ROCK RESISTANCE

Posted January 1, 2026 by wordsfromww
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“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25)

In general, the church has struggled to define its relevance to current culture. It has battled with two questions: Why do we do the things that we do, and why shouldn’t we do what the culture is doing? A subtitled question for the second would be “What are the limits to the push to be culturally relevant?”

In some cases, the drive to be culturally “with it” has resulted in producing churches that have thrown Jesus into the backseat. He’s not even riding shotgun anymore. In other situations, churches have asked the risky question, “Why not try this? Would Jesus be upset by it, or is it just different than what has always been the tradition?”

Jesus’s teaching about the house built on the rock versus the house built on sand brings us, literally, to the foundation of the issue. I mean, “who builds on sand?” is the logical question. In recent years, we’ve seen many crumbling houses built exactly there. Some in sinkholes, others on hillsides where erosion has deemed the structure unsafe to live in. In some of the situations, the “bad” foundation isn’t discovered until later on when it’s too late to change anything.

It makes me wonder if, in the beginning, the sifting sand looked solid? Did the decision to build seem like a great idea, a creative project that was going to connect with those seeking the truth? Did it look rock solid? When did the foundation become more about cultural leanings and less about Christ?

Regarding the church, there is a certain mindset that holds firmly to the idea that rock-hard resistance to the winds of change is the way of the faithful, while others argue that such rigidity eliminates the freedom the gospel brings.

In addition, the church and its members have a habit of trivializing what it means to have a solid faith by putting disqualifiers into the question. Can you be anchored to the Rock and still drink a margarita? Does being Rock-Solid mean that playing the lottery is an indicator of a lack of faith? Can I stay close to Christ and still cuss?

Going back to my opening question, it has been difficult for the church to define its relevance to culture, and also what being set free by the gospel means and what it looks like.

The vitalness of being anchored to the Rock is evident in the cultural antagonisms that pull in various directions. “WWJD”- what would Jesus do gets verbalized in vastly different ways by different people and groups. What is a sign of waywardness to one group is a sign of devotion to another. Changing the world for Christ will always meet resistance from those who want the world to change in another way. It seems that Christ-followers too often have to battle against culture and other Christians. In reading the epistles of the New Testament, the struggle was evident back then as well. Pressures from those outside and tensions and warped beliefs from some of those on the inside made for lengthy letter correspondence. Of course, that was the early church in various locations and hostile cultures. They were communities of believes trying to figure faith out.

I’m not sure what our excuses are. Staying close to Jesus always seems to attract sand and wind.

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Muscle Noise

Posted December 23, 2025 by wordsfromww
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“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1)

My friend, Allan, was talking to me about the pet scan he was scheduled to have. Because of a bout with cancer a few years ago, he has the scan done when his physician considers it a precautionary step. Allan was not looking forward to NOT doing the things that are a part of his daily routine, such as a spinning class on a stationary bike at the local YMCA and taking a long walk. Those exercise activities were no-nos, as well as eating carbohydrates.

I asked him why, and he said it was because of “muscle noise.” I had never heard that term before. Muscle noise…hmmm! He explained that muscle noise can cause a false positive on the test. Muscle noise can make it appear as if there is a tumor or inflammation, leading to misinterpretation of the situation. It can also mask the situation, or, as the physician would say, “steal the tracer,” reducing the signal from smaller tumors that might be present.

Thus, as Allan explains it, he was not excited about a day of inactivity to avoid muscle noise. Probably going to turn him into “The Grouch” for a few hours, and make him a bear to live with. All to keep his muscles from being out of control and, as the younger generation would say, giving a “fake-out.”

Sometimes I wish there could be a spiritual “muscle noise” scan for followers of Jesus. You know…a tool that could signal authenticity or false praise. Who is making a lot of noise that is inaccurately interpreted as heartfelt devotion and commitment? Who is drawing attention to themselves, instead of worship of the Lord?

Shouldn’t there be times when stillness and silence define the person and the worship of the believers? Just as some worship is sedate and unconnected, there is another kind of worship that could best be defined as spastic and ingenuous. Sometimes the church needs to practice silence to hear the still, small voice of the Spirit. Sometimes the church needs to be still and know that He is the Lord.

