Category Archives: Church & Worship

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May 25, 2026

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Church & Worship, God's Word: The Bible, Holidays & Holy Days, Knowing Him, Sharing Our Faith, Wisdom & Guidance

ELOHIM (The Trinity – Part 1)

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. [Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NIV)]

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 is the commandment cited by Jesus as the most important commandment of all [Mark 12:29-30]. It tells us there is one, and only one, God. Yet, as Christians, along with our belief in only one God, we profess our belief in the Trinity—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. How can that be?

Although we find a variety of names for God in Scripture, we never find the word “trinity.” Nevertheless, it appears in Christian doctrine. Then again, words like divinity, omniscience, incarnation, and omnipresent don’t appear in Scripture either. Nevertheless, like the Trinity, their concepts are found throughout Scripture. The absence of a word doesn’t invalidate a doctrine. While there is only one God, from the first words of Genesis to those in Revelation, we find a plurality to that one God—what we call the Trinity—consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In Hebrew, the singular form of God is El, but when Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” the word translated as “God” is Elohim, which is the plural form of God. However, wherever we find the plural Elohim referring to God, the verb used is singular, which clearly implies only one God! In Genesis, we have God (Elohim) speaking of Himself in the plural saying, “Let us make man in our own image,” [1:26] and man “has become like one of us.” [3:22] God isn’t speaking to the angels because they are nothing like Him or us nor is God using a royal “we” since there are no other examples of its use in Scripture. In fact, the earliest evidence of royalty referring to themselves as “we” is not found until the 4th century!

The personages of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are found in both the Old and New Testaments. In Genesis 14:18, we have the Father when El (the singular form of God) is used for “God Most High.” In Isaiah 7:14, we have the Son in Immanuel meaning “God with us.” In Job 33:4 and 37:10, we find the Holy Spirit as ruach el, meaning spirit or breath of God (el). In the New Testament, we have all three personages present when Jesus was baptized. God the Father (a voice out of the heavens) publicly proclaimed Him (Jesus) as His Son while the pneuma theou (Spirit of God) descended like a dove upon Him. [Matt 3:16-17] We have that same voice validating Jesus as God’s son in the Transfiguration. [Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35] Finally, we have Jesus putting all three persons together when He gave the disciples the Great Commission. [Matt 28:19]

Yesterday, Christians celebrated Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus’ followers. While Pentecost, like Christmas and Easter, celebrates an event, Christians will celebrate a vital part of our doctrine—the Holy Trinity—this next Sunday on what is called Trinity Sunday. While God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit have existed eternally as three distinct personages, there still is only one God! Our triune God was there in the Old Testament when Elohim decided to make man and our triune God was there when Elohim chose to save man in the New! While difficult to fathom and impossible to fully understand, this is one of the most important beliefs of our Christian faith. Thank you, God!

When I know it is the Word of God that declares the Trinity, that God has said so, I do not inquire how it can be true; I am content with the simple Word of God, let it harmonize with reason as it may. And every Christian should adopt the same course with respect to all the articles of our faith. [Martin Luther]

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” [Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)]

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May 14, 2026

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Bible Stories, Church & Worship, Holidays & Holy Days, Sharing Our Faith

THE ASCENSION

After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. … “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. [Acts 1:3,8-9 (CSB)]

columbineAfter His resurrection, Jesus spent forty days with his disciples. On the fortieth day, He told them to remain in Jerusalem until they received the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Then, with his followers watching, Jesus was taken up in a cloud and ascended into heaven.

Today marks the 40th day of Easter. Known as Ascension Day or the Feast of the Ascension, we remember and celebrate Jesus’ ascent into heaven today. Although Augustine of Hippo and his contemporaries John Chrysostom and Gregory of Nyssa held that the Feast of the Ascension originated with the Apostles and dated as far back as 68 AD, no written evidence of its celebration before the fourth century exists today. From that time on, however, this 40th day has been a church holiday. Nowadays, it is observed primarily in Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and liturgical Protestant churches. Whether or not we consider Jesus’ ascension into heaven a religious holiday, it is a significant event in Christianity.

At Easter, we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection: His return to the disciples and life in this world. But, rather than stopping at the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, we should continue through His ascension. With His ascent, we observe Jesus’ physical departure from the disciples and our world, His rise into heaven, and God the Son being seated at the right hand of God the Father.

