BLOG––Encouraged by Faith

When we pray to God for guidance, we should not be surprised when he answers that prayer.  In other words, we should look expectantly for his guidance.  In addition to the general guidance given in his word, we might do well to expect that he would speak to us through our...

With the current coronavirus concerns, we are meeting in house assemblies until further notice.  Changing the forum for our public worship can be enlightening, but also challenging!  We experience that church is the people––where before we only knew it.  But having...

The expression “mountain top experience” actually comes from Matthew (and the other gospels) which relate the joy and amazement of the disciples when they saw Jesus being transfigured, but then found themselves in immediate conflict when they descended. It occurs to me that...

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV) And from Psalm 126: When...

Sometimes we have grand dreams of what we will do for God if we could just get away to travel to another place or if we were just at another stage of life. We do not intend to procrastinate, but ... Our personal situations will never be optimal for advancing God's kingdom. Legitimate obstacles...

My heart goes out to those who are depressed in our worship assemblies.  Many people can rely on their personal temperaments to help them fully participate in corporate worship.  It's harder for ones who come to worship feeling dull, slow, even sad and...

I've read other books by Rachel Held Evans.  A couple of years ago I heard her present at a seminar.  She always has provocative things to say.  So it was with great anticipation that I sat down tonight to read her book “Inspired.”  (It also...

We are called to hospitality.  (I Peter 4:9; Hebrews 13:2; Matthew 25:31-46).  This includes not only our spiritual family but even strangers. How can we practice hospitality in the 21st century to strangers?  I suggest a minimal first step:  see...

“Paperwork, cleaning the house, dealing with the innumerable visitors who come all through the day, answering the phone, keeping patience and acting intelligently, which is to find some meaning in all that happens – these things, too, are the works of peace.” Dorothy...

I'm so proud of my son Scott Kenney for coming up with such a thoughtful communion meditation.  He delivered this on May 5, 2019, at East Side Church of Christ in Colorado Springs.   “Welcome to the Table of the Lord. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for...