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Around the Table

The Weekly Post Have you ever noticed how often Jesus asked questions? Simple questions like: "Have you caught any fish?" Probing questions: "What were you arguing about as we walked along the way?" Easy questions: "Who do men say that I am?" Personal questions: "Who do you say that I am?" Difficult questions: "Why did you doubt?" Challenging questions: "Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" Liberating questions: "Woman, where are your accusers?" Conversation among Christians should edify, encourage, and "spur one another on toward love and good deeds." But we often spend an entire evening talking about sports, current events, children, restaurants, and movies but never go deeper, and we waste opportunities to fortify one another in the Christian life, and unfortunately we can miss opportunities to share the gospel. Throughout the Old Testament God encouraged the Israelites to remember... October 4, 2026

Does Clothing Matter to God?

The Weekly Post Three weeks ago a neighborhood Bible study asked me to model the garments of a High Priest. They were studying Exodus 28 which gives details of what the Jewish high priests were commanded to wear when performing their sacred duties. Moses was told, "Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honor". (Exodus 28:2) The rest of the chapter details what the high priest was to wear when he led worship in the temple. One of the women in the Bible study had taken hours to sew precisely the elaborate apparel God prescribed for the designated mediator between God and man. That's me, in the photo, complete with a fake beard, wearing all the accessories of a high priest. Prior to the lesson I was reading in a side room and forgot to take off my "cheater"... September 20, 2026

When Crime Goes Unpunished

The Weekly Post In January 2023, Lindsay Clancy strangled her three young children—Cora (5), Dawson (3), and Callan (8 months)—in the basement of their Duxbury, Massachusetts home. This past week her trial ended in a mistrial. Her defense attorney said eleven of the twelve jurors were prepared to declare her not guilty on the grounds of insanity; the prosecutor disputed that reading of the jury's notes. While Lindsay Clancy admitted she murdered her children, her defenders argued that she was over-medicated and in the grip of postpartum psychosis—that perhaps the drugs she was taking, or the illness itself, caused her to lose her mind and commit such a horrific deed. Only one member of the twelve-member jury stood firm in opposition to that argument. As a result, the weeklong deliberation ended without a verdict and the judge declared a mistrial. Lindsay Clancy could be... September 7, 2026

There Be God

The Weekly Post There is an old sermon illustration I heard again recently that explains why dragons are pictured on some ancient maps. Terrifying experiences were thought to lie in wait at the far edge of the ocean, so cartographers would sometimes paint dragons or demons on their charts to mark the regions no one had ever explored. "Here be dragons" became the shorthand for unknown territory. But the famous explorer Sir John Franklin refused to be intimidated by the unknown. Franklin was a devoted Christian, a man of faith and prayer. His ability to suffer hardships with patience, courage and joy is well documented. Legend has it that Franklin took a copy of one of the "Here be dragons" maps, crossed out the ominous warning, and wrote, "Here be God!" He was determined to trust the Lord and continue to explore God's creation. He... August 30, 2026

Whatever Happened to Sin?

The Weekly Post Recently, I received an amazing photo of my newest great-grandchild, John Luke Russell. Our family gushed over it. We studied his facial features—his little nose and Cupid’s-bow mouth. What makes the photo all the more extraordinary is that John Luke has not yet been born. It was taken during our granddaughter-in-law’s ultrasound. The image is so spectacular you can’t help but marvel at the miracle of life. Just a few weeks later, the governor of Massachusetts signed a bill into law that makes it legal for a mother to abort a baby just like John Luke, right up to the day of delivery. A number of legislators who sponsored the bill stood behind her, smiling, clapping, and celebrating the right to kill a fully developed, totally innocent little child. How decadent can our society become before the wrath of God falls... August 23, 2026

To Whom Much Influence Is Given, Much Influence Is Required

Kudos to Riley Gaines, the University of Kentucky swimmer who has taken a strong stance to protect the integrity of women’s sports.  Riley publicly opposed the idea of men participating in women’s swim competitions after the 2022 NCAA women’s swimming championship, when she tied for fifth with a male swimmer...
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When Is Enough, Enough

I have been a big fan of Lamar Jackson since 2015 when I first watched him play football as a freshman at the University of Louisville. He was the most exciting college football player I have ever seen, and he remains a remarkable athlete.  After Jackson was drafted into the...
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A Prayer for Our City

Bob Russell’s “Prayer for Our City” was recorded on April 12, 2023, the morning after a gunman opened fire inside the Old National Bank building in downtown Louisville, killing five people and wounding many others, including a police officer, before being shot and killed by police.  A Prayer for Our...
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Prayer for Louisville

Following yesterday’s horrific mass shooting in Louisville, PURE Radio requested I record a prayer for our city.  They may have been hoping for a short, 30-second prayer to fit their radio format, but what emerged was a much lengthier, heartfelt plea for God’s mercy and comfort.  You may listen to...
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One Day Jesus Will Call My Name

One of my favorite older praise songs declares: “One day, Jesus will call my name As days go by, I hope I don’t stay the same. I wanna get so close to Him that it’s no big change, On that day that Jesus calls my name!”* When Jesus first called...
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