Jesus’ ascension signified that His task on earth was complete. His time here over, Jesus was returning to His full heavenly glory to reign as the one true King. Until His return, only one more piece needed to be put in place here on earth – the giving of the Holy Spirit – which happened ten days later on Pentecost.

Unlike most partings, Jesus’ departure was not a sad farewell; it was a joyous one. What a glorious sight it must have been as the disciples stood on the Mount of Olives and watched Jesus being taken up in a cloud. If any had doubted before, they now knew for sure that Jesus truly was God and His home was in heaven! As Jesus disappeared into a cloud, the astonished men stood there, mouths agape, until two angels appeared and assured them that Jesus would return in the same way He departed. This promise tells us that Jesus will descend visibly, bodily, and literally to the Mount of Olives when He finally returns to our world.

Before parting, Jesus commissioned His disciples to be His witnesses “to the ends of the earth.” Rather than wait there for His return, the disciples returned to Jerusalem and went about God’s business—spreading the good news of the gospel. That assignment was not limited to the eleven who were with Jesus that day—that commission extends to every one of Christ’s followers. Each of us has a job to do until the day of His return!

Soon we shall be up there with Christ. God did not mean us to be happy without Him; but God would first have us to be witnesses for Him down here, to hold out as much light as we can. [G.V. Wigram]

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. [Matthew 28:19-20 (CSB)]

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May 7, 2026

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Church & Worship, God's Grace & Love, God's Word: The Bible, Knowing Him, Sharing Our Faith, Wisdom & Guidance

CONFUSED?

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. We believe with our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we declare with our mouths that we believe, and so we are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” [Romans 10:9-11 (NCV)]

You will find all true theology summed up in these two short sentences: Salvation is all of the grace of God. Damnation is all of the will of man. [Charles Spurgeon]

Steamboat - ColoradoThinking we’d never be old enough to retire in Florida, we used to spend our winters in a Colorado mountain town and our days skiing on the slopes. The lift line crew at one lift often posted riddles or trivia questions on a board at the bottom of the hill. As we pondered the answer while riding up, we’d see the answer at the top as we skied off the lift. One day the question was, ”What is greater than God? The poor have it, the rich need it and, if you eat it, you will die!”

We pondered the riddle while riding to the top of the run. I was perturbed that someone would think anything or anyone was greater than God, even in a silly riddle. Seeing no answer posted at the top, I skied back down to get it. When getting on the lift again, I complained that nothing had been written on the upper board. “But, you’ve just said the answer!” replied the lift operator. Duh! I’d completely ignored the obvious response while concentrating on the second part of the riddle. By focusing on the rich, the poor, and some sort of poison, I’d missed the first and obvious response—nothing is greater than God! The poor have nothing, the rich need nothing and, if we eat nothing, we’ll die!

I made a simple riddle far more complicated than necessary, something we often do with our faith. For example, during one Bible study someone asked what would happen to our dogs during the Rapture. While it made for a fascinating discussion (did you know some non-Christians offer “After the Rapture” pet care?), the various Christian views about the end times are perplexing. As for me, I’m not going to complicate my faith by pondering the Rapture’s date, let alone worry about pets when it happens or whether dogs and cats will be in heaven. We have a loving God and I’m sure He’s got everything planned out quite thoroughly.

It’s admirable that some people want to dig deep into questions of theology, doctrine, and dogma. I do it myself at times but often end up going down a rabbit hole which leaves me more confused than when I started! It’s incredibly easy to get bogged down in complex and unclear issues that make Christianity and the Bible far more difficult than they need be. Our relationship with God won’t suffer if we can’t hold forth on subjects like the Rapture and tribulation, annihilationism, predestination, Calvinism, Arminianism, and the various doctrinal differences between denominations. Trying to come to terms with the minute details can keep us from the big picture: having a relationship with God the Father, believing in his Son Jesus Christ, and feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

We don’t have to be theologians to be Christians; we just have to be followers of Christ. It’s not necessary to know Greek or Hebrew to read or understand the Bible. Attendance at seminary isn’t a prerequisite for prayer; it’s no more difficult than talking on the phone. We don’t have to take lessons in how to worship to be able to lift our hearts in praise and no evangelism seminar is required for us to share God’s message of love.

