This Week A single acorn has within it the power to create a huge oak tree which will then have the power to produce thousands of oak trees, each producing thousands more acorns. In other words, a single acorn has the power to cover the entire earth with wood. But that acorn’s potential will never…

This Week According to the . . . This weekend, we continue the powerful chapter of Romans 8. In verses 5-17, the apostle Paul emphasizes the dichotomy between the sinful nature and the Spirit. Which controls you? How? Why? Join us Thursday night at 7 or Sunday morning at 8 or 10:30. Worship Resources and…

This Week Lipstick on a pig Have you heard the expression, “It’s like putting lipstick on a pig”? It means the solution to the problem might look good, but it doesn’t address the real issue. It’s really no solution at all. Some people have the mistaken notion that being a Christian means doing the right…

This Week Pessimism—Optimism Are you a “glass half full” or a “glass half empty” kind of person? Most of us are a little of both. If you find yourself in a pickup basketball game with Caitlin Clark, you might be pessimistic about the outcome. But if you plan a night out at your favorite restaurant,…

This Week Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde In Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous novel by that name, the good Dr. Jekyll fights against an evil man who arises from within him, Mr. Hyde. The apostle Paul speaks for all of us when he writes, “that’s our battle.” But our battle is real. Although Dr. Jekyll lost…

This Week Still Risen Romans 6 tells us about our response to Jesus’ resurrection. It is freedom! But what do we do with our freedom from sin? Freedom from righteousness, that is, living in sin, only leads to death. But now, having been raised with Christ, we are free to be slaves to righteousness, and…

This Week For you This week began with people shouting, “Hosanna.” It will end with demands: “Crucify him.” But Sunday will begin with the Good News: “He is risen!” Jesus’ death and resurrection is all for you, for your peace. In the cross and empty grave we find life, freedom from sin, and peace with…

This Week Festival of Palm Sunday Jesus on a donkey . . . crowds shouting praise . . . palm branches on the road. The crowd on the first Palm Sunday welcomed Jesus as a hero and a king. He deserved every bit of it and oh, so much more. This Thursday or Sunday join…

This Week On December 7, 1972, we saw our planet for the first time from outer space. All of a sudden, we were able to see our planet for what it really is. The second half of Romans 5 is like that. It lets us see our planet and our lives from God’s perspective. Read…

This Week Peace of mind The Book of Romans is full of deep theology, but the word “peace” occurs for only the fourth time in chapter 5, in which Paul develops this idea: we are at ease because of what God has done in Christ. With so many unknowns in life, so many crises we…