Some of the great truths of Scripture are not so much great doctrinal concepts as they are simple relational realities concerning God’s orientation toward us. What Calvin says of the Lord’s Supper can, I’m convinced, be applied to this whole category of truth. “I rather experience than understand it.” [Inst. IV. xvii. 32] Grasping these … Continue reading Bible Note #17 — Matthew 6:25-34 — God’s Orientation Toward Us
Tag: God’s presence
Prayer Note #43 — Fleeing My Pursuing God in the Dark Before Dawn
Lord Jesus, I'm scared. I'm far from you in my heart, and I persist in the things that will keep me far away from you. And yet, I feel you pursuing me. Your pursuit both comforts me and scares me. I know that because you still pursue me, you have not given up on me. … Continue reading Prayer Note #43 — Fleeing My Pursuing God in the Dark Before Dawn
Pastor Note #44 — Coffee Mugs and Robust Coffee, Churches and the Powerful Presence of Jesus
There are several steady coffee mugs in my life. In our kitchen cabinets at home, we have quite a stable of coffee mugs. Coffee mugs seem to just accumulate over time. Recently, we cleared some of them out because we were running out of room on the shelves. I’m willing to drink coffee out of … Continue reading Pastor Note #44 — Coffee Mugs and Robust Coffee, Churches and the Powerful Presence of Jesus
Pastor Note #43 — Blood on the Pew (A day in March 2000)
It was Tuesday noontime. I had gone into the big, dark Romanesque sanctuary of my church in downtown Columbus, Ohio for a weekly prayer meeting with a handful or so of people, mostly not members of my congregation but rather folks who worked downtown and constituted part of my weekday ancillary congregation. As I sat … Continue reading Pastor Note #43 — Blood on the Pew (A day in March 2000)
Prayer Note #38 — The Voice
Oh, Lord, how I long to be intimately familiar with your voice. Your voice is full of power -- whether you speak with rock-breaking loudness or whether you whisper quietly in my ear. Your voice is full of soul-transforming power. Let that powerful voice pierce to the center of my mind, to the core of my … Continue reading Prayer Note #38 — The Voice
Prayer Note #37 — On a Summer Morning
Lord, the sun is warm and pleasant on my back. The birds of all sorts are chirping and twittering in the trees around me this morning. Lily, my gracious, canine companion, is lying beside me with her chin on the bottom rail looking out into the backyard, watching everything and nothing in particular, patient and … Continue reading Prayer Note #37 — On a Summer Morning
Bible Note #16 — By the River Jabbok
The tinkling of sheep bells was the last sound audible to him fading away up the path and over th hill on the other side of the small river. The crunch of foot and hoof on the sandy gravel of the path had been lost to him fist, washed away by the splash and rush … Continue reading Bible Note #16 — By the River Jabbok
Pastor Note #36–Beyond a Pentecost According to Robert’s Rules of Order
In 2012, two important Christian holy days occur in May – important Christian holy days that Presbyterian Christians have tended to be uncomfortable with. I’ll explain that statement, shall I? The two holy days are Ascension and Pentecost. First the easy part, I say these holy days take place in May this year, because these … Continue reading Pastor Note #36–Beyond a Pentecost According to Robert’s Rules of Order
Bible Note #15 — Exodus 34:29-35
Exodus 34:29-35 There is, in this passage, an interesting small but important detail that I have never really noticed before. It lies behind the widely recognized, though certainly bizarre, fact that Moses' face acquired an intense radiance as a result of close time spent in the physical presence of God. The people were quite terrified … Continue reading Bible Note #15 — Exodus 34:29-35
Prayer Note #33 — A Pastor’s Sunday Morning Prayer
Lord, nothing important will happen here this morning unless you are present . Holy Spirit, we cannot worship unless you make us able to worship. Our attempts at worship will be counterfeit unless you inhabit our worship in purposefulness and power. I ask, on behalf of my people for your directing, empowering presence. Grant that … Continue reading Prayer Note #33 — A Pastor’s Sunday Morning Prayer
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 