Let us remember that we have a God who designed caterpillars so they become butterflies and gave marsupials pockets in which to carry their young! He doesn’t repeat fingerprints or snowflakes, keeps our solar system functioning flawlessly, turns tiny acorns into giant oaks, gives us incredible rainbows, and made crying babies loveable. A God so powerful and resourceful that he merely spoke the universe into existence certainly was able to create us in such a way that knowing Him, understanding His word, having faith, saying a prayer, offering praise and thanksgiving, and sharing His message are well within our capabilities. Let’s remember—none of the Apostles were rocket scientists or Greek scholars and they did just fine!

The Bible is shallow enough for a child not to drown, yet deep enough for an elephant to swim. [Augustine]

God made the earth by his power. He used his wisdom to build the world and his understanding to stretch out the skies. [Jeremiah 10:10 (NCV)]

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April 30, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Church & Worship, Knowing Him, Love & Works, Money & Wealth, Today: Make it Count

SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD (Anointing – Part 3)

But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they began to scold her. Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thing for me. You always have the poor with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me.” [Mark 14:4-7 (CSB)]

walking irisWhile anointing people seems a bit strange to us in the 21st century, in Jesus’ day it was a tradition among the Hebrews to anoint a guest with oil as a way of welcoming them into your home. Anointing them with perfume like nard, however, was a costly and significant act of devotion and honor—one saved for exceptional occasions. A major economic sacrifice, it signaled wholehearted commitment. That twelve ounces of nard used to anoint Jesus in Bethany represented a full year’s wages!

Unlike us, the people at that dinner in Bethany didn’t have the benefit of the gospels—they didn’t know what soon would happen. Had you been at that dinner some 2,000 years ago, what would you think if you saw a woman use an entire jar of expensive nard to anoint Jesus? Would that have seemed wasteful to you? If she were so willing to part with it, couldn’t she have used less on Jesus and sold the rest to serve the poor? The Hebrew Scriptures are filled with commands to care for widows and orphans and it was Jesus who told the rich young ruler to sell all his belongings and give to the poor! The disciples’ indignation at such extravagance is understandable and I might have joined in their criticism of her actions.

Were the disciples surprised when, rather than agreeing with them, Jesus said to leave his anointer alone and then praised her? He repeated the first part of Deuteronomy 15:11: “For there will never cease to be poor people in the land….” but didn’t say the rest: “that is why I am commanding you, ‘Open your hand willingly to your poor and needy brother in your land.’” True, the poor always will be with us in this broken world, but Jesus’ words seem somewhat callous until we understand His point. He wasn’t denying the importance of charity and the opportunities for charity will never cease. Nevertheless, there would not be another opportunity to do for Him what had been done! Unlike the poor, He would be there only a little longer and any chance to show Him love soon would be gone.

Had this been anyone else, Jesus’ words would have been outrageous and self-centered. But, Jesus wasn’t a narcissist, He was God! The God who, for our sake, “Though he was rich… became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” [2 Cor 8:9] Let us remember that the first of the great commandments is to love God above all others and that is exactly what the woman did! Yes, we are to care for the poor but, first and foremost, we are to worship God! When she saw an opportunity to serve Jesus, she did and saved nothing for herself. That alabaster jar of nard, worth 300 denarii, might have been her dowry!

Genuine devotion never considers the cost; it simply does all that it can. When she anointed Jesus that night in Bethany, this woman simply did what she could. Jesus asks nothing more of us—we are to do what we can. In his Commentary on the Gospel of Mark, J.D. Jones said this about her: “She spent herself to the uttermost. ‘What she could’: and I confess that I feel a stab at my conscience as I read the little phrase. How many of us can say that?” I can’t; can you?

She has done what she could; she has anointed my body in advance for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” [Mark 14:8-9 (CSB)]

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March 19, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Faith & Hope, Holidays & Holy Days, Prayer, Trusting God

THE LORICA

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. [Psalm 5:11 (NIV)]

armorA Latin word, lorica originally meant armor or breastplate. Because of an ancient practice of inscribing a prayer on the armor or shields of knights who then recited the prayer before combat, lorica came to mean a prayer of protection.

Although there are many such prayers, the most famous is the Lorica of St. Patrick (also known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate). Legend has it that around 433 AD, St. Patrick wrote this prayer for protection. As the story goes, on Easter morning, Patrick led his fellow missionaries in a procession to the court of the pagan King Laoghhaire. Suspecting that they would be ambushed by the army of his pagan adversary, Patrick took his men through the woods while chanting this prayer/lorica. Rather than seeing the missionaries amid the trees, their enemies saw a mother deer followed by twenty fawns and let them pass. Having been brought safely through the ambush by God, Patrick and his companions marched into the king’s presence while chanting: “Let them that will, trust in chariots and horses, but we walk in the name of the Lord.”

