Jim Mann “I said, ‘O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you.’” (Psalm 41:4) This time of year is a reflective time. Christmas reminds us of pleasant childhood memories, and we grow nostalgic. The impending new year reminds us that we’ve traveled around the sun one more time and…
Tag: Pastor’s Corner
Religion, November 2021
Pastor’s Corner
Jim Mann “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) The Apostle Paul tells us our prayers and petitions are to be accompanied by thanksgiving. Elsewhere he says, “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will…
Religion, October 2021
Pastor’s Corner
Jim Mann “…for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” (Philippians 1:19) What is the secret to sustaining one’s spiritual strength in order to keep on keepin’ on when things get tough? The Apostle Paul…
Religion, September 2021
Pastor’s Corner
Jim Mann “The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made…” (Genesis 2:25–3:1) As with all great literature, the Bible is full of subtle nuances of language easily missed in translation. We find an…
Religion, August 2021
Pastor’s Corner
Jim Mann “Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’” (Mark 8:27–28) Some of the folks in Jesus’ day thought of Jesus…
Religion, July 2021
Pastor’s Corner
Jim Mann Four months before the Battle of Trenton, the turning point of the American Revolution, the fate and the future of our planet were forever changed by what happened at the little-known Battle of Brooklyn. After the British abandoned Boston in March 1776, their next campaign was in New York. Their plan was to…
Religion, June 2021
Pastor’s Corner
Jim Mann “Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity…” (Philippians 2:7) Paul is describing the incarnation of Jesus. Incarnation literally means “en-fleshment.” John says “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14) C.S. Lewis, one of my favorite thinkers, describes the…
Religion, May 2021
Pastor’s Corner
Jim Mann “The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in…
Religion, April 2021
Pastor’s Corner
Jim Mann “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.” (Luke 16:16, NIV84) When was the last time you saw someone so excited about church that he’d force his way in? What…
Religion, March 2021
Pastor’s Corner
Jim Mann He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2) Once upon a time, a man was driving down a country road and decided to get out to stretch his legs and…