might, there are stars and lights all around you.  Thes...

Are you uncomfortable when people talk with you about giving generously?  Even if it makes us uncomfortable, the Bible is filled with common sense advice about giving generously. One of these lessons comes from the Apostle Paul when he was writing to the Christians in Corinth. As Paul is writing to this ancient audience, this message is still speaking to us.  Even today we can be blessed if we fol...

The month of November is a great time to pause and to give thanks.  Farmers have harvested autumn crops and and are now preparing for the winter months ahead. Condsider the reasons for your gratitude.  Do more than counting your blessings.  Take time to search your soul to find your treasures of Greatest value.  Jesus gives helpful insight into ourselves and guides us to find our true treasures. "...

How big is your garden? What kind of fruit are you bearing? With all of the demands on our time - work, family, friends, church, and maybe even a little personal time - we are keeping crazy-busy schedules. We think this is something new, something that has never happened before. But, when we read the Bible, we are reminded that the limitations of life are not new.  Jesus says, "I am the vine; you...

A busy schedule can feel overwhelming.  The responsibilities that come with family, work, church, friends, and maybe even a little time for yourself, can feel like more than you can do. But when we think about twelve apostles that were appointed by Jesus, it's easy to believe that they were exceptional and that somehow they could do it all. The Bible tells it differently. When Jesus appointed his...

Perhaps the most holy and sacred of all places in the side of the grave. Standing beside a tomb, or looking into a grave, we are forced to confront the limits of life.  But it is also there, in that place and in that moment, that we bring the full measure of our honest grief.  This is the place where we need most to be reminded of the hope that is greater than life on this side of heaven, the hope...

When we think about Holy Ground, we tend to look down at the solid earth, the soil beneath our feet, and think that this is all there is.  But Jesus and his disciples worked on the water. It is there – on the waters of the Sea of Galilee – that the disciples witnessed first-hand some of the magnificent and awe-inspiring work of Jesus. In the Gospel of Mark, the disciples become frightened when a s...

Take a moment to look around.  Where are you? What do you see? Sometimes, when we look around, we are unable to see the ongoing work of our God. We cannot see ourselves and our location as part of the unfolding work of God. Take, for example, the fields where shepherds were keeping watch over their flock at night. They were visited by an angel who then proclaimed the most wonderful news. ( Luke 2...

On September 11, 2001, the world changed when the United States was attacked by an enemy that, up to that moment, was invisible to most people. On September 11, 2022, a Sunday morning brought together people whose lives were changed by 9/11/2001 and a generation of peopleborn after the tragic events of that day. We all experience moments that make no sense to us. There is just no way for us to und...

Filled with formality, the ending of aletter seems to be an unlikely place to find much substance. But, the final words of Paul's letter to the Romans are filled with magnified importance and an intense sense of urgency. There is a lot for us to learn from this closing prayer. "... to the only wise God be glory forevermore  through Jesus Christ!  Amen." ( Romans 16:27, ESV )

Be blessed. Bless you. Bless your heart. These words are used over and over again.  We use them so often, even we may not be fukky aware of what we are saying. This week we explore the meaning of "blessing." WHat is it? What examples of blessings can be found in the Bible?

The side of a grave. There is perhaps no place on earth where our faith matters more.  Christian pastors approach the grave to give comfort to the grieving and to speak to the meaning of life of the deceased. For centurues, these words have included this: "I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, 'that...

How do we celebrate in the life of the church? Or -- maybe we should ask -- DO we celebrate in the church? Sometimes we feel like acts of faith are an obligation.  But the Bible gives great examples of celebrations. So, at times we should do just that, Celebrate! The remarks in this podcast were recorded on Sunday, August 14, 2022, at the First Presbyterian Church in Conroe, Texas.  There are refe...

Worship may be one of the most identifiable practices of the Christian faith. But what exactly is worship? And why are there so very many different styles of worship services among Christians? Worship - at its heart - is a conversation.  This conversation is complex.  But it is not complicated.  This conversation involves each individual and the gathered congregation as a whole. Most of all, this...

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Romans 12:12) Over the past few years we have been overwhelmed by isolation and by lonliness.  For some, this has been a terrible crisis of faith.  For others, this has been a time to learn more about and to practice prayer. Looking to the Bible we find real stories about real people. We can learn mush from their example of fait...

The frailty of human life is a compelling part of our reality.  From youthful arrogance through mid-life crises to our golden years, it's always there. We live knowing that there will come a moment when we die. But, when we look through the lens of our limitations, we may be better able to God in the fullness of justice and love and mercy and hope. The Bible includes lessons about hope.  This hope...

The Bible includes stories of real people who lived in the real world in real time, their time. The lessons they learned are important for us to understand. For example, the work of living a life of faith can be difficult.  But the example of others – a mentor and a friend – can help us through even the most difficult of days. This is the story of two people – Elijah and Elisha. The example of the...

God loves you. God is with you. God is in charge. God is stronger than anything. God will surprise you. There are important lessons for us to teach to our children. But these are also important lessons for adults, too. Looking to the Book of Genesis and the famous story of Joseph, we can learn about God and find a true source of comfort and strength. (Yes, even when we are in the middle of a terri...