"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:1, 6).Every day I am reminded of two important truths about living a Christian life. First, it is lived by faith. Thank...

God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble.Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give wayand the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,though its waters roar and foamand the mountains quake with their surging.The Lord Almighty is with us;the God of Jacob is our fortress.Come and see what the Lord has doneHe says, "Be still, and know that I am ...

This week's New Testament reading is from the Letter to the Hebrews, specifically from Chapter 12, where the writer urges us to fix "our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith" (verse 2a). This is the second time the writer encourages us to focus on Jesus. He first mentioned it in Chapter 3, where he said: "Fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as ...

As many of you know, and many new to the Anglican way are learning, during the first moments of every Sunday worship service we pray a "Collect" (a concise prayer that gathers and focuses our hearts on God's majesty and eternal qualities). When we pray the collect, whether the weekly one or the Collect for Purity, we follow a pattern that addresses God's attributes and act...

Collect appointed for Sunday, July 20th: O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 As you may ...

"We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of h...

I am a patriotic American; however, I usually avoid talking about politics or promoting nationalism in my sermons or devotionals. I don't plan to break that rule today. Still, since we're celebrating the 249th year of America's independence, it feels appropriate to reflect on what the Bible says about loving one's country, regardless of which country it is. Although the Bi...

Let me begin this morning's devotional with the following questions: What does it mean to follow Jesus? What does it mean to love and serve him? What does it mean to grow as a Christian? What does it mean to strive to be faithful to Jesusat home, in our community of faith, and in the midst of the surrounding culture? In Matthew 10, Jesus presents his vision for discipleshi...

PSALM 63: A Psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah. 1O God, you are my God;I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you;my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary landwhere there is no water.2I have seen you in your sanctuaryand gazed upon your power and glory.3Your unfailing love is better than life itself;how I praise you!4I will praise you ...

Last week, the Anglican Church, along with many other Christian movements around the world, celebrated Pentecost Sunday. This week, many of those same churches and movements will intentionally celebrate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the belief that God is one God existing in three co-equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Although the word "Trinity" d...