PENnED

Category: Reflections on Scriptures

  • Born Again: What It Is Not

    Read John 3:1-21 Despite the wear and tear that come as a result of use (or overuse?) of the expression “born again,” I doubt if this biblical concept is well understood. I recently preached from John 3:1-21, the Scripture narrative in which “born again” is originally introduced by Jesus to…

  • We Have the Spirit…Let’s Drink

    The title of this message seems appropriate in this place where alcohol is freely flowing—Vegas baby! Please don’t get me wrong: my purpose is not to take the message of Pentecost lightly. On other hand, if you feel that the title makes you thirst for something you have already given…

  • The Power of the Word

    Read Mark 1:21-28  What can words do? A lot! Imagine what a single word can do to a young man who’s been courting a girl for years and about to give up when all of a sudden she responds to his seemingly useless wooing with a ‘yes.’ Sadly, however, if words…

  • The End of the World

    Read 2 Peter 3:10-13 A Discover Magazine article has a list of  “20 Ways the World Could End.” The Bible has only one. And it declares it in a matter-of-fact way: “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in…

  • Jesus: “You will see greater things…”

    Read John 1:43-51 On some hot and humid day, the best thing to do is do nothing.  A good place to do just that: under the shade of broad-leafed fig tree. And if it’s too hot to go elsewhere for some snacks, the tree might offer some sweet refreshment as well! But…

  • Intimate things about a ‘Facebooking’ God

    Mark 1:9-11 (NIV) 9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are…

  • Want to be somebody someday?

    Read: James 4:13-17 The world around has been telling us that if we do the “right” steps–and they usually exclude knowing the will of God–then we can do whatever we want and we can be whatever we choose to become.  But in our Scripture text today, there is a reminder to…

  • Begin to look the gorgeous you!

    We do not take our health for granted. During the holidays, some of us ate more and exercised less. Perhaps now we’re trying to reverse that. But there is another area of our life that we should even be more concerned about.

  • Want to be successful in 2012?

    Read: Proverbs 2:1-9 We often assume we need to be wise to, well, live wisely and successfully. But what is a wise person? Let me suggest the definition found in verse 9: a wise person is one who understands “what is right and just and fair–every good path.” And how do we get there…

  • What do you do with people you don’t like?

    Read: Luke 6:27-36 The second day of 2012 is like coming down from a mountain-top experience. There’s the messy kitchen to clean up and laundry to do. Or, worse for some, going back to a job they hate and working with people they don’t like very much. But such is life.…