A friend of mine, in describing his church’s worship experience, said, “We praise the Lord during the worship service and then act like the devil getting out of the parking lot.”

As Allan said, there are certain things he isn’t allowed to do before his scan, which minimize the risk of misinterpretation. That sounds like a good idea for Christ-followers, also. There should be certain things we don’t do during the hours leading up to worship, certain things that cause distance from the One we worship, instead of closeness to the Holy.

Muscle noise. Muscle silence. What an interesting thing to discover.

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Dark Walks

Posted December 22, 2025 by wordsfromww
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“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2)

December 21st is referred to as the “shortest day of the year.” Actually, it’s the same length of time as any other day. The irony of its logo is that it is the longest day of darkness. Darkness comes early, only a few hours after it had stayed too long.

It is not uncommon for my wife and me to take dark walks during these days, saturated with darkness. There is a degree of treacherous stepping as we proceed up our street and around the neighborhood. Being familiar with where cracks in the sidewalk and potholes in the street exist helps us avoid most stumbles…most stumbles! Darkness hides new developments and dangers until it’s too late.

When Isaiah spoke his prophecy, it was a dark time for Judah. Assyria was dominating. The people were suffering. Oppression characterized the time. The words of the prophet must have sounded strange. “Seeing a great light?” “A light has dawned in deep darkness?” Eugene Peterson’s The Message paraphrase renders the last part of the verse, “For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—
 light! sunbursts of light!“

When darkness dominates, is it a fairy tale to talk of sunbursts of light? Or, does any speck or glimmer of light get interpreted as hope?

When life is defined by the oppressiveness of darkness, seeing light at the end of the tunnel brings a welcome sigh of relief. Many folk describe their lives as being a walk in “the longest darkness.” What an incredible moment for them to have a sunburst of hope! A light that shows the path and the destination.

I read the news this morning. It was a walk into the dark world we live in. Violence, fraud, racism, poverty. I was looking for a light, just a ray, just a twinkle. Isaiah gives me that glimmer of hope. It came to me in the form of a 96-year-old woman from our church. Her daughter convinced her that it was finally time to give up the shoveling of her nieghbors’ driveway and sidewalks. She had done it for years. Two heart attacks hadn’t even stopped her. Sometimes darkness just needs someone to is willing to make a path for others.

Yesterday, during our Sunday worship service, the youth of our church showered her with joy when we gave her a plate of Christmas cookies we had baked and decorated. For a caring, elderly lady, it was a moment of vibrant kindness that brought a radiance to her face.

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Looking Like Carl

Posted December 15, 2025 by wordsfromww
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“ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

The Youth Sunday School Class I teach told me that I look like Carl Fredricksen from the movie “Up.” They even found a picture on the internet and displayed it on the screen in our classroom…with me standing beside a backgrounded Carl. Unfortunately, there was a resemblance. I’m a few years away from(hopefully) being a full-fledged member of the Carl Club, but he is leaking into me.

Most of us are hopeful that we resemble someone who is nice, or at least good-looking. A good friend of mine was compared to supervillain Gru from the “Despicable Me” film series. Funny how both of us have been compared to animated characters.

My hope is that, despite my similarities to Carl, minus the walking stick, I am resembling Jesus a little more each day, as opposed to being villainous and despicable. It’s a daily…no, I mean an ongoing moment-by-moment possibility. The closer I stay to Jesus the more I understand His mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and grace. When I talk about needing peace of mind, I need only to look in His direction and have a chat with Him about my troubled soul.

Our culture’s understanding of transformation is more instantaneous. You weren’t, and now you are. You didn’t have it, and now you do. My hunger was transformed in a few moments by the super-sized McDonald’s meal; and then shortly after that, my appeased appetite would be transformed into indigestion. Transformation is understood differently in the physical world.

In the spiritual world, it’s a journey, more like slowly turning a giant freighter in the midst of the vast sea. It’s a daily prayer of repentance and hope, thankfulness and praise.

I am thankful for others who have been on this journey before me and whom I can look to as reflections of Jesus. My dad was one of those. Some say I am a physical recreation of him. He was the Deacon Emeritus of his church, a man wise and grounded, kind and friendly, a listener and a doer. In his last couple of years of life, he had what was called a “hurry-cane,” like Carl’s, but he was never in a hurry when there was someone who needed a word of encouragement or redirection.

