Sweet Spots
Ideas and messages from Len Sweet.
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Wonder
Wonder, starring Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Daveed Diggs, rated PG read more…
Friendsgiving or Thanksfriending
Friendsgiving or Thanksfriending Lectionary 26 November 2017 Christ the King Sunday Thanksgiving Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Psalm 100 Ephesians 1:15-23 Matthew 25:31-46 Text to Life How many of you were invited to, or hosted, a “friends-giving” dinner this past week? How many of you know what a “friendsgiving” is? As…
White Awake
White Awake: An Honest Look At What It Means To Be White
Daniel Hill
InterVarsity Press, 2017
–Review by Landrum P. Leavell III, ThD.
This is a powerful, transparent, and needed book to inform anyone actually involved in or looking to join the conversation, practice, and hard work of racial reconciliation as it pertains to the local church. This book is not for the platitudinous or the pontificating. It speaks to real-world, on-the-street, in-the-seat relationships and realities. read more…
Stuff and Stuffing
Stuff and Stuffing Lectionary 19 November 2017 24th Sunday After Pentecost Sunday Before Thanksgiving Judges 4:1-7 Psalm 123 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Matthew 25:14-30 Text to Life The second highest paid movie actor of 2017, according to Forbes magazine, is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. [Mark Wahlberg is #1]. Besides…
Formed by the Potter’s Loving Hand
Formed by the Potter’s Loving Hand Story Lectionary 19 November 2017 Creation by the Hand of God from Dirt and Water and the Breath of the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1,2) Moses and the Tent of Meeting During the Exodus (Exodus 33) The Hallel Psalms: 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118…
What Are You Reading?
What Are You Reading?
Here are some recent books and articles I’ve come across which you may find interesting.
New Bible breaks with three-millennium-old plain text tradition
Summary: “After over 3,000 years of being presented in plain text, the Bible is getting a much-needed makeover. While all other print products have moved to graphical presentations, the Bible has remained frozen in time. Now, for the first time, people can see what the Bible would look like if Moses, Joshua, Paul and the other recorders of Scripture had been sitting at a computer when God spoke to them.” read more…
G Major
This is the second-last week of music inspired by the CBC’s Signature Series: a collection of stories told about music in different keys. Pietropaolo, the producer of this series, calls G major the Trusty Sidekick, and identifies Samwise Gamgee as an example of the ideal traveling companion, because of his loyalty to the task of the shared journey. read more…
Prayer –Preaching Tips for 19 November 2017
Prayer can be a powerful part of your message, as well as your sermon. Too often, our churches are long on programs and short on prayer. Make your church a “house of prayer” by incorporating prayer into your sermons. You can do sermons on prayer, have prayer before or after…
Pastor’s Prayer for 19 November 2017
You are Christ,
my Holy Father,
my Tender God,
my Great King,
my Good Shepherd,
my Only Master,
my Best Helper,
my Most Beautiful and my Beloved,
my Living Bread,
my Priest Forever,
my Leader to my Country,
my True Light,
my Holy Sweetness,
my Straight Way,
my Excellent Wisdom,
my Pure Simplicity,
my Peaceful Harmony,
my Entire Protection,
my Good Portion,
my Everlasting Salvation.
Christ Jesus, Sweet Lord,
why have I ever loved,
why in my whole life
have I ever desired anything except You,
Jesus my God?
Where was I when I was not in spirit with You?
Now, from this time forth,
do you, all my desires, grow hot,
and flow out upon the Lord Jesus:
run… you have been tardy until now;
hasten where you are going;
seek Whom you are seeking.
O, Jesus may he who loves You
not be an anathema;
may he who loves You
not be filled with bitterness.
O, Sweet Jesus,
may every good feeling that is fitted for Your praise,
love You, delight in You, adore You!
God of my heart,
and my Portion, Christ Jesus,
may my heart faint away in spirit,
and may You be my Life within me!
May the live coal of Your Love
grow hot within my spirit
and break forth into a perfect fire;
may it burn incessantly on the altar of my heart;
may it glow in my innermost being;
may it blaze in hidden recesses of my soul;
and in the days of my consummation
may I be found consummated with You!
Amen.
–St. Augustine of Hippo
The Writing on the Wall
The Writing on the Wall Story Lectionary 12 November 2017 The Potter’s Hand (Genesis 2) God’s Hand/Finger Strikes Egypt (Exodus 6-8) The Sotah Jealousy Ritual Given to the Israelites by God (Bitter Waters) (Exodus 32) The Ritual of the Sotah and the Law of Jealousy (The Test of Bitter Waters)…