Maundy Thursday is one of my “favorite” days of the church year. I put that in parentheses because it’s also a hard day. The day Jesus was betrayed. The day the journey to the cross really picks up speed. So, … Continue reading →

As some of you who have known me for a while know, April 16 is never easy for me. This has been an odd week for me. I’ve been in a bad mood all week, and one thing I have … Continue reading →

As we continue walking through Holy Week, Wednesday marks a subtle but significant turning point. Monday and Tuesday were filled with teaching, challenge, and public presence. But today, we move quietly yet definitively toward the cross. Though Scripture doesn’t give … Continue reading →

Tuesday of Holy Week is traditionally remembered as a day of teaching. In Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 23 stands out as one of the most intense and honest teachings Jesus gives during his final week. It is a direct and passionate … Continue reading →

We begin our time together for Holy Week by looking at the cleansing of the Temple. This is an interesting story, and also one that can be a danger to us. We see Jesus flip tables and make a whip. … Continue reading →

The first line of today’s Psalm is one that most of us know quite well, and it is one that is always associated with defeat. It is one of the last things that Jeuss says upon the cross – My … Continue reading →

Today, we’ll start a two-day look at the Psalms. We’ll read Psalms 131-133. These Psalms come near the end of that section of the book. Psalms of ascent are very specific things; these are psalms that were intended to be … Continue reading →

We finish up James with one of its most well-known verses. It’s one of those verses I can’t help but say in the old King James – “The prayer of the righteous availeth much.” The Bible tells us, in several … Continue reading →

James gives us some words that I believe are helpful for every relationship. Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.” Mean what you say and say what you mean. Every relationship, from time to time, will have … Continue reading →

Today, we see James’ harshest condemnation of the rich. It is easy for us to hear this passage as a condemnation of the church and all that the church has. But in James’s day, the church was poor. It has … Continue reading →