I may look like Carl Fredricksen, but I hope I reflect Laurence Wolfe.

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Slip Ons

Posted December 11, 2025 by wordsfromww
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“Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.” (Proverbs 12:24)

I bought a pair of shoes that are “slip-ons.” They sit on the floor of my closet, and I effortlessly slide my feet into them. I’m not sure how I feel about it. There’s a slither of guilt as I slip into the slippers. Is it a sign of my laziness? As Proverbs hints, am I one of those slackers that thinks work is a four-letter word? Oh, that’s right. It is.

What are the limits of convenience? I have visions of Rosie the Robot from The Jetsons, running around and making life easy for George and company.

Slip-ons are nice. I don’t grunt when I slide into them. When I revert to a pair of shoes that have shoelaces that need to be tied, I grunt as I lean over to tie the knot. I never used to grunt like a pig when grabbing the laces, but it’s now come to that. Unfortunately, I don’t have slip-on socks, so Porky is still making sounds.

Which prompts the question? What’s the next invention that will lean me even more into being incapable of labor? A car that drives itself? (Oh, I guess technology is ahead of the game already on that one!) A business that allows me to order up a meal without having to cook it, and have it delivered to my residence? (Oh! I’m way behind on that one!) A buttoned-down shirt that doesn’t need to be buttoned, but just slides on (even over my mid-section)?

I know, I know, convenience has saturated my life for a long, long time. I’m now having a hard time even remembering the pre-microwave oven days, or the days when someone had to actually get out of their chair and walk to the TV to change the channel. In the distant memories of my mind are the days before my grandparents had indoor plumbing. (Yes, they had an outhouse…complete with spiders and other creepy things)

The bible seems to promote a work ethic that has now been redefined. When work ethic is discussed, it is usually equated with getting things done, rather than slouching in the recliner with a beer and a bag of chips close at hand.

Students with a solid work ethic are usually organized and complete their assignments on time… and well. True confession! I was a procrastinator who completed assignments at the last minute. In recent times (Maybe it’s a COVID thing), students don’t even do the assignments. Sloth has settled into the classroom.

Of course, our churches have “slip-ins.” They are people who slip in and slip out, like cars in a McDonald’s drive-thru. Slip in to get a nugget of spiritual direction and slip out to resume the other 99% of life. That is, unless there is a crisis that needs more than a moment. That sounds like a variation of laziness that results in “forced labor.” Forced labor being defined as “having to deal with what has been ignored.”

Back to my “slip-ons.” One remedy is to hide them in the closet and return to my days of grunting and bending over in discomfort. Or, maybe a better solution is to balance my convenience with another way of service and help, like emptying the dishwasher, shoveling the snow in the driveway of one of our neighbors up the street who is dealing with cancer, making myself available to help at school, or inviting the neighborhood to our house for hot chocolate, cookies, queso, and chips on a Sunday afternoon. (Actually, Carol orchestrated that last suggestion this past February, and 20 of our neighbors came and stayed…and stayed…and stayed, almost like they were cherishing the moments)

Every time I slip on my slip-ons, it is now a reminder that my life is filled…okay blessed with an easiness. I’m reminding myself that the easiness is also a path that frees me up to do harder things.

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Pickleball Annoyance

Posted December 1, 2025 by wordsfromww
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“And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

The town council of Carmel, California is having the first reading on December 2 of a new ordinance that would ban pickleball in the town. The constant noise of paddles on the hard plastic balls of the most popular sport in America has taken its toll on citizens seeking peace and quiet.

One solution that went thud was the suggestion to play with quieter equipment, but pickleball purists said that was not an option. To them, the sound of the ball hitting the paddle needed to be at a certain pitch…kinda like the smack of a baseball bat making contact with a pitched ball. Carmel citizens living around the current pickleball courts aren’t going for that. They never knew how pleasant the sound of quiet was until they no longer had it.

Sometimes, one person’s peace is another person’s disgruntlement…and vice versa. It’s interesting to me that we often couple quiet with peace, as if quiet is peace. In a noisy world, quiet is a hard find. I doubt the citizens of Carmel will find peace once the pickleball fanatics have migrated to a kinder, noisier area. They might breathe a sigh of relief that the pinging has subsided, but peace is a much deeper find than silence.

