FIRST PRESBYTERIAN

“For the good that I wish I do not do…There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 7:19; 8:1 If there is room for puzzlement in our mind, we can safely assume that not even the Apostle famous for his keen mind, could discern a connection between title and text. No tent he ever made had a complicated inside. However, the complexity of his discourse known as THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS vastly differs. Dictated by him to Tertius in

“Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley…” Ezekiel 37:7 Quite suddenly as well, I may be stirred from deep sleep by the strong rattling of my upstairs bedroom window. A jet headed for landing at nearby Van Nuys airport, is flying unusually low. Family nerves were rattled after a jet intentionally crashed into New York’s twin towers and in the wake of the 911 disaster, all air traffic across our nation was halted for one week. The abnormal sil

“I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Matthew 25:43 In 1973 an outstanding human being and innovative leader joined Hollywood First Pres as Associate Pastor. Don Buteyn organized a tour of rehabilitation facilities that served patients freshly released from the hospital. Our group of would-be visitors cringed at a mere whiff of urine, but liked Briar Oaks. Our experienced leader called it the “Cadillac” of skilled nursing places in Hollywood.

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:34 ‘”An elephant never forgets!” Riva, the pill-pushing pachyderm mascot in the “Neuriva” commercial, clearly favors pharmaceuticals over prophets. That’s why she triggered my wicked sense of humor, since her wonder drug appears to be mostly caffeine with “cherry extract.” That reddish substance is seen on the coffee beans while they ripen on trees in countries where tea is perhaps th

“Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 22:13 Thanks to my affinity for legal thrillers, I used to buy the newest bestseller by John Grisham the moment I saw it on Amazon. When I spotted “The Widow” by chance while looking for dry-eye relief, I automatically scanned the reviews. One who gave it five stars, claimed it was Grisham’s best ever. The lone grump complained that he had to read

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” 1 Corinthians 1:10 The motto in quotation marks in the title above popped up perfectly timed in a rerun of “Chicago Fire.” While searching for the perfect Scripture, Paul’s “famous” appeal for unity stood out. Yet much to my own surprise, I found

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.” 2 Peter 1:10 The midterms are mercifully behind us, leaving some feeling elated and some deflated enough to relocate to Groanland. That’s not how the Danes spell it, but proper English is not a prerequisite in current politics. After the groaning Israelites escaped the tyranny of Egypt, the unruly lot were ruled by Judges. A woman

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’” John 11:25 The theologian in me is chomping at the bit to dive into the kind of story where sane people artlessly mumble, “You can’t make up this kind of stuff.” The flaky earthling in me hears a kind soul say, “You look great today,” and instantly I conclude that most days I look nea

“…giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Ephesians 5:20-21 Most popular translations substitute the word “reverence” for “fear,” which sounds too forbidding for modern ears. Don’t tell that to the loving, former school principal whose recent birthday card to me read, “You’re the Birthday Queen today. You should be Honored, Worshipped & just a little Feared.” Lest I put on air

‘’Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.” Acts 2:2 I, however, found myself walking in the inner city, also in suburbia, and in the adjoining countryside, yet wherever I looked in amazement, there was water. No flood had occurred, no people were seen, and no anxiety was triggered. It was as if pristine, spring fed mountain lakes had merged to create images of sparkling beauty in places far be

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6 NIV Is it safe to say that prayer is both a matter of routine and mystery? I cheat some at breakfast when I borrow from “Daily Meditations for Mealtime” by Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), England’s “Prince of Preachers.” Today’s selection read, “Lord Jesus, be our holy guest, our morning joy, o

Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep nor shall your tears run down. Ezekiel 24:16 The day of August 14, 586 B.C. may have started pleasantly for Ezekiel’s wife. Perhaps she busied herself with chores best done in the cool of the morning, but briefly looked in on her husband to give him a kiss. “I’m writing a Cooking Pot parable,” he might have said with a smile. Was there a look on his fac

Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep nor shall your tears run down. Ezekiel 24:16 “Son of man, behold….” Son of man is the biblical emphatic form of “man,” meaning human being, and occurs 93 times in the Book of Ezekiel. When we yearn to pray differently – in order to make the difference Jesus desires on behalf of His Father’s glory – we first learn to unlearn former prayer habits. Forget

Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down. Luke 13:8-9 Christ’s forerunner lost his head to an axe. We hang on to ours by hanging on every word of Bible commentary that identifies the fig tree of Christ’s parable as the Jewish nation. We figure this particular talk, as was the viper talk, was for “them,” not us. We are barely off the hook when the vine talk of John

Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down. Luke 13:8-9 The hothouse Christian would just as soon grow ornamental fruit. His face grows waxen at the prospect of a spirited worker showing up armed with a spade and sheep dung. While getting his fly swatter and face mask, Mr. Fastidious glimpses an even more ominous device of demise on the man’s handcart. He cannot bri

We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ… 2 Corinthians 10:5 After seeing the risen Lord on the Damascus road, Saul was blinded for three days. That is when it dawned on him that in persecuting the Church, he rose up against Jesus, the Light of the World, personally. To the astonishment or consternation of many, he emerged from the encounter as the missionary to the Gentiles. Once he showed up in Jer

We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ… 2 Corinthians 10:5 Undeniably, Paul was the big gun in God’s arsenal of choice weapons. The Apostle was born in the university city of Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia (in modern Turkey). The advantage of this background was threefold: he was of Roman citizenship, of Greek culture, and of Jewish faith. Within the span of a mere thirty-seven years after Christ’s

And when they read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation. And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words and strengthened them. Acts 15:32 Did those Gentile converts come to see themselves as being on fire for the Lord? What if theirs was nothing more than a flash in the pan, given their more accommodating “anything goes” culture? Flintlock muskets used to have small pans to hold charges of gun powder. The flare-up of gunpowder witho

And when they read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation. And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words and strengthened them. Acts 15:32 The letter was short and sweet. “The apostles and elders, your brothers, to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: greetings. We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some

…The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Matthew 27:51 God had banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden lest they eat fruit from the Tree of Life and live forever. Old Testament believers were left in the dark about the “eternal life” that we, as God’s Easter people, have come to understand it. That is precisely why Paul wrote to Timothy