“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep c…
After Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead, he appeared many times before his ascension. The third time he appeared to His disciples while cooking breakfast on the shore. During this time, he asked Peter this question three times: “Do you love me?”
Here they come again. Those snooty, holier-than-thou Pharisees came to Jesus with another of their staged questions.
This Sunday’s Gospel message comes from Matthew 5:13-16. Jesus has just given us the Sermon on the Mount, perhaps the most famous sermon delivered by the most famous preacher who ever lived.
A new year! What are you looking for?
The new year has arrived. A fresh year lies ahead. We can look forward to future events with interest and anticipation or we can retreat into a fearful dreading of each new day. Truthfully, we don’t know how this year will unfold, and whether the “good” days will outnumber the “bad.” But o…
We’re barely into the new year, and already the well-intentioned resolutions of many have fallen by the wayside. Some things never change. And in some cases, that's a good thing.
I’m not sure that the depth of my worship can ever match the height of God’s extravagant graciousness toward me. But I am working on it. After all, he is worthy of all glory and honor. I do find encouraging examples of worship in scripture. Mary the mother of Jesus gave thanks and praise in …
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? Such was the pondering of the psalmist.
This is the time of year in Ketchikan when many of us purchase PFD tickets and make plans to “get off the rock.” Life on this rocky and remote island (1,120 square miles) presents unique and interesting challenges. But if we leave for a while and take a much-needed trip to somewhere else, …
“The Golden Retriever in the sky is watching over us,” declared the doting pet owner, gazing upward as he patted his dog.
Faith and politics are the two topics that are prone to cause issues due to deeply held beliefs, philosophies, emotions and motivations. Not only can each of these issues divide friends, family, and society on their own, but when combined they can become even more volatile — lobbing verbal a…
The kingdom of God is not meat, not drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit! Romans 14:17
Visit: To travel to see someone temporarily, to stay for some time as a guest.
“I ask not only on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given…
In the Gospel readings for this weekend, we reflect on the words of Holy Scripture (Luke 6:1-5), where we are reminded of the Sabbath Day, that keeping the Sabbath means keeping our hearts fixed upon the Lord God and His true message of ‘Rest.’
“To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God’s approval. It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God’s word, so that what can be seen was made out of w…
I think sometimes we overlook the importance of small words. Big words sound fancy and therefore big words must be important. Big words are hard to pronounce, and not everyone knows them, so big words make us sound smart. Small words, on the other hand, seem to disappear. When we scan a sent…
Philippians 3:14
Luke 10:25-37. The Good Samaritan parable.
Have you ever wanted to turn the world upside down and hit the re-boot button? Maybe such an act would bring the price of gas down or flood our grocery shelves with plenty of food? Would schools be safe again and nations reconcile with each other? You might ask where God is in all this shock…
Giving of ourselves and our resources can manifest itself in many different ways. Here are words of encouragement from the Bible to spur us on.
“Love is a demonstrated preference, for the wellbeing of others, over and above myself, even at great personal expense, by the help of the Holy Spirit.”
Saying goodbye is a tender time. As I retire from PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center and leave the island, my thoughts go to the relationships and the sense of meaning and purpose that was set out before me. What a gift!
Years ago, I saw a painting that has stuck in my memory. It depicted a huge torrential waterfall with water splashing over the rocks that were lodged in the cliff. Just looking at it you could hear the roar. There were tree branches jutting out into the mist generated by all that water falli…
I wonder if you would find it reasonable to say that the best gifts we’ve received should prompt our highest appreciation.
What does it mean to pray to God? Is prayer merely a shot in the dark when all else fails? Is an answer to prayear more likely if we check certain boxes before asking? Like a political petition, is God more likely to answer prayer if we get extra people involved? Do some Christians have a be…
I don’t know about you, but I, myself, love springtime. It’s full of new life and change. The change from winter to spring — although this spring was a bit slower to get here with the late snowfalls, hail, etc., etc.
We weren’t there, but the one event that changed the world happened in Jerusalem about 1,993 years ago. Now, of course, it hasn’t yet completely changed the world we were born into. But like when a dandelion seed gets blown into your yard, the change has come. Or when light begins to define …
We are nearing the end of our Lenten journey. It is a time we can look back at the past five weeks, consider the meaningful message of Palm Sunday, and look toward the sacred sorrow of Holy Week.
What should a Christian’s life look like? The Beatles told us that “all [we] need is love” – some people believe that is all a Christian needs. Some individuals think that if their good deeds outweigh their bad, they are doing good. Some argue for Christian doctrine – others think that doctr…
KETCHIKAN (KDN) — The Ketchikan High School Kings baseball team won its first contest of 2022 with an 11-0 defeat of the Breck School Mustangs (Minnesota) at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex outside of Orlando, Florida.
Was it an opening day win?
Have you ever noticed in the stories of the bible that whenever God approaches someone, there’s always a request to travel or to go somewhere. In the book of Genesis, God approaches Abram and instructs him to travel from the Land of Ur to Canaan, and then to Egypt and back. After Abram, his …
During Lent, when our prayer life takes on deep connections, mediating on the ministry and crucifixion of Christ, we can find rich inspiration through the world of sacred art.
In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus states the greatest commandments.
Sometimes my computer acts up and starts behaving in irrational ways. No matter how much I try to understand what’s going on, everything seems to slow down or stop working altogether. At such times, the only thing that seems to work is to shut it down and reboot. It’s amazing how often this …
“The LORD is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalms 34:18
“Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together …
By LISA SCARBOROUGH
What does an authentic Christian pastor look like? Are you suspicious of pastors because of the televangelist who fakes miracles and panders for money? Has an abusive or manipulative pastor wounded you in the past? Do you feel like the pastors you have known do not represent God? First, I wa…
My grandmother loved the sunshine in January. My mom would take her to the park, and she would sit on one of the benches and bask in the cold, bright days.
As we close out the past year and look forward to a new year, people tend to feel inspired to make one or two new year’s resolutions. Their hope is to do better than last year in matters of faith, health, work, finances, love and relationships. However, personal history confirms that making …
Happy New Year! It is common at this time of the year to hear a lot about Jesus’s glory. There are many passages in scripture that refer to Jesus’s glory, or God’s glory. I would like to focus on one for a moment to encourage us in the beginning of this new year.
From island to island, across the narrows and straits, above the mountain heights and far below sea level; God is with us. We can go nowhere beyond the love and affection of God. That’s why he sent Jesus his son to us, to make sure we knew the depth of his love toward us. Jesus came to make …
“Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures forever!” — Psalm 107:1
For six years now, PeaceHealth has set aside a time at the end of November to remember those who have died in the past year.
Tomorrow, us Lutheran’s commemorate Martin Luther, one of the first reformers of the 16th Century. While known for writing the very first translation of the bible into the German language, Luther was a prolific writer, beloved professor, astute Bible scholar and a hymn writer. Most people ha…
I’m pretty sure … about some things. Seasons will come and go. The tide rises and recedes, and the sun continues to show up each morning. But when it comes to eternity and heavenly things, I want to be really sure. So, I turn to the source of life, the father of all creation. I study his wor…
Every Sunday, local churches worldwide, seeking to be faithful to Christ, will gather for worship. Each will have its own flavor and style. What activities must mark the gatherings of a local church? What activities are essential? In 21st-century America, we often appear confused about what …
Jesus once told a parable about folks who were confident that their good deeds impressed God; these people scorned everyone else. They viewed themselves as righteous and others as wicked. In this parable, which is a short story used to illustrate a truth, Jesus has two characters: a Pharisee…