Nothing But Leaves – Part 4

November 22, 2013

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.  And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves… (Mark 11:12-13a) Have you looked closely at those little stickers that cling to […]

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Nothing But Leaves – Part 3

November 19, 2013

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.  And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves… (Mark 11:12-13a) Authentic and humble followers of Jesus bear fruit.  We do this […]

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Nothing But Leaves – Part 2

November 8, 2013

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.  And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves… (Mark 11:12-13a) Without a kiss good-bye, Karen had to cope with the loss […]

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Nothing But Leaves – Part I

November 1, 2013

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.  And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves… (Mark 11:12-13a) Nothing but leaves.  No figs. Shade, but no nourishment.  Comfort […]

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Who?

October 25, 2013

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:1-2) Who? Who sinned? The question raised by the disciples in John 9 exposes a flawed and dangerous perspective of God.  It challenges the powerful concept of a sovereign God and […]

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Picture Perfect

October 18, 2013

  “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” Isaiah 53:2b These prophetic words constructed by the prophet Isaiah are scandalous.  As God breathed into the soul of Isaiah these words become the projection of a father declaring that someday the son that […]

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78% – Then Jesus

October 4, 2013

Several years ago I downloaded a great iPhone app that was written by my good friend, James H. Price.  The app is simply and descriptively titled, “ReadingPlan.”  The intended purpose is to create a strategy for reading through various biblical passages in some orderly and defined way.  It’s been a fantastic tool for me – […]

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“I Think When I Get My Black Cape…”

September 20, 2013

Graham Marc Wolgemuth is my grandson.  As a special gift from our Heavenly Father, his birthday falls on the same day as my father, his great-grandfather.  Graham will meet Sam some day. As Graham approaches his fourth birthday, I marvel at what moves in his heart and mind.  Although Graham has never seen any of […]

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The Extragavant Promise of Grace

September 13, 2013

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” In a small Oregon community a 13-year-old by the name of “E” recoils from the cascading impact of years of unhealthy relationships in her life.  The chasm in her life is relational, but her inability to process […]

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Mine

September 6, 2013

Several months ago a good friend of mine let me know that he and his family would be out of town for a few weeks. He needed me to check on his house while they were gone, to make sure plants were well watered, and that the grass was properly mowed, and that everything was […]

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