Author Archives: pastorsteverichards

We all must be obedient to something or someone. As we enter the final chapters of Deuteronomy (and the close of the Pentateuch – five books of law), Moses makes clear that the renewal of Israel is possible. After forty … Continue reading →

Ahhhhhh… Finally a message that begins to resonate within me. If Christianity was all law, I don’t know that I could bear it. Galatians 5:6 is a welcome gift. The one thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. … Continue reading →

I don’t know if this works for you but as I was reading Galatians I thought of instant coffee. Maybe it was because it was early and with the shift to Daylight Saving’s Time, it felt especially early. But there … Continue reading →

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Paul was frustrated and more than a little upset with the Christians in Galatia. We would need to live there to fully understand the emotion behind these words. If you have been following … Continue reading →

Why should we listen to you? We all have received emails with information that is presented as true and authoritative. Maybe it even ends with a dare – “this is so shocking that I dare you to forward this to ten of … Continue reading →

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb.  They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. (Mark 16:8)And with these words, Mark’s gospel concludes. It was probably not how it originally ended. Somehow the ending … Continue reading →

I want to be satisfied. I think that’s a good place to be. It is also consistent with scripture. Whether it is what we’ve been reading in the Old Testament or the New Testament, we are promised a place in … Continue reading →

What do you do when the strong person in your life suddenly becomes weak? I’m not sure I can even imagine what the disciples felt as they watched Jesus being taken away. He had always been ready with a word … Continue reading →

What’s coming in the future? Jesus shares some very confusing and disturbing news about the future. There will be distruction (and in 70 AD, Roman will destroy Israel, killing everyone it can) and persecution (a generation later, Roman will torture … Continue reading →

What does it mean to be “not far from” something? In the reading from Deuteronomy, we have a review of history that was covered in earlier books. Moses and the people come to the edge of the Promised Land. They … Continue reading →