Baptized Into Christ

"Top of the world!" Such was the response given by one of the saints I had the privilege to pastor whenever he was asked, "How are you?" Each time I came to visit him I'd ask, "How are you doing?" and each time he'd respond, "Top of the world!" But one day, as I sat in his room with him, this pillar of the church made a confession.  "You know, I'm not really feeling on top of the world.  There are a lot of times when I don't feel that way, but I say it because it's what people expect.  It makes them smile."  He was honest with me and he was honest with others too in letting them know that, in truth, he wasn't really feeling on top of the world. So...how are you today?  How are you doing?  How are you really doing? The instant response most of us have is to say, "I'm doing okay," in some way, shape, or form.  But what if we were to answer such questions honestly? What would we say? "...

A weary wanderer slowly walked towards the entrance of a castle.  The wanderer knows the dangers of being out there…outside of the walls of protection offered by a castle.  The wanderer approaches the doors of the castle, hoping to be allowed inside, but doubting that he’ll be allowed since those inside might very well think him a threat to their own safety. The drawbridge is down, so the wanderer approaches the gate and as he approaches, he eyes the gatekeeper, hoping to be able to discern what kind of a man the gatekeeper is and what kind of reception he can expect from him. The gatekeeper looks at the wanderer kindly and says, “Why do you wish to enter?” “I wish only to find safety,” the wanderer replies.  “And I won’t stay long.  I won’t be an inconvenience.” The gatekeeper smiles gently and asks, “Why do you with to only stay a short time?  Why not find your home here?” This caught the wanderer off guard.  In every town and castle ...

What is wrong with those people in the Bible? The Israelites despair, fearing that they will starve to death in the wilderness after God has just brought them out of slavery to the most powerful nation on earth; after God used a series of 10 plagues and then brought them safely through the water of the Red Sea, but drowned Pharaoh and his army.  Then, after God provides food for the Israelites (and water), they despair that there's no way they'll be able to conquer the people of Canaan.  They thing, "the Canaanites are just to big and strong and numerous for us to have a chance!"   What is wrong with those people?  Don't they remember what God has already done for them?  Why are they so quick to believe that the God who has provided for them again and again, in mighty and miraculous ways, would abandon them now?   "Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?" the disciples wondered out loud....