Thought For the Week

Dear Friends, Today (after a 2-3 week break from sending out some thoughts) I am back at it! For those who may not have heard, I just finished 6 months of cancer treatments at the NIH, and after tests on July 24 was told that it has gone into remission. The next day we discovered Nancy’s mom had passed, with her funeral service being held last Monday. It’s been a busy time. So today, still catching up, I thought I would send out the first “Thought for the Week” I ever sent out – way back in February of 2008! Some may remember the story, while others will not. It’s the story behind the writing of the hymn “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” by Thomas Dorsey, published in 1938. I did not reference the book I found it in. Enjoy. The Story Behind the Song, “Precious Lord…” “Back in 1932, I was 32 years old, and a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's south side. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis, wh...

Dear Friends, I love history. In fact, if God had not called me to be a pastor, I might have ended up teaching history. Therefore, today, I share parts of two historical documents (from the second century) which I ran across while doing research for my sermon this past Sunday. I found each one intriguing and thought I would pass them along to you. They both have to do with the beliefs and lifestyles of early Christians. The 1st is by a man named Aristides the Philosopher, a man who was given the job of looking into the new “cult” called Christianity and reporting back to the Emperor Titus Hadrianus Antoninus with what he discovered (some believing he became a Christian himself by the time he finished it). The 2nd is by a man named Diognetus and is taken from his “Epistle of Diognetus.” I believe you will find them informative and challenging. Enjoy. Aristides reports to the Emperor Hadrianus Antoninus. “As for the Christians, they trace their line from Jesus Christ who is ...

Dear Friends, As a pastor I do enjoy hearing people’s conversion stories. Therefore, I thought I would share one I came across this week. It comes out of Kyle Idleman’s book, “Not a Fan.” That is, no just a church goer, or someone who claims to believe, or an admirer of Jesus – but someone who has been changed, by the Spirit of God, into a devoted servant and committed follower of Jesus. This is the story of a man who thought he had it all, till it was all taken from him. His name is Gary Polsgrove. This is his story. Enjoy. NOT A FAN "Guilty." Sitting in front of the judge's stand, I started to cry. I heard the judge say something about jail time, and I sobbed even harder. An officer handcuffed me and took me to jail. I spent a few days there, trying to figure out what had happened to my life. How did it come to this? I had reached the pinnacle of my career as a pilot for UPS. I had everything going for me. Having left my wife in 1993, I didn't have anyone...

Dear Friends, Today I send along a couple of short encouragements for prayer. They were both written by Lettie B. Cowman (1870-1960), wife of Charles Cowman, both missionaries to Japan and founders of the Oriental Mission Society. They had a heart for the Japanese people and wanted to reach as many as they could with the Gospel. Although they were making huge strides in their goals, Charles was not satisfied. So, he started “The Great Village Campaign” in 1913. His goal was for every person in Japan to hear the Gospel within the next five years. Teams of missionaries went to every town, village, and home throughout Japan, proclaiming the Gospel and distributing Bibles. The physical strain of this huge endeavor had a negative effect on Charles' health, and in 1917 he and Lettie were forced to return to America. In January 1918, they received news through The O.M.S. Standard that the Great Village Campaign was complete! About 60 million Japanese had heard the Gospel, as the tea...

Dear Friends, When I first started preaching, I was told by one individual, “You’re too theological, you need to be more practical.” I took the critique to heart but was a bit confused, since I find theology immensely practical, helpful, and life-sustaining! In fact, I chose this selection for today precisely because it’s an example of how “theology” can have its practical and life-changing effects on us. It’s from A.W. Tozer’s book, “The Knowledge of the Holy” – a book I would recommend as a ‘must read’ for those who like going deeper than just skimming the surface of things. This particular thought deals with God’s “unchangeableness” or as theologians prefer to put it, “God’s Immutability.” Give it a read and see if such theological and biblical truth does not offer real and practical help to those truly seeking it. Enjoy. Theological Truth: “For a moral being to change it would be necessary that the change be in one of three directions. He must go from better ...

Dear Friends, This week's "thought" has to do with an amazing move of God in Ireland between 1857 and 1860. It's a true account of what led to the "Ulster Revival" of 1859. Some of you have heard about it, others may not have, but I share about it through a portion of a devotional book I use, entitled: "The One Year Book of Christian History," by E. Michael Rusten and Sharon Rusten. I have also added facts from two other sources ( reformationsa.org and banneroftruth.org ). I send it along to encourage you to continue sharing the Gospel and to persist in praying for the church – never knowing how God may choose to use your words. Enjoy! "In the spring of 1856 an English lady by the name of Mrs. Colville (in no source could I find anyone who knew her first name!) came to Ulster, Ireland, from Gateshead, England. She began a program of house-to-house visitation with a view to winning souls for Christ. In November she returned to England ...