THE TWENTY-THIRD DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. THIS SERMON NEEDED HER VOICE The sermon Sunday before last at Bering Drive Church of Christ in Houston, Texas, included the story of Lazarus' sister Mary, who anointed Jesus' feet with her expensive perfume and dried them with her hair. I had not realized before how much this passage needed a woman's eye and ear and mouth. We had a guest preacher that day, Chelsie Sargent, a member of the Southwest Central congregation in our city, and the feminine advantage was clear almost from the moment she began to … [Read more...]
Archives for 2016
THE ONE DAY THAT COUNTS
THE TWENTIETH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. Time is eternally slow, I thought, for so it seemed to me when I was the age my elementary grandchildren are today. School days dragged by and the number of years yet to be spent inside school walls was too depressing to calculate. Then I grew up and something very interesting happened. Time, which once crept slower than a snail, suddenly accelerated and soon was outpacing the eagles. Weeks flew, months blurred, and years changed numbers quicker than we could change the calendar. Whether one experiences time … [Read more...]
Family Notes 16/03/2016
THE SIXTEENTH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. THIRST-QUENCHING CONVERSATION Ralph Watson The human mind craves conversation. The verbal dimension, the realm of the Word, is unique to our human consciousness. Dialogue bonds speaker and hearer in the moment forever, like a bookmark in time. In room 304 at LakeRidge Senior Center, living water flows, and people are coming from all around and half a world away to partake of it, in the form of conversation with Harry Robert Fox. Harry Fox has been true to his original self and open to the Word in ways that … [Read more...]
TRUSTING THE INVISIBLE DEITY
THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. A gracEmail subscriber nearing the midpoint of an anticipated lifespan writes: "When I look around sometimes at the people I love the most--my spouse, my children, my parents--I am nearly overwhelmed with concern for their well-being, and with an awareness of my own inability to control even one minute of the future. How can I get some peace about possible future changes and all the up's and down's of life?" * * * Life's uncertainties are enough to stir up fear in any of us, and they often do. However, we can … [Read more...]
Family Notes 09/03/2016
THE NINTH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. HEBREWS TREASURY It might come as a surprise to many Christians today, but there is no book of the Bible more full of Jesus, more attuned to daily life in the 21st century, and more relevant as a word of encouragement than the book of Hebrews. For the next few weeks, our gracEmail family notes will include two items related to Hebrews. First, a piece of a conversation with me about the book itself (see "A Bridge Commentary" below). Second, excerpts from a review of Hebrews: Ancient Encouragement for Believers Today, … [Read more...]
SIN–BAD NEWS AND GOOD
THE SIXTH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. A gracEmail subscriber writes: "I hardly know what to do. I love God and trust in Jesus as my Savior. I try very hard not to sin, and I sometimes go for long periods without intentionally doing anything that I know displeases God. But then I always stumble and do something that I know is wrong. I am so ashamed of myself, confess my sin to God and ask his forgivenness. Is there any hope for me?" * * * You are not alone--if we are truly aware and honest, we all can say the same. It is just this situation that John … [Read more...]
Family Notes 02/03/2016
THE SECOND DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. My Assignment . . . It was nearly nine years ago, but in my mind it seems but yesterday. Illumined by the first rays of morning, three volcanic mountains gradually appear and encircle us in the distance. As the sun rises over Guatemala, the cobblestones of Antigua glow beneath my feet. It is August 2007. I am here on a professional retreat with my employer, the Lanier Law Firm of Houston, Texas ( http://www.lanierlawfirm.com ) A request and an answer This early morning walk starts my day with prayer. After a … [Read more...]
SCALIA SERMON SPARKLED WITH GOSPEL GOLD
THE TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. When the family of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia finalized his funeral arrangements, their choice of a clergyman was undoubtedly unanimous. Paul Scalia, the sixth of Mr. and Mrs. Scalia's nine children and thirty-five grandchildren, is a Catholic priest who serves the diocese of Arlington, Virginia, part of the Washington DC metroplex. Antonin Scalia had always said that his funeral would be held in the little parish church he faithfully attended. But by the time his son Paul the Father led the … [Read more...]
Family Notes 26/02/2016
THE TWENTY-SIXTH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. GRACEMAIL SUBSCRIBER HONORED AS CO- FOUNDER OF JAPANESE UNIVERSITY Harry Robert Fox, 94, is an enthusiastic gracEmail subscriber. But far more than that, he is a true Jesus man who, even on hospice care, seems not to think of his own interests as he seeks to tell everyone he encounters about the Savior. Fox was born in 1921 in Tokyo to parents who were gospel missioners supported by Churches of Christ. Their diligent and patient labors produced very little visible fruit. Their efforts were resisted and … [Read more...]
Family Notes 24/02/2016
THE TWENTY-FOURTH DAY OF FEBRUARY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. A gracEmail subscriber asks if we know why the New Testament book of Hebrews was written. * * * Yes we do, although we dont know exactly to whom, when, where, or precisely what was going on then and there among those people. But we do know that for a variety of reasons the original recipients of Hebrews were worn out, disheartened, tempted, and seemingly about ready to walk away from their faith. The book hints at some possible causes, including persecution, passing of time, being misfits in their … [Read more...]
