THE GREATEST VALUES IN AMERICA Several years ago an issue of Money Magazine contained in article on “The Greatest Values in America.” I found it tremendously discouraging. The piece made note of the fact that materialism has become increasingly respectable. Possessions are now used, not just to impress others,…
SPIRITUALITY Spirituality is, according to a recent definition, “making a deliberate attempt to relate to the sacred.” Of course people consider different things sacred. For some nature is sacred, a gentle breeze, waves lapping the shore, a grove of trees. For others music is sacred, the harmony of voices…
BRINGING UP JESUS Years ago my daughter was having a problem treating a friend as kindly as she should have done. A dispute over how to play some game led to hurt feelings and an unfortunate exchange of words. That evening I talked to her about the incident. At…
Pastor Craig’s latest book, Bowing Toward Babylon, examines the often dangerous relationship between nationalism and the integrity of Christianity in America. Bowing Toward Babylon was just released and is available for purchase through major providers. Click here for more info.
This coming Sunday is Pentecost. While Christians have no trouble describing the meaning of Christmas and Easter, for many Pentecost remains an enigma. Of the three great holy days of the church, Pentecost is the least understood. But its significance for the church is great.
I’ve decided to share each Monday some thoughts with members and friends of Royal Palm Christian Church. I hope they will be helpful as you seek to grow in faith. This is the first piece I want to share with you.
Without hope there can be no joy or even life. Hope can sustain us when we face difficulties we did not anticipate and uncertainties we’re not sure how to face. Hope tells us that there is a future for us even if we can’t see it with any clarity. As scripture says, “Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Roman 8:24-25).
The word “epiphany” means manifestation or revelation. The arrival of the Magi or wise men and the associated events is the focus of this season. The bright star they saw was for them an epiphany, revealing that a special new king had been born, one which they set out to find. Their travels brought them before King Herod. Epiphany reminds us that the Jesus story has never been separable from political affairs.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien:…
The troubling results of a poll released last week show that a significant percent of Americans -including many Christians- would be willing to support a military coup to take over the civilian US government. How can people of faith place such trust in armed solutions? Here are my reflections.
