Posts by Jo Witt

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Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost

by Jo Witt

Theme of the Day: Grace Is Amazing Give a single bag of M&Ms to siblings in middle school and tell them to share. You will witness counting done with accounting-like precision. Each child will get an equal amount of candy because that is fair. That’s what’s expected! Human beings have an incredibly strong sense of […]

Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost

by Jo Witt

Theme of the Day: Forgiveness Is For Me Forgiveness does not come naturally to human beings. It is expected that humans will defend themselves, lash out when attacked, hold grudges, and bite back. So, when human beings hear that they are forgiven, they may even be suspicious or skeptical. Jesus tells a parable that contrasts […]

Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost

by Jo Witt

Theme of the Day: I Am My Brother’s Keeper When danger strikes, most people instinctively move away from it. Fire, violence, accidents, and disasters trigger a natural desire to find protection and safety. Yet first responders do the opposite. Firefighters, police officers, and paramedics run toward the very scenes others are fleeing. They enter burning […]

Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost

by Jo Witt

Theme of the Day: Cross Comes Before Crown Some churches teach that if a person follows God, God responds by granting prosperity and peace, as would only be expected. Today we see how that is nonsense. The Bible explains that if we are part of the Church of God, we will have bear crosses. Believers […]

Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost

by Jo Witt

Theme of the Day: The Son of Man Is God Jesus asked, “Who do you say I am?” It’s the most important question in the world, and it is a question every human being must answer. The expected answer may be dead wrong. Some in Jesus’ day thought he was John the Baptist. Some thought […]

Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost

by Jo Witt

Theme of the Day: The Church Is for All People “All are welcome!” Is that true at our church? Or is church meant only for people of the right heritage who behave the right way, “good church folk”? Is it conceivable that a stranger could walk into church unexpectedly and for some reason you would […]

Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost

by Jo Witt

Theme of the Day: Christians Answer Doubt with Faith Wherever faith clings to the promises of God, doubt is always lingering. Doubt asks the serpent’s garden question, “Did God really say?” People doubt God’s care, God’s promises, or God’s providence. The answer to doubt is not found in loud, dramatic demonstrations. The true answer to […]

Tenth Sunday After Pentecost

by Jo Witt

Theme of the Day: Christians Trust God to Provide The hardest times to trust God are the times we need him most. It’s easier to trust God when your job is going great, your health is fine, your relationships are fine, and your family is good. It’s easier to trust God when the sun is […]

Ninth Sunday After Pentecost

by Jo Witt

Theme of the Day: Christians Seek Spiritual Wealth What do you consider your life’s top priorities? Many people start with family and friends. Financial security and health follow closely. Reputation and recreation make the cut. How about faith? Is it the top priority? What if other priorities must be sacrificed to keep faith the top […]

Eighth Sunday After Pentecost

by Jo Witt

Theme of the Day: Christians Live as Wheat among Weeds The wheat that grows in the Middle East is a variety that looks much like wild grass or weeds. It is difficult to tell wheat and weeds apart until shortly before harvest time, when the wheat stalks develop a head containing the kernels of grain. […]