The Holy Spirit and the Disciple, Part 2Here I continue my reflections on Ephesians 1 and the Spirit as prayed for by Paul. Part 1 of Holy Spirit & the Disciple is located HERE on my blog ...In bringing his thanksgiving to a close Paul informs the “Ephesians” of his continued prayers on their behalf. This prayer text is one of two in Ephesians (the other being in 3.14-21 and should be read carefully as well). The text itself is another long, single sentence with only a minor break in v.21. The main verb, “I do not stop giving thanks,” comes...
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
The Holy Spirit and the Disciple in Ephesians, Part 1I am dismayed from time to time how easily some dismiss the testimony of the "word" they seek to uphold ... especially about the Holy Spirit.I will attempt to offer a more detailed study of Ephesians to show what Paul says about the Spirit. According to Paul, the Spirit actually works in the life of a Christian and that Spirit is not limited to, or chained, the written word.I realize this will be a lengthy post so I beg your indulgence. Many offer all kinds of arguments devoid of serious exegetical...
Monday, December 25, 2006
Alexander Campbell's Christmas Musings, 1843It is Christmas morning here in the land of beer, cheese, Packers and snow. Several years ago I came across some "Musings on Christmas Morning" by Alexander Campbell and have always enjoyed them. Campbell was far more gracious and poetic than some admit. I share these with you as we celebrate the birth of the Messiah."THIS morning being Christmas, and, as the Roman superstition would have it, the nativity...
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Thursday Night at Lambeau FieldIt was cold. It was raining. It was Thursday rather than Sunday. The tickets were on the visitors side but they were row 7 on the 45 yard line ... and it was Lambeau Field Baby!Jim Nichols, his two sons (Adam and Aaron) and myself headed north to watch the Green Bay Packers take on the Vikings. We got there and tried to grill some brats on a less than sizzling grill (cold and rain make heat hard to come by). We eventually got one ... but it was Lambeau Field.The Vikings were not exactly like the vaunted Purple People...
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
In light of an insightful comment made by Kevin Burt on my Jesus the Jew and Hanukkah post, I have decided to expand upon his insight in Hebrews 11. Most students realize that the Hebrews' Writer mined the Septuagint for framing his exhortation. But some do not realize that the Writer mines more than the canonical text but also uses Jewish traditions preserved in what we today call the Apocryphal or Deuterocanonical books. These allusions are often...
Friday, December 15, 2006
The 25th of Kislev ... Today is the 25th day of the month known as Kislev in the Jewish calendar. That means today is the first day of Hanukkah . . . the Festival of Lights. This is a wonderful time of the year that has deep meaning for all the descendants of Abraham. It is a shame that modern, conservative Christians are not as familiar with this holiday. It is my purpose to share a few thoughts on this holiday.As the student of the Gospel of John...
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
DIVESTINGSurely some person some where has either blessed or cursed the chaos. We need a little chaos, however, to remind us that the things of this age are not the most valuable. That is hard to believe at times!You see over the last several days I have been packing books, books, and more books. At the "encouragement" of my beloved wife, Pamella, I have begun to divest myself of books. And how I despise that!But I have been able to do it. At present I have probably divested over two thousand dollars in books. I found good homes for books on tanks,...
Friday, December 8, 2006
Christmas, Peace and John LennonToday marks the anniversary of the death of the greatest musician of the 20th century, John Lennon. Though not a believer in Jesus he did grasp, ironically, some of the import of the message of the Babe from Bethlehem. One of my favorite "secular" songs for Christmas was written by Lennon in 1971 and it reached #2 on the charts. It is stirring and I find myself singing it over and over. I think this song is just as "prophetic" now as it was when I was a little kid.Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon"Every warrior's...
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
The following is an old sermon I preached in Grenada, Mississippi in 2001. It is offered for a number of reasons but mostly for a friend. It deals with some "stout" material for this time of year but it is my prayer it will be a blessing. May it be so.Dark Night of the SoulPsalm 88September 23, 2001 P.M.INTRODUCTIONThe fact of suffering has always been one of the greatest challenges to the Christian faith. Its distribution and degree seems random...
Sunday, December 3, 2006
The Cloud has Moved: News from MilwaukeeNumbers 9.15-23For the last couple of days we have been digging our way out of a serious dumping of snow on us here in Milwaukee. Currently the temps are about 19 degrees (it was 10 as we went to worship this morning) and some snow flurries are gently falling.This day in Milwaukee is a day mixed with sadness and joy for my family. Today I informed my family here at Southside that the cloud had moved, that I was resigning from the duties as pulpit minister effective December 31, 2006. I informed my beloved...
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
My Friend ClayI do not remember not knowing Clay Parkinson. My family had just moved from New York to Pampano Beach in Florida. The Quintero's had just moved from California too. We all met at the First Christian Church there in Florida. Our families and Clay, and his wife Kathy, would be intertwined for the rest of eternity. The proverb was never more true when it said there is a friend that is closer than a brother.Clay always took a deep interest in my life, my family and my ministry. I borrowed Clay's car to drive to my first "interview"...
Monday, November 20, 2006
A Bold and Powerful PrayerToday I am doing something radically different on my blog. I am sharing something written by a new friend ... a prayer that we can all pray and should pray.Blogging allows me to meet many folks I never would have. One such person, though I have never met personally is Douglas A. Doser. Doug lives in Phoenix, Az and works for Arizona State University. He has been reading my blog and has even read Kingdom Come (yeah!!). Doug recently emailed me a prayer that prayed in his home congregation there in Az. This is a soul opening...
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Know Your HymnsDentist's Hymn . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crown Him with Many CrownsWeatherman's Hymn . . . . . . . . There Shall Be Showers of BlessingsContractor's Hymn . . . . . . . . . . The Church's One FoundationThe Tailor's Hymn . . . . . . . . . . .Holy, Holy, HolyThe Golfer's Hymn . . . . . . . . . . There's a Green Hill Far AwayThe Politician's Hymn . . . . . . . .Standing on the PromisesOptometrist's Hymn . . . . . . . . . Open My Eyes That I Might SeeIRS Agent's Hymn . . . . . . . . . . . I Surrender AllThe Gossip's Hymn . . . . . . ....
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Update on Kingdom ComeI have recently become aware of two more reactions to my book, coauthored with John Mark Hicks, that I would like to pass on to my blog readers. I call attention to these for two reasons. First, these brothers have a good blog and deserve to be read. Second, I have an interest in how folks are reacting to the material in this book.I have decided that it does not matter if a person really agrees with what John Mark and I have written or with our intepretations (the footnotes are there for others to follow up on). We believe...
Monday, November 13, 2006
Unity and MissionI remember having discussions back in my college days about the purpose of the church. Most agreed that near the very top of the list of purposes was the task of missions: spreading the good news of Jesus the Christ. And they are right. Did not Jesus tell his church "Go" ...But do we realize that mission is dependent upon a prior commitment on the part of disciples? Do we know that world evangelism is simply impossible without something undergirding mission? As I read the New Testament there is.What is this prior commitment...
Monday, November 6, 2006
Reading: Christmas SuggestionsWell its that time of year again. Where has 2006 gone?? The sages from Kansas and Steve Miller are surely on to something when they opine we are all just dust in the wind that keeps slippin' into the future! Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye and some out there are scratching their head as to what to buy their minister, elder or friend as a present. Books! That is if the minister or elder likes to read ... and if they do not perhaps they are in the wrong calling. Here are my recommendations.1) Jack Reese,...
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
The Text11 Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it? 14 No, the word is very near...
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