A Famine Not of Bread

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! The other morning as I was working in Wal-Mart, I saw a young woman with a puzzled look on her face.   Ever since a major remodeling of our store this spring I’ve seen that look regularly.   People want to know where the product they are looking for was moved.   So I was not surprised to find this young woman was in need of directions.   I was surprised at what she wanted to find.   She sheepishly asked me: “Can you tell me where I would find the checkout counters?” I thought to myself a little bit later: “You’d never find a man asking that question.”   Now, before you start calling me a male chauvinist let me explain.   I say this, not because it is only women who are directionally challenged.   There are more than a few of us men who can manage to get as lost as anyone.   We just seem to have a harder time asking for directions.   And so I def...

The text for today is our Gospel, Luke 16:1-13, which has already been read. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I’m on Facebook.   My wife says it’s a waste of time.   I think she’s worried that I might reveal too many details about our life to the whole world.   I justify my use of this media with the fact that I am able to keep up with friends and family members, many of whom I haven’t seen for years.   And because a great deal of my “friends” are fellow pastors, I also get a chance to sharpen my pastoral skills by engaging in theological discussions. Last week I responded to a posting of an article from Christianity Today , entitled “What Makes a Good Bible Study?”   The author concludes: “Remember that the point of all Bible study should not be to simply impart knowledge.   It should produce change.”   Therefore, one should “look for a Bible study that digs into the meaning of the tex...

The text for today is Luke 22:39-46: And [Jesus] came out and went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives , and the disciples followed Him.   And when He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me.    Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him.   And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.   And when He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and He said to them, “Why are you sleeping?   Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” This is the Word of the Lord. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! On the night...