Michael Murphy Retired minister The Bible provides guidance on how to treat foreigners or aliens, emphasizing the importance of kindness, hospitality, and justice. Here are a few passages that address this topic: 1) Leviticus 19:34 (New International Version): “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. LoveContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks Contributing writer This week I had the great opportunity to spend two days among fellow pastors from around northwestern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. Our centering text for the retreat was Luke 10:1-11, in which Jesus sends out 72 appointed disciples in pairs to “every town and placeContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Contributing writer I think our efforts as faithful people would ring a whole lot more genuine with those who are skeptical of religion if we spent more time trying to “convert” ourselves versus others. Yes, our scriptures do preach to us that we are to bring the “good news” toContinue Reading
Shalom family and friends, In this month of February, we hear about love. We see Valentine’s hearts, candy, stuffed animals, and diamonds advertised flooding the media and store shelves. This entices the public to buy these things to show you love someone! Many people are thinking and talking about buyingContinue Reading
Dan Eakin/Contributing writer Veterans Day is always a time to pause and thank our military men and women for the sacrifices they have made to keep our country free. At Collinsville Bible Baptist Church, we are observing Veterans Day a day late, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, to recognize militaryContinue Reading
Dan Eakin/Contributing writer Many years ago, the late Dr. W.A. Criswell, longtime pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, preached a powerful message titled, “Loving the Unseen Christ.” His text was I Peter 1:8: “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing,Continue Reading
Dan Eakin/Contributing writer Do we actually believe in a God who can create a baby in a virgin’s womb, or who can, three days after a man has died, raise him from the tomb? Do we believe in a God of miracles, who can make things happen which cannot be scientificallyContinue Reading
Shalom mishpacha and friends, We are heading off into another year of life. Old things pass away and new things ahead. I would like to encourage everyone to really live this new year looking ahead and remember the good things in this life God has done for us. Let theContinue Reading
Before you truly become a Christian, before you are truly born again, you have a heart that is loaded down with sin. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it?” But once you take a good honest look at Calvary andContinue Reading
“So this is Christmas And what have you done? Another year over And a new one just begun” I think a great many people can relate to the haunting words in the opening stanza of John Lennon’s beautiful anthem “So This is Christmas.” We are told that Christmas is aContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Lutheran Minister Every now and then, you deliver a sermon that when you leave the lectern you haven’t the foggiest idea how those words you just preached landed with those sitting in the pews. It happens to all of us clergy, I imagine. At least I hope! Preaching toContinue Reading
Rabbi Linda/Bethel Temple Fellowship Shalom friends! God, Creator of the universe, loved mankind so much He sent His only begotten Son, Yeshua to Earth to redeem man. This world-wide event changed humanity forever, giving man hope and life eternal. The next world-wide event to take place on earth is the Biblical Feast ofContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Lutheran Minister Much of the trouble with religion is that we’ve convinced ourselves that we can know an infinite God, a God who created the entire universe that is billions of years old and which still reveals mysteries to us that we cannot solve. And in our hubris, weContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Lutheran Minister Another church in my hometown has been preaching a sermon series called “Jesus took naps. Be like Jesus.” The pastors at the church aren’t just being coy; they’re actually driving home an important message to their parishioners: Even Jesus rested. In our supercharged, hyperconnected, overstimulated way ofContinue Reading
Devlyn Brooks/Lutheran Minister They say that travel is good for the soul. I also say travel is good for faith as it gives you a greater perspective about what a fascinating planet on which we live. Thanks to a couple of recent work and personal trips, within 10 days, IContinue Reading
Dan Eakin/Baptist Minister I recently saw a bumper sticker on the back of a pickup. I couldn’t quite read it so I pulled up a little closer. Then I read it. It said: “Are you following Jesus this close?” There are different levels of closeness. Sometimes we hear people criticize Peter forContinue Reading
Rabbi Linda/Bethel Temple Fellowship Shalom Chaverim, The Word of the Lord to the world is hope. This includes hope and peace for Jefferson. The Word of the Lord teaches us how much He loves us. God is our hope and shalom. He answers the questions which we desperately search for. GodContinue Reading
Leroy Richardson/Contributing writer A good battery on a car maintains its charge. Why is that so when simultaneously operating the radio, headlights, air conditioner, dashboard lights, USB ports, and the electric windows and seats? It’s the alternator. Once started, the alternator generates power to run the accessories on the vehicle andContinue Reading
Leroy Richardson/Contributing writer A good battery on a car maintains its charge. Why is that so when simultaneously operating the radio, headlights, air conditioner, dashboard lights, USB ports, and the electric windows and seats? It’s the alternator. Once started, the alternator generates power to run the accessories on the vehicleContinue Reading
Shalom Chaverim If you are pressured with the cares of life, you are not alone! Many people are experiencing the same pressures. Our world has gone through many challenges in the past, and will continue to face challenges in the future. My concern, as a spiritual leader, is along withContinue Reading