The scriptures connect true peace with God, not with quiet. It’s an inner calmness and quiet that is able to drown out the chaos of the world and the shouting of the urgent; an inner “settling” that firmly grasps our God Who is a caregiver and a stress-taker.

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Real Gospel…Maybe

Posted November 17, 2025 by wordsfromww
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“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

I was scrolling through a Google Search looking for information on Artificial Intelligence and the gospel. My scroll kept scrolling…and scrolling…and scrolling. Some of the articles and/or posts were hysteria and paranoia gone crazy. Christians have a way of taking new technology and turning it into an indication that the end times are just around the corner. Or, making the jump to how culture is making the church worldly. (Think back to the worship wars of the 80s and drum sets on the sanctuary platform causing a few deacons’ meetings to go late into the night!)

And just like other things, like “The Cannabis Church” (Yes, it’s real…or was real! Far out, dude!), there become extremist elements that seek to stretch the elasticity of the body of believers. It’s our way of trying to look relevant or hip.

AI is a conundrum for believers and the church. It has its advantages and helps, but some folk are confusing it with the real thing. It reminds me of when Carol and I went with friends to an Elvis Impersonator concert a couple of years ago. From our balcony seats, it seemed like Elvis had risen from the dead and was gyrating on the stage in his white sequined pantsuit. Elderly women would stroll up to the edge of the stage in order to put a string of beads or a scarf around his neck and kiss him on his cheek. I had to remind myself that Elvis had died back in 1977.

A new app, Text With Jesus, was recently featured on NBC’s TODAY SHOW. Text With Jesus allows a person to ask Jesus questions and receive His response. Whereas, I use a website called “Biblegateway.com” to find the location of a verse, as well as how that verse is worded in different translations and paraphrases, Text With Jesus sometimes gives direct quotes that Jesus says in one or more of the gospels, but also what Jesus MIGHT say.

The fear (There is always fear!) is that some will use the app as a replacement for the Real Jesus. It’s a fear, with some merit, that the church had about streaming worship services. Would some folk stay at home and watch, still in their pajamas and slippers, instead of being in the REAL sanctuary? COVID forced the issue, making the point that people could still be part of the church without actually being seen.

So…now we have access to a Jesus with artificial intelligence. Will he help or hinder? Will the gospel take on a warped form, or become more relevant to some people trying to figure out their relationship with God? Just as the sanctuary drum set behind a protective shield did not signal the arrival of the prophetic end times, I’m confident that AI (with a Jesus voice) will not be an indication of the dawning of a religious Terminator with a Schwarzenegger accent.

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The End of Joy

Posted November 12, 2025 by wordsfromww
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But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)

Joy seems to be a byproduct of the nativity birth. The magi are overwhelmed with joy when the Bethlehem Star stops over the birthplace. (Matthew 2:10) The shepherds are told by the angel, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)

It was a jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring joyous occasion. The only one who was not overjoyed was King Herod. The other characters in the birth narrative have realized that the event they had prayed for…longed for…waited for was upon them. It reminds me of the reaction of a couple who have longed for a child and been disappointed time and time again. And then the day comes when the pregnancy test is positive. It is impossible for them to just go about their day as if nothing has changed. They are ecstatic and close to hyperventilating. Or, I suppose we could say, they are filled with joy.

It seems difficult for us to retain the joy of Christmas —the wonder of the experience. The cynic says, “We had Christmas last year. We have it this year, and we will have it next year. What’s there to be joyful about?”

Perhaps the fact that the major store businesses moved the Halloween dumb decorations (My view!) even before Halloween arrived, so the twinkling reindeer could be put together and displayed has something to do with the termination of joy. I tend to think the season’s ambivalence is tied to the uprooting of purpose. Joy gets cancelled because we forget about the God’s intimate intervention into the historical moment.

Jaw-dropping moments of the Divine communing with humanity are seldom expected. The son of a good friend of mine had a severe health crisis. They prayed, often asking for God’s closeness as they walked on an uncertain path. When a clean bill of health suddenly appeared, their joy was intense and praise overwhelming. I’ve got a feeling that’s close to the reaction of the nativity story characters. The unexpected was immersed with the evidence of the Holy. People who thought it was the end of joy were swept up into the Great Joy.

