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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

What About “The Chosen”?

A friend recently messaged me to ask my opinion regarding, The Chosen, a TV series that depicts the life of Christ. With a reported 108 million people viewing at least part of the series in 2022, it has become the most popular faith-based television series ever produced. The Chosen was...
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Where There Is Hope in the Future, There Is Power in the Present

In the 1940s, Flagstaff, Maine, was an active logging town. The tiny town’s 300 residents enjoyed living in the picturesque valley. However, shortly after World War II, the state government notified the town of its plans to build a hydroelectric dam downriver from Flagstaff. Unfortunately, that meant the town was...
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The Ubiquitous Cross – Our Ever-Present Gift

Upon leaving dinner with family at a local restaurant a few nights ago, I quickly thought to get a picture of Judy and me to use as a Christmas Day greeting for this blog. Although it was extremely cold, we stopped and posed as our daughter-in-law, Lisa, hurriedly snapped a...
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Please, Dear Prodigal, Return to the Faith of Your Fathers

In my recent three-part series of blog posts, “Leaving the Faith of Their Fathers,” I discussed how parents and grandparents grieve over their prodigals — children who have grown up in the church but, as adults, no longer share their Biblical values. Yet I cannot leave the subject without addressing the prodigal...
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Leaving the Faith of Their Fathers – Part III

As discussed in the first two posts of this three-part series, Christian parents and grandparents grieve over children who have grown up in the church but, as adults, no longer share their Biblical values. Concerned not only about their salvation, these parents and grandparents are also distressed that the opposing...
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