I just read on NBC.com the story of a 92 year-old Roman Catholic priest who was stripped of his priestly duties. He did not commit a crime. No action of his was illegal under civil law. His sin was not bigotry or ageism or even sexism. So why can he not act like a priest anymore? Read more…

“ ‘You certainly won’t die!’ the snake told the woman. ‘God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened. You’ll be like God, knowing good and evil.’ The woman saw that the tree had fruit that was good to eat, nice to look at, and desirable for making someone wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then their eyes were opened, and they both realized that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and made clothes for themselves” (Genesis 3:4-7 God’s Word).

Our garden in June, 2012 – herbs, raspberries, blackberries, vegetables and pear tree

And that’s how it all began.

Humans saw the fruit as sensually desirable, a beauty to pursue and a source for instant, unearned  education. So they ate.

And what happened? Suddenly lusted replaced respectful, romantic love, so they had to hide themselves from each other AND God.

So what do you lust for? God-like power? Things to appease your senses? Easy smartness or status?

These will drive you away from God.

The alternative, “Serve the Lord cheerfully” (Psalm 100:2 God’s Word), leads to eternal satisfaction.

Today, thanks to brow-beating by non-believers, Christians think love equates to “polite nicety”. Discipline, correction and justice take a back seat to being just nice. So you get troublemakers in congregations who go on year after year because no one has the spiritual backbone to demand a stop to the injustice of gossip, manipulation and people who insist on “being in charge”.

I read the Bible to say that if I really love people two things show up: Read more…

Last night I “happened” to read this verse. Paul writing to the followers of The Way in the Macedonian city of Thessalonika (incidentally so named after the sister of Alexander the Great) spoke by the Spirit and said, “With this in mind, we always pray that our God will make you worthy of his call. We also pray that through {his} power he will help you accomplish every good desire and help you do everything your faith produces” (2 Thessalonians 1:11 God’s Word).

Many things flooded into my mind when these words touched my eyes. Read more…

Spiritual people want to encourage religious people to act in ways that bring a good light on the Good News and on Jesus Christ. The reality is that religious people want to suppress spiritual people. It can be very discouraging to try encouraging. Read more…