Author: Tim Merwin

Gospel Hope In A World Gone Crazy

 

Republican Debate

The start of another year kicks off with yet another disappointing Presidential debate. More, Ridiculous banter, pathetic ridicule, and pre-planned talking points. Ugh!

In the midst of the presidential banner, the turn of the calendar also has me preparing sermons on racial unity and the Sanctity of Life. Sadly, in 2016, babies continue to be born clinging to life as a result of a botched abortion. Born living and breathing, these babies are then denied proper care and are left to die and ….it’s legal!  Pouring over Psalms 139 and mingling among the massive statistics of dead babies leaves me angry, sad, numb, and oddly enough…. full of hope.

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Finish The Race

Finish The Race

 

The apostle Paul, nearing the end of his difficult life, seeks to encourage his friend and son in the faith, Timothy.  Timothy is a pastor in Ephesus, where many of those that he and Paul considered to be friends are now opposing the message of the gospel.  Paul warns of these men and the effect of their false teaching in the church.

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Good News – Great Joy

 

Shepherds

I try to imagine what it must have been like for those shepherds who, we are told in Luke 2, were watching their sheep by night. I wonder how many uneventful times they had done this very thing. Watching sheep is what they do. Sheep must be protected….night after, boring, night. Occasionally, a wolf may come around, making for an eventful evening under the stars.

But….Imagine….

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The Cultural Yawn Of Christmas

Nativity

The below is a bit of a repost and re-working of an article I wrote last year.

John 1:1-2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:14 
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…..

The Almighty God took on human flesh…

He was born miraculously of the virgin Mary….

Herod tried to have Him killed as a newborn….

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The Almost Church

Church

 

The “Almost Church” – Almost loves the gospel.  The “Almost Church” sings songs about the gospel, reads the Bible, loves Jesus, and genuinely desires to see the gospel advance.  But, at the “Almost Church”, the gospel becomes a “help” to the “Almost Christians” who are seeking to build the church. Friends, the gospel is not an additional “help” to building the church, it is the ONLY “hope” of building the church.

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Almost Christian?

Blurry People

I grew up…”Christian”.  I have a Christian name, grew up in a Christian home, and learned my abc’s shortly after memorizing the 66 books of the bible.  Just kidding… I actually learned my abc’s first; the books of the bible came shortly thereafter.

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Welcome To The (Starbucks) Bandwagon

Bandwagon

Ok, so I will jump on the bandwagon of being critical of the Christians, who have jumped on the bandwagon of being critical of secular society (in this case Starbucks), which creates reasons for secular society to jump on the bandwagon of being critical and dismissive of Christians in general.

How is that for a run on sentence?!?

Confused yet?  Well, hang in there…

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Open Door Equals Smooth Road… Doesn’t It?

photo-1444047427283-88a67f631b3e

 

Have you ever assumed that the “open door” equals a “smooth road” equation? In other words, when a new possibility, direction, or opportunity seems to have come your way, does it mean that once you take up the opportunity or walk through that door that it will be smooth sailing?

I find that many well-intentioned Christians, living in America in 2015, answer that question with a strong, “YES”!

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Image is Everything

Andre-Agassi

 

In the early 90’s, tennis star, Andre Agassi endorsed a certain type of camera and did so with a catchy attitude. The “attitude” and the Cannon Rebel camera soared into the psyche of American culture.  If you are old enough to remember the ad campaign, you will remember its’ slogan.  “Image is Everything.”

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The King is a Servant

Serving

 

I loved to be served. Actually, don’t we all?

Have you noticed that nobody had to teach you to enjoy being served? It comes very natural to me. Maybe it is my gift? Tim, gifted by God to be……. served. Hmmmm, I like it.  :-)

But serving others is another story. Because serving is well….. serving.

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Gospel Fumbles….

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - SEPTEMBER 21: Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Miami Dolphins fumbles and then recovers the ball after being hit by Tamba Hali #91 of the Kansas City Chiefs on September 21, 2014 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Chiefs defeat the Dolphins 34-15. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tamba Hali;Ryan Tannehill
Fumble!!   (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

“FUUUMMMMMBBBBLLLLE!!”

I yelled at the TV screen that hung on the wall. I yelled again as if it would help my team to somehow realize that the pig skin was on the ground and now having heard my yelp, certainly they would be more inclined to jump on the ball.

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Q and A With Jesus

coffee-machine-1500x1000

 

Wouldn’t you love to grab a cup of coffee with Jesus? Sometimes I think…. “wow, there were real, living, people that spent time with Him!  Asking Him questions and hearing Him teach. It was during those moments that Jesus regularly offended the religious leaders of His day. They did not like the idea

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A Little Story From India

 

India boy

 

Finally, a post dedicated to pastor R.

Pastor R. lives in the slums of India. When he, his wife, and daughter first moved into the slums, they were greeted with harassment. The people didn’t want them there so they dumped their trash outside their front door and cut the locks on their home.

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