Romans 5:3-5 When Life’s A Rusty Bucket

Hello Family!

Does life go swimmingly well for you? Or, are there times when you feel like your life is like a rusty bucket. It corrodes, becomes weaker, rusts, and has holes in it?

Everyone’s life is like a rusty bucket. There’s no escape. We all have to go through sufferings and pain in this world–including the Christian. Is there a purpose for this? Are we alone in our rusty buckets?

Readings for Lent 3: Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 84:1-4, Romans 5:1-8, John 4:5-26

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I love you guys! Dad

John 3:1-17 Don’t Stay on the Street. Come on In!

Hi Fam! Here’s one of my favorite places to visit in St. Louis. It’s the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis. Have you been there? It’s amazing, awesome, and breath-taking! You wouldn’t know how beautiful it is on the inside if you remain standing on the street outside. As impressive as it appears from the street, the real beauty is experienced when you walk through the doors.

That’s what Jesus is getting at in John 3 when he speaks with Nicodemus.

What about people today? How many people know Jesus only from the outside?

Readings for Lent 3: Genesis 12:1-9; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-8, 13-17; John 3:1-17

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I love you guys! Dad

Genesis 3:15, 21 Now The Real Work Begins

Hello Family!

This is the first Sunday in Lent, which began last Wednesday on Ash Wednesday. The Christian Church around the world uses this time to reflect upon the reason why Jesus was sent to this world in the first place. It’s because of sin–the sin of each and every person, including yours and mine. God could have simply damned everything and everyone, but He didn’t. He did the hard work of suffering and dying for you and for me, and for anyone who would repent.

Psalm 32:6 says, Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to You at a time when you may be found. God gives humans an opportunity, time, and place when He allows Himself to “be found” by His people. God’s not playing hide-and-seek with humanity. He’s ALWAYS available. He WANTS to be found!

The First Sunday in Lent is always about the Temptation of Jesus. Where we fail Jesus succeeded in our place as our substitute. We’re still on a journey through this wilderness called life. We will succumb to temptations, yet God the Father has done the hard word for you.

Readings: Genesis 3:1-21, Psalm 32:1-7, Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11

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I love you guys! Dad

Transfiguration Sunday; Exodus 24:8-18 Is God Safe?

Hi Family! I pray all is going well with you!

This is Transfiguration Sunday, which means Lent is about to begin on Ash Wednesday. Lent is the time when the Christian reflects upon his/her sins against God, what God should and could actually do because of them, and Jesus–God’s Messiah and Savior.

Many people have a casual attitude about God, Jesus, and their sins. The Transfiguration readings help the Christian develop a less than casual attitude and obedience toward God.

Readings: Exodus 24:8-18; Psalm 99:1-5; 2Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9

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I love you guys! Dad

1Cointhians 3:1-4 Which Leader Do You Follow?

Hi Fam! There are LOTS of voices and choices in this day and age vying for our lives. Such is the culture of the day. So, who do we follow? Who is YOUR leader? When you’re facing difficult situations and decisions, to what or whom is your allegiance? And, does it really make a difference?

Readings for Epiphany 6: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 119:1-8; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-37

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I love you guys! Dad

1Corinthians 1:18-31 Figuring Out God?

Hello Family! I hope and pray you’re having a wonderful day!

You might be experiencing what the rest of the world–and country–is going through. There are lots of struggles in peoples’ lives. There are also the “elites” who seem to know what’s best for people. There are power struggles going on internationally as well. And there’s talk of globalist movements toward a New World Order and the Great Reset. It seems that the World Economic Forum (WEF) and World Health Organization (WHO) have a lot of say in this as well.

This is not a political message, but a theological one. God is in charge. These types of things were happening during Paul’s day as well. God has already ushered in His New World Order through the cross and the empty Easter tomb in Jesus Christ!

Readings for Epiphany 4: Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1Corinthianns 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12

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I love you guys! Dad

1Corinthians 1:10 There’s A Hole In The Bucket!

Hi Family! How’re things going? I pray all is going well in life and that there are no holes in your buckets!

Readings for Epiphany 3: Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27; 1Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-25

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Keep your buckets full with Jesus! I love you guys!

Dad

1Corinthians 1:2 How Do You Identify?

Hello Family!

‘Woke’ and ‘Wokeness’ are words that are heard a LOT lately over the last few years. What does all this mean? And why is it so confusing? Is it something that I should care about, or can I simply ignore it?

This is really confusing for most people, and understandably so. It seems easier to simply ignore this and live my life in my own world and my own circles. Nevertheless, a woke world now defines people, whether they know it or not, or whether people want it or not.

So, what’s your identity? How does a woke culture define you? How do you identify? Wokeness is really nothing new because Paul needed to deal with a woke world and wokeness over 2000 years ago. Spoiler alert! It has to do with Jesus! It ALWAYS does.

2nd Sunday in Epiphany Readings: Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-11; 1Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42

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I love you guys! Dad

But It’s Just Water. Right? (Baptism of Jesus; Matthew 3:13-17)

Happy New Year Family!

What’s 2023 going to hold for this year? We don’t know. But God knows!

Baptism is a gift from God that does many things. However, there are lots of people–Christians and non-Christians like–who don’t fully understand what great things God does for His people in Baptism. God tells us some of what HE does for US in the Baptism of Jesus!

Readings: Isaiah 42:1-9, Psalm 29, Romans 6:1-11, Matthew 3:13-17

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I love you guys! Dad

Christmas Day! John 1:14 Have You Been Plutoed?

Hi Family!!

‘Merry’ in the Olde English means ‘mighty and strong’. This is the season we remember the reason. It’s all about God’s greatest gift to all humanity. And still, so many still refuse to receive this free gift with no strings attached.

Readings: Isaiah 52:7-10; Galatians 4:4-7; John 1:1-14

Luke 2:1-20 in the King James–just because it’s Christmas!

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Have a blessed and Mighty Christmas with the Child born in Bethlehem’s manger!

I love you guys! Dad