Celtic Preacher

Restoring What Was Lost

God's primary way of communicating is through the Scripture (Bible). How do we know the difference between God leading us and other people's personal opinions on what we should do and how we should live? Lessons from Nehemiah 8

I’m Not The Same Person I Was

The first miracle recorded in John's gospel (book of good news) is Jesus' changing the water in wine. Of all the things Jesus did, why begin with that? I wonder if John is saying, "Listen, if he can change water into wine, think what he can change in your life." Text John 2

Who Or What Is The Holy Spirit?

 I think the Holy Spirit is the most neglected aspect of God, Jesus; we have heard of, God, yes, we have an idea about God, but the Spirit not so much. It's intriguing to note that Jesus didn't begin his teaching, healing, nor outreach of any kind until he was sure the Spirit-empowered Him. Today we are looking at Jesus' baptism and the difference  Spirit baptism makes in our lives. The text is Luke 3:21

Understanding Christmas Part 2

Joy to the world.
While reading the Christmas story in Luke 2 this year, it struck me isn't that easy to make any sense out of the reading. The shepherds didn't seem to have trouble making sense of it all. What do we need a Savior for, and what do we need to be saved from?

I Find That Hard To Believe. Christmas Part 1

If you have trouble trusting, God you are in good company. From the beginning chapters of the Bible throughout the book, people tend to question, argue, doubt, and even laugh at God's promises.  Today we look at Zechariah's story, which indeed must confirm that God has a sense of humor.   This teaching will begin the Christmas series, part 2, next week.   The text can be found in Luke 1 

Protecting Our Inner Peace

We have to learn how to live in this world with a degree of detachment, Jesus teaches; otherwise, we will forfeit our inner peace. Common ways of coping with life's stresses are not always the most helpful way.  Text is Luke 21:25-36 Advent 1

Places Of Tension

Sometimes we feel caught between a rock and a hard place. Either direction is going to cause trouble. Maybe I will offend someone, or perhaps I'll be misunderstood or disapproved of if I choose this direction or respond in this way. There is a high cost to being true to yourself and God. Do I have the courage to do the right thing? In our text today, Pilate finds the choice simply too risky and compromised everything he knows to be true. Text is John 18

No Strings Attached

Acts of generosity or help of any kind can be done for the wrong reasons, Jesus points out in our text today. Learning to give and help is essential to Jesus, but it's the kind of giving that has no strings attached, and that's not so common. Text is Mark 12:38-44  Podcast 105

A Time To Weep

There's a lot of weeping in our passage today; Jesus is grieving over the loss of his closest friend, Lazarus. Martha, Lazarus' sister, is angry, confused, and brokenhearted. The disciples are bewildered. Yes, you can trust God and yet still be angry,  confused, and brokenhearted. We get to be fully human, and even Jesus is overwhelmed with grief at times. The text is Gospel of John 11 

Change Is Hard

Change is necessary, Jesus would say. When we resist change, we stop growing. We get stuck in old ways of doing and thinking and lose our inner freedom. Jesus taught, if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:31