Blog Archives

ELOGOS for Thursday

4/27/2017

Acts 2:24
But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.
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This is my short course in "How to Read the Bible." These 3 ideas have been taught to me over the years and I pass on to you and encourage you to practice and share.
1. RELATIONSHIPS. Whatever you read, pay attention to the relationships(God & us, us with other people, us inside our own skin). It will always reveal something important.
2. "SO THAT" - whatever happens before that phrase is often explained after that phrase and what comes after is really, really good stuff.
3. "BUT GOD" That phrase will be at the bottom of the darkest pit that you will ever find yourself. Death is not the end of our story because "it was impossible for Jesus to be held in its power."
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Thy word, O Lord, is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path. Amen.

ELOGOS for Wednesday

4/26/2017

Psalm 116:1-4
I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications.
Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, save my life!”
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I am ever mindful of the wealth and privilege of my life. I live in a house that would look palatial to many. Within a few steps, I have an abundance of water which I trust will not make me gravely ill or kill me. I am never without food. I have so many clothes I have to choose what to wear each day. No one is shooting at me. And yet, I suffer the stress of one who feels like the sky is falling. There is an infinite patience of a God who listens to my cry for help even as he is hearing the same cry from a person in real danger. I wouldn't blame God if he rolls his eyes at me. Perhaps God greatest grace is in helping me to see, at least, in part what I can do to help others in need.
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Give me a heart like yours, Oh God. Amen.

ELOGOS for Tuesday

4/25/2017

I Peter 1:22
Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart.
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I love the phrase "so that..." when it appears in the scriptures because it shines with God's purposes. I get stuck on phrases like "purified your souls" because it means my soul needed to be purified, cleaned, scraped off, shined up, hosed down, stuck in a refiner's fire. Yep, unpleasant.....to say the least. That happened as a result of sloughing off the lies about myself and facing the truth. Sounds like it is worthwhile but tell me why again.....why should I go through this over and over again? I will need to confess again, you know. I will need to confess my sins, daily. I need to know what is God's purpose in this wholly unpleasant process SO THAT I will not walk away after a while thinking it is a colossal waste of my time and energy. And then....there it is. The Biblical SO THAT....." so that you have love and love one another." Oh, that sounds really good. Sounds....perfect. Works for me!
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Receive, Oh Lord, my confession and may I overflow with the love today that you pour into my clean, uncluttered soul. Amen.

ELOGOS for Monday

4/24/2017

Luke 24:30-31a
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him
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I read an article which was diagnosing the decline of shopping malls as some other businesses flourish. Many factors were cited but the main one being more internet shopping. More internet shopping means we are more isolated. But one business that is experiencing an upswing is the restaurant industry. I know that there are other variables to weigh, but in my gut, I am convinced that even as the entropy of our retail lives is moving us apart there is a greater force at work in our lives nudging us together. Jesus knew that food is life and comfort. Restaurants feed both our lazy cooking habits and our need for community especially at times of stress. In the breaking of bread, they recognized Jesus. Jesus was both the memory device and the food for their journey of faith before them. So it is for us. Never underestimate the power of breaking bread with family, friends and strangers.
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Holy God, bless us with your presence. Amen.

ELOGOS Author's Note

4/17/2017

ELOGOS is taking some days off. Should be back at it by next week. A Blessed Easter to you all.

ELOGOS for Good Friday

4/14/2017

Good Friday: Holy Ground CROSS.
Mark 15:37 “Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.”
(Challenge: Exhale and don’t inhale until you can’t help yourself )
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ELOGOS for Maundy Thursday

4/13/2017

Maundy Thursday: Holy Ground GETHSEMANE.
Mark 14: 32,36. “They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’…He said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’
The Hebrew meaning of Gethsemane is “oil press.” Olive trees were and still are a part of the space which Jesus prayed his most gut-wrenching prayer. He asked God to remove this cup, this mission from him. But he responded with obedience. The Holy Ground in this garden prayer is found inside his prayer – inside the phase “remove this cup from me” -before he says “yet, not what I want…” Look carefully. There is a semi-colon and a space before the word “yet.” It is in that space that Son of God breathed and love turned its face toward you. (Challenge: Love God and love one another as you have been loved…for the rest of your life)

ELOGOS for Holy Wednesday

4/12/2017

Holy Wednesday: Holy Ground BETHANY.
Mark 14:3 “While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head.”

Plenty to be upset with in this scene – leper! Are you kidding?! Letting a woman touch you? Are you crazy?! Whoa, wait – that jar of expensive smelly stuff could have been sold for big bucks! Jesus waves them off. The woman with the jar of smelly stuff is the only person beside him that seems to have a clue that this is not the time for social proprieties or pinching pennies. Now is the time for gratitude – wild, crazy, totally outside yourself – gratitude. (Challenge: Lavishly thank someone today for no other reason than Jesus loves you)

ELOGOS for Tuesday

4/11/2017

Holy Tuesday: Holy Ground THE TEMPLE.
Mark 13:1-2 “As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’”
No doubt, it was an impressive architectural structure in form and function. Centric walls surrounding courtyards with the focal point being the quintessential holy ground – the holy of holies – the ark of the covenant – the touchstone of the history of God and God’s people. Kings had made it the legacy of their lives to design it, gather resources for it, build it and consecrate it. Jesus tells his awe-struck disciples to think again. Think bigger. The book of Revelation would paint a bigger picture but until then, Jesus was just starting to shake the world. Challenge: Consider the most jaw-dropping, face-melting amazing place of worship you have ever seen. Now imagine it the size of a child’s toy in the City of God.

ELOGOS for Holy Monday

4/10/2017

For the days of Holy Week, ELOGOS will be re-posts from my messages on my 40 Days of Lent Challenge Facebook page.

Holy Monday: Holy Ground FIG TREE.
Mark 11:24-25 “So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ‘Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.’ The disciples were staring at a withered fig tree that Jesus had cursed earlier in the day. Perhaps the simplest answer is that he had to vent his frustration somewhere. But in a blink, he turns it into a teaching moment about the power and importance of forgiveness. Hours from the time of his death, Jesus stood by a withered fig tree getting his disciples ready to be forgiven and himself, ready to forgive. Challenge: Forgive someone. Know that God forgives you.