A Word from Rick: June 18, 2022

notes on the Bible

One voice in… voices out. One voice speaks within each of us by the Holy Spirit. Speaking to the image of God, God’s love, and the ability to love God and love like God, which is deep within each of us. As the Apostle Paul wrote, we are “clay jars” read more »

A Word from Rick: June 3, 2022

notes on the Bible

Pentecost, Pentecostal, Pentecostalism … what do the words bring to mind? Some will think of an overly enthusiastic church filled with people waving their arms, speaking incoherently, and fainting to the ground. Others will think of that day written about in the book of Acts which is often called the read more »

A Word from Rick: May 20, 2022

notes on the Bible

Warning: I’m going to run a well-known and beloved saying into the ground with overuse. With that in mind… In the movie “Forrest Gump,” the lead character, Forrest, repeats an expression his mother had told him about life and the many surprises it brings. In what is now an iconic read more »

A Word from Rick: May 13, 2022

notes on the Bible

I like change. At least the change I like. When I think about change, I realize that it is likely to be one of the most consistent aspects of my life. When we think something needs improvement, we make changes. When we think that things are just right, we resist read more »

A Word from Rick: May 6, 2022

notes on the Bible

What a weekend! The temperature is predicted to reach 95+ tomorrow. But the important news is that it will be Mother’s Day. A day set aside to give thanks for all the sacrifices mothers have made for their children, and more. It can also be a complicated day. In the read more »

A Word from Rick: April 29, 2022

notes on the Bible

Some weeds have flowers, some flowers have thorns. Some soil is good for many types of plants, but not for all. Some plants are good for people to eat providing nutrients to live on, others have medical uses. There are some that are downright poisonous to people, pets, livestock… seemingly read more »

A Word from Rick: April 22, 2022

notes on the Bible

After Easter, now what? So much work, emotion, and worship have gone into celebrating God’s grace and love in Jesus the Christ, and the significance it holds for us, we may wonder, ‘What next?’ As for myself, I want to sleep. But just for a short while! Fortunately, there is read more »

A Word from Rick: April 8, 2022

notes on the Bible

In the Beginning: Who Do You Cheer For? It’s Palm Sunday! It’s the beginning of a time when we celebrate the coming of Easter and welcome Jesus along with the crowd in ancient Jerusalem. We wave palm branches and sing songs of celebration and worship. In a way, we could read more »

A Word from Rick: April 1, 2022

notes on the Bible

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus goes from town-to-town teaching, proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom, curing disease and illness. He looked at the crowds and saw how they were harassed, confused, helpless, with meaningless and aimless lives. They needed guidance, purpose and assurance of the love that God read more »