May that be our story as we head toward the Bethlehem narrative.

Joy, joy, and overwhelming joy.

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Living Despite The Past

Posted October 31, 2025 by wordsfromww
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“When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her… Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” (John 8:7, 10-11)

Saint Augustine said, “There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future.” Words that get blurred by today’s ability to bring past words and actions to the present, like as facial birthmark that won’t go away. Our past is incriminating. It’s a reminder that at one time…or a thousand one-times…we didn’t have our act together.

Our past is dotted with rude words, insulting gestures, and hurtful shames. There are moments we’d like to forget, to pretend they didn’t happen, but we live in a culture that is unable to forget. Kids in school may yawn at the mention of their history class, but they can recall in detail the slights and slips others have inflicted on them.

Truthfully, we all have a history… a mixture of good and evil. None of us can stand upright before the Lord based on our merits. I’ve become more and more suspicious of preachers with pointy fingers and church leaders with tendencies to verbally hammer people who have made mistakes. I wonder what injustices and transgressions are floating on the bottom of their murky pasts.

Jesus’ encounter with the woman who has been caught in the act of adultery is revealing of the unforgiving nature of society, but, thank God, the grace-filled forgiveness of God. Jesus looked forward to the lived-out promises of God. As He said to the woman, “Go your way…”, not “Go away!”

Granted, forgiveness is more often a process instead of a moment. Hurtful words need the ointment of reconciliation, not simply a “I forgive you” sentence. The hope and objective of Jesus is always restoration, reconciliation, and renewal. Jesus knows our past, but He does not live in the past. He walks with us toward the promises in our future.

As in many of the gospel stories, I wish there were a sequel or an afterword that revealed the rest of the story. What happened in this woman’s life after being dragged to Jesus and then not being condemned by the Savior? How did her life turn out?

On the other hand, sometimes when a story has an ending, we can only picture our story having to end that way also. The incomplete picture of this story helps us see that our story can be finished in a number of ways, for there are numerous ways that we can experience the redeeming love of God in our lives.

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After “Whys?”

Posted October 25, 2025 by wordsfromww
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For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10)

The prosperity gospel icon, Reverend Ike, used to say he had a diamond ring on his right hand and didn’t want his left hand to feel slighted, so he got another one for it, too. His riches defined him, and there was never enough.

Thus, the sad saga of a life built on sand. The sand has been the home for major housing developments called the NBA. Players and coaches who have been making millions of dollars were suddenly arrested for a gambling scandal, hinted to be connected to the Mafia in some way, that has involved fixing and/or influencing the outcome of games.

It’s the wart that has become visible on the body, known as sports betting. And the sports world has no one to blame but itself and its lust for more riches and revenue. From NIL monies to Fantasy Football to the transfer portal to mega-contract deals, it’s all about the cash. Our backyard tackle football games from childhood, when our love for the game was evident, are a thing of the past. It’s now an enterprise built on present and future riches.

I mean…tell me, why does LeBron James need to be a spokesperson for an online sports betting company? How many families have been negatively affected by his endorsing a family member to wager on a sports team? And he’s just one of many sports personalities who give that subtle message that gambling is a natural part of life, no different than sweeping out the garage.

I cringe when I turn the TV on to ESPN and they feature on the “bottom line” the matchups in the week’s college football games with the over/under betting line in parenthesis following the teams. Scott Van Pelt will sometimes show highlights of how the outcome of a game suddenly turned in the last few minutes in favor or disappointment to the betting spectator, simply on the basis of a missed field goal or an intercepted pass. There are now more fans of the bottom line over/under than there are of the Crimson Tide.

Reverend Ike rephrased the verse in 1 Timothy to read, “The lack of money is the root of all evil.” That seems to be the motto for today’s culture.

To clarify, I do not fault athletes and performers for being well-compensated. I cringe at the attitudes that resound with the idea of entitlement and the greed whose thirst is never quenched.

The truth of the last part of those words of Paul to Timothy should be in bold print: “Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

…And left many people shaking their heads and asking the question, “Why?”

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