AnotherJohn.Com

We've had some good rain here in Corpus Christi over the past few weeks. Even around the state, I've seen great pictures of water flowing in places that have been dry for some time. What a blessing! I've been thinking about this while processing my upcoming move. For years, we have been praying for rain and an end to the drought. I can see one older woman in our congregation who would stand up almost every week to ask us to pray for rain. I've included special prayers for relief and given my congregation prayer reminders to take with them for the week.  And here we are. I haven't checked how much of this will fully impact our drought conditions. But I imagine things have gotten better.  I took this screenshot from KIII's FB page. That means, there'll be a season of renewal after I leave here.  That reminds me of the text from John's gospel: "One sows and another reaps." And that is a facet of ministry that holds true. You don't always get t...

  1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 Listen to today’s devotional Nobody wakes up one morning and says, "Today seems like a good day to lose heart." Instead, life throws in a disappointment here and an unanswered prayer there. Before long, the tiring seasons or unresolved grief settle into a weariness of spirit. Losing heart doesn’t happen in a single moment. So, let's consider a word history. The apostle Paul hopes that the Thessalonian church would not be "shaken" by his and their persecution. The word he uses for "shaken" once described a dog wagging its tail. Not exactly the image we expect when talking about persecution and suffering. But it might be helpful. Paul is not worried that suffering will knock the Thessalonians down. He worries that hardship might slowly sway them, wear them down, and coax them away from their confidence in God. Just like that puppy dog's wagging tail can work on you. And there it is. I don’t think most of us abandon faith all a...

  Exodus 4:27-31 Listen to today’s devotional There's a wonderful reminder tucked away early in the Exodus story. After Moses and Aaron share God's redemptive promise with the people, the text says, "The people believed. Exactly what did they believe? I’m not sure they could’ve imagined what would happen soon. At that point, there was one thing that was sufficient for them. The text says that they heard that the Lord had 'given heed' to them. Their first response is to worship, but it wasn't because God parted the sea. That hasn't happened yet. Moses hasn't even gone back to Pharaoh. So far, there's nothing about their circumstances that has improved. What moves them is the realization that God has been listening. The people of Israel had been crying out. Their prayers may have felt unanswered and unnoticed. Yet God had heard every cry. God’s plan may have sounded great, but the good news that Moses first brought was that God had been paying attenti...

  Psalm 116:12-19 Listen to today’s devotional Haven't we all done a little spiritual bargaining before? "God, if you get me through this test, I'll go to church every Sunday." "Lord, if you help me find my keys, I'll be more organized." We laugh because it's true, and it probably always has been. We've all had moments of desperation that turn us into expert negotiators with heaven. Psalm 116 can almost sound like that. The psalmist has been delivered from trouble and now asks, "What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?" He talks about paying vows, lifting the cup of salvation, and publicly honoring God before the people. But this isn't a bargain. The rescue already happened. The psalmist isn't trying to earn God's favor. He's responding to God's faithfulness. God’s grace came first and the psalmist’s gratitude followed. That's important to remember because God is not looking for promises from u...

  Matthew 12:1-8 Listen to today’s devotional The disciples of Jesus were hungry. So, as they walked through the grainfields, they picked a few heads of grain and ate. To us, that seems harmless. When you're hungry, you eat. To the Pharisees, though, it was a violation of the Sabbath. Part of our challenge in reading this passage is that we don't appreciate the weight of the Sabbath the way they did. Sunday is simply the day we go to church and watch football. But for Israel, the Sabbath was one of the defining signs of being in covenant with God. It reminded them that they belonged to God and that their lives were not measured by their productivity, like back in Egypt, but by their trust in the Lord. So, when the Pharisees challenge Jesus, they're not nitpicking a minor rule. In their minds, they're protecting one of the most sacred gifts God gave them. To us, missing church might mean a busy weekend. To them, dishonoring the Sabbath was dishonoring God. Jesus reminded...

This was an emotional weekend. Even though we all knew it was our last Sunday at Kelsey, I think I did a good job of keeping the focus on God in our worship service.  Y'all, I can't tell you how humbling it was to see the sanctuary full. I wanted to say something when I saw people bringing in chairs, but again...focus! It was a beautiful time of worship. I baptized two young saints and we shared Holy Communion.  Afterward, the church hosted a despedida (farewell luncheon). Again, the place was full. There was a time when people shared words of encouragement, thanksgiving, and gifts. I'm glad Gloria was recognized at that time as well. It's hard for her, too, to leave friends and family behind. Keen observers will tell you she's what makes me better than I am.  We didn't make it home until after 3pm. That'll tell you how full the day was.  Again, humbling. As I looked out over my friends at Kelsey, I was humbled by their spirit of love. I still get a swell in...