Posts by Joe Henriques
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Word on the Google street is that Black Friday began with a sinister motivation: Retailers make an early profit off of Christmas so they can go into the next year in the black. And all this time you thought it was about you!
Making big bucks off of values
Commercialization overshadows every holiday of American and Christian history that’s rooted in noble thoughts of significant events. Valiant efforts to emphasize the values of gratitude at Thanksgiving, celebration at Easter, and wonder at Christmas have stiff competition from the allure of sirens beckoning at the doors of major retailers.
Go for good deals
We understand that’s how it is and we fight it with minimal success. I say if you can’t beat it, use…
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV84)
Have you ever been house hunting? Here’s one ad you might have missed: “House situated in hillside town with lovely pastoral views. This single room home will accommodate any size family with plenty of space for your cows and donkeys. It only takes one candle to light up the whole…
Is getting baptized a big deal? It all depends on what it means. To get an idea of its importance, think about the following.
What if you’re attending a wedding ceremony, and the pastor asks the groom, “Will you take this woman to be your wife? If so, say ‘I will,’” and the groom responds, “Do I really need to say that?”
Or, let’s say you’re at a ceremony for new citizens, and the judge says, “Please rise to take the Oath of Citizenship and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution,” and a non-citizen immigrant says to the judge, “I want to have the benefits of being in America, but I really don’t want to be called an American citizen. Can I…
Racial divides and cultural conflicts have been the cause of human tragedies around the world for millennia. Ethnic cleansing is but one horrific example of one group’s attempt to completely expunge another from the face of the earth. The root of such atrocities isn’t mere preference, not even prejudice, but what the Bible calls “partiality”, the looking down on one group while looking up to the other. Taken to its extreme, mixed with fierce pride, hearts of people seethe with anger and resentment towards others. Devastation and destruction, enmity and hostility––sometimes raging for hundreds of years––are the results.
What is powerful enough to break down the entrenched barricades separating people, and at the same time build up strong…