Before arriving in Wisconsin almost ten months ago, I knew that our nation was politically polarized in a way that I have not seen in my adult lifetime. And, before moving here, little did I realize that our beautiful State of Wisconsin was such a hotspot for this polarization. In fact, soon after our arrival, I noticed folks trying to figure out whether I was politically an “us” or a “them.” Continue Reading »
Posted in Devotional, Inter-Faith Relations, Lutheran Church, Public Sphere | Tagged 2012 Olympics, Christ Consciousness, Democrats and Republicans, Ecclesiastes 3, Followers of Christ, Independence Day, Jesus Christ, One Nation Under God, Philippians 2, political polarization, Politics, Presidential election, Psychology of the Cross, recall election, Servant Mind, Shared Sacrifice, United States of America, US Constitution, US Flag |
In last month’s article, I challenged the medieval concept of Penal Substitutionary Atonement, a well-established atonement theory that asserts Jesus essentially saved us from God by being our substitute for punishment. Continue Reading »
Posted in Devotional, Lutheran Church | Tagged Atonement, Bible, Christ, Forgiveness of Sins, God's Grace, God's Love, Good Works, Holy Spirit, Original Blessing, Penal Substitutionary Atonement, Pentecost, Redemption, Sacraments, Salvation, Satisfaction for Sin, Sin, Spirit |
Happy Easter Everyone!!!
In last month’s article, I stated the following: “We are saved by God’s grace through the free gift of faith — not by our works — so that we might live repentant, God-conscious lives of good works for the glory of God and the benefit of all people everywhere!”
However, I neglected to explain what we are saved from. Continue Reading »
Posted in Devotional, Lutheran Church | Tagged Atonement, Bible, Christ, Divine Nature, Easter, Garden of Eden, Genesis 1, God is Love, God's Grace, Good Works, Heaven, Hell, Holy Spirit, Holy Week, Image of God, Jesus, Original Blessing, Original Sin, Penal Substitutionary Atonement, Redemption, Sacraments, Salvation, Satisfaction for Sin, Saved, Sin, Spirit |
The good news of the gospel of God’s grace is the foundation upon which our lives of faith, hope and love are built.
We are saved by God’s grace through the free gift of faith — not by our works — so that we might live repentant, God-conscious lives of good works for the glory of God and the benefit of all people everywhere! Continue Reading »
Posted in Devotional, Lutheran Church | Tagged Abba Father, Adam and Christ, Father God, Gift of Faith, Good News, Gospel, Grace, Hell, Kingdom of God, Let Go and Let God, Lord's Prayer, Love of God, Mother God, On Earth as it is in Heaven, Once for All, Salvation, Universal Salvation |
Almighty and wonderful God, we are thankful for your all-pervading, all-encompassing, eternal Presence within and beyond us.
One God of all, our thanks and praise belong to you, because you are the source and ground of all being. In you we live, move and have our being, O Lord! Continue Reading »
Posted in Devotional, Inter-Faith Relations, Lutheran Church, Public Sphere | Tagged Alpha and Omega, Amen, Charity, Cross, Diversity, Empty Tomb, Glory, God, God Conscious, God Consciousness, God's will, Good Works, Grace, Holy Scriptures, Holy Spirit, I Am, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Lent, Love, One God, One Heart, One Love, Prayer, Service, Spirit, Spiritual, Supreme Being, True, Truth, Unity, Yahweh |
I’m always amazed when I catch a snowflake and look closely at its unique beauty. It is absolutely amazing to me to think that no two snowflakes are alike. In all time and throughout all the universe, whenever and wherever a snowflake of crystallized H2O can exist, no two snowflakes are exactly alike.
This is amazing to me, and it says a lot about who God is. Continue Reading »
Posted in Devotional, Inter-Faith Relations, Lutheran Church, Public Sphere | Tagged Christians, Corinthians, Democrat, Diversity, Ephesians, Epiphany, gay, Gentiles, God's will, Gospel, Grace, heterosexual, Hindu, homosexual, inclusiveness, Isaiah, Jesus, Jews, Love, Ministry of Reconciliation, Muslims, One God, Politics, Prayer, Predestination, Reconciliation, Reconciling in Christ, Republican, Revelation, RIC, straight, Three Magi, Three Wise Men, Truth, Zoroastrian |
The Church seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany are seasons of light during the long dark of winter. And, if you think about it, without darkness we would not see the light. In fact, Woody Guthrie, who is famous for writing This Land Is Your Land, once said, “You can’t have a light without a dark to stick it in.”
The simple truth of our existence in this realm of existence (called life) is that light shines in the darkness, and if not for our darkness and suffering we would not know The Light. Continue Reading »
Posted in Devotional, Inter-Faith Relations, Lutheran Church, Public Sphere | Tagged Advent, Baby Jesus, Christmas, Darkness, Divine Feminine, Eco-Spirituality, Epiphany, Faith, Greenfield, Hope, Jesus, Light, Light Bearer, Lord's Prayer, Love, Lutheran Church, Mary, Milwaukee, Morning Star, Nativity, Rainbow, Sacred Heart, Stars, Suffering |
