One of the guys who wrote the story of his friend Jesus, as I said in an earlier post this week, was Matthew. Matthew, like John, was one of the 12 disciples who followed Jesus around for three years, learning from Jesus how to shine light in the darkness of the world. Matthew tells usContinue reading “How Jesus fulfills a prophecy about being light in the darkness – Christmas 2022, Part 4”
Tag Archives: darkness
Hope for those in darkness – Christmas 2022, Part 3
Where do we find light in this dark world? Where do we find hope? Sometime people seek answers in harmful ways and places. They seek answers by indulging in the pleasures of life, or in addictive substances. Could be in social media, pornography, or television. All kinds of entertainment. We try to bring light intoContinue reading “Hope for those in darkness – Christmas 2022, Part 3”
LED headlights and people struggling with darkness – Christmas 2022, Part 2
My family has a 2010 vehicle with old headlights. We also have a newer 2017 vehicle with bright new LEDs. The difference is amazing. I need to turn on the 2010’s high beams if I want to match the brightness of the 2017’s regular lights. Have you ever been out driving, and a vehicle withContinue reading “LED headlights and people struggling with darkness – Christmas 2022, Part 2”
How the aging process can help us evaluate the past year – Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:8, Part 3
Years ago, one of the home-bound members of my church family, who has since passed away, described for the me the process of her ever-decreasing eyesight. She said that it was only during the bright sunlight of the day that she could see around her room. As the months and years went by, the darknessContinue reading “How the aging process can help us evaluate the past year – Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:8, Part 3”
How the godly fall – Characters: Samson, Part 2
A fall from grace. Maybe you’ve experienced it. Or maybe another’s fall has affected you. There have been a number of high profile such failures, and countless more lower profile examples that don’t get reported in the news. No matter the situation, they impact people deeply, leaving us wonder, “How did that happen?” Parents splitContinue reading “How the godly fall – Characters: Samson, Part 2”
Hope when life is very dark – Titus 3:1-8, Part 3
Do you have a dark past? Is life feeling messy or difficult right now? If you answered “Yes” to either of these questions, you’re not alone. All of us go through really troubling times. In the middle of it, we can feel a confusing mixture of fear, sadness, pain, longing, despair, and we wonder ifContinue reading “Hope when life is very dark – Titus 3:1-8, Part 3”
How NOT to wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 4]
We have been studying the concept of waiting during dark times in this series of posts on the Lectionary passages for the First Sunday of Advent. In part 3, we introduced the fourth reading, Luke 21:25-36, where Jesus prophesies his second coming. Christians throughout the ages have been waiting for his return. That waiting canContinue reading “How NOT to wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 4]”
There is hope in dark times! [First Sunday of Advent, part 1]
For Advent 2018, Faith Church will be following the readings in the Revised Common Lectionary. Each Sunday we’ll look at how the four readings tie together thematically, all supporting the goals of the season of Advent. Thus we are pausing our series on Deuteronomy. We’ll return to that after the New Year 2019. Why doesContinue reading “There is hope in dark times! [First Sunday of Advent, part 1]”
How lament can shine light into the darkness of our world
Do you sense the darkness in our world? I started this series of posts by describing the tragedies in our world, all adding to the darkness. Just last evening, my wife and I watched the episode of The Crown where a dense poisonous smog settles on London. It stayed there for days, and thousands lostContinue reading “How lament can shine light into the darkness of our world”
Feeling low this Christmas?
Fear. Sadness. Longing. Disappointment. Loneliness. Are you feeling any of these emotions lately? It seems like the world can be a dark place. Even at this most joyous time of the year, we can feel low. As we look around our lives, our culture, and our planet, we can have a distinct impression that thingsContinue reading “Feeling low this Christmas?”
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