Whether the story is fact, legend or, as I suspect, somewhere in-between, this beautiful hymn (also known as The Deer’s Cry) appears to be the first one ever written in Gaelic and quite likely by the beloved Patrick. In 1889, Cecil Alexander produced a metrical version of the prayer from an earlier English translation and the resulting hymn was set to traditional Irish tunes. Called “I Bind Unto Myself Today,” this beautiful old lorica can be found in the hymnals of many denominations and heard on You Tube.

Prayers for protection and deliverance are found throughout Scripture. Moses, David, Ezra, and Nehemiah all prayed for protection for themselves and others and Jesus prayed for the protection of His followers. We may not be facing Druids in the woods, but we enter into battle against evil every day. While we don’t wear armor or carry shields, we can proceed as did Patrick and his men: by wearing the armor of God, binding ourselves to Him in prayer, and walking in the name of the Lord.

I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three. …
I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard. …
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
[St. Patrick’s Breastplate (Attributed to St. Patrick)] 

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. [Ephesians 6:13-15 (NIV)]

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March 9, 2026

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Church & Worship, Fruit of the Spirit, Love & Works, Sharing Our Faith

A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD

The Lord spoke to Moses: “See, I have taken the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to me, because every firstborn belongs to me. At the time I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated every firstborn in Israel to myself, both man and animal. They are mine; I am the Lord.” [Numbers 3:11-13 (CSB)]

cabbage white butterflyHaving spared Israel’s first-born males during the final plague on Egypt, God called for every first-born Israelite male, whether man or beast, to be consecrated to Him. The entire male population of the tribe of Levi was 22,000 (about the same number of first-born Israelite men) and God substituted the Levites for the other first-born males. Substituting the Levites for the first-born male in every tribe centralized the sacred duties to one tribe without disrupting the other tribes’ families.

Appointed to minister and serve in the Tabernacle, the Levites didn’t get to choose their careers—that decision was made for them by God. By divine appointment, they were charged maintaining the holiness of the sanctuary, guarding the worship of Jehovah, instructing the people in God’s Word, and warning Israel of idolatry. While only Aaron’s lineage could serve as priests, the other Levite clans were destined to serve the Lord and His priests in supportive roles. Some clans were responsible for preparing sacrifices or washing the hands of the priests, while others guarded the temple and its furnishings, made music, or led worship. Still other families were assigned to make repairs to the Tabernacle/Temple and its equipment or were to act as gatekeepers, secretaries, or scribes.

Like the Israelites, Christ’s followers are a unique nation. However, rather than a nation based on ethnicity, physical characteristics, culture, or language, we are one people united by faith. Prior to Jesus, only the descendants of Levi were dedicated to God; today, all of Christ’s followers are consecrated to Him. Regardless of lineage, we all are “people for His possession.” Although only Aaron’s descendants could be priests, every follower of Jesus belongs to a “royal priesthood.” While the Levites’ various duties were determined by their specific lineage within the tribe of Levi, our duties are determined by the Holy Spirit’s gifts to us. But, like the Levites who didn’t receive an allocation of land as did the other tribes, our inheritance is not found in earthly things like property; it is found in God! Like the Levites of long ago, rather than seeking to be served, we are called to serve the Lord. Just as their responsibility was to work for the Lord and proclaim the goodness of God, we are called to do the same.

As members of Christ’s royal priesthood, our service doesn’t end with the closing hymn on Sunday morning—that’s when it begins! Whether it’s teaching Sunday school, visiting the sick, shopping for shut-ins, sending cards, packing food, writing newsletters, cooking meals, greeting visitors, filling communion cups, ironing paraments, mowing the lawn, singing in the choir, providing transportation, making calls, being a prayer warrior, setting up chairs, running the sound equipment, knitting prayer shawls, folding programs, or running the website, we are called to serve in the household of faith. As humble and mundane as it may seem, our service is glorious work because, like the work of the Levites, it is done to serve the Lord!

The Church has not yet touched the fringe of the possibilities of intercessory prayer. Her largest victories will be witnessed when individual Christians everywhere come to recognize their priesthood unto God and day by day give themselves unto prayer. [John R. Mott]

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. [1 Peter 2:9-10 (CSB)]

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