Tag: JOHN D. BARRY

  • SEARCHING FOR JUSTICE

    Connect The Testaments2 Chronicles 6:12-8:18; Titus 1:10-16; Psalm 94:1-23 “Do you favor justice or mercy?” Trick question. Both responses are technically incorrect: God’s ways require mercy and justice. Mercy cannot be fully known without perfect justice, and justice without mercy is harsh and graceless. God’s mercy is a regular topic in Christian communities, but we…

  • WHAT WEALTH REVEALS

    Connect The Testaments2 Chronicles 1:1-3:17; Titus 1:1-4; Psalm 91:1-16 “What would you do if you won the lottery?” This question always seems to generate the same responses: There’s the person who devises an investment strategy, the dreamer who envisions ending global poverty, the individual who would travel the world, and the person who would buy…

  • FIGHTING LONELINESS

    Connect The Testaments1 Chronicles 28:1-29:2; 2 Timothy 4:9-21; Psalm 90:1-17 Loneliness is one of the most disheartening feelings a person can know. Being alone in a time of pain is even worse. Several recent surveys suggest that lonely people—especially teenagers—subtly reach out through their social networks, desperately looking for someone who cares. In a world…

  • TURNING OUR LIVES FROM NOISE TO MUSIC

    Reflections on 1 Corinthians “Focus on your relationship with Jesus.” When my friend—whom I had traveled several thousand miles to see—said this, I knew it was the answer to all of my questions. I had been so focused on God’s calling that I had neglected my relationship with the caller, Jesus. My pastor had warned…

  • BLESSED STICKY NOTES

    Connect The Testaments1 Chronicles 21:4-25:31; 2 Timothy 3:10-17; Psalm 89:1-22 A great friend of mine keeps sticky notes with prayer requests on a bathroom mirror. They serve as a reminder of the needs of others. This friend never seems to have an “off day” or feel sad about their particular situation. Maybe these notes play…

  • MATH: MAY NOT BE A MYSTICAL LANGUAGE AFTER ALL

    Connect The Testaments1 Chronicles 21:1-22:19; 2 Timothy 2:14-26; Psalm 86:1-87:7 In a world of metrics, it’s easy to become obsessed with statistics and start to quantify every aspect of our lives. Stats can even become a type of scorekeeping between churches or pastors: “We have more members than you do.” We may never say those…

  • LONGING & BEING

    Connect The Testaments1 Chronicles 16:1-17:27; 2 Timothy 1:3-18; Psalm 84:1-2 The general sense of what worship “is” is widely known, but the specifics of what it means are a little vague. Aside from obedience (i.e., avoiding sin and following what God asks of us), there are specific ways to show God admiration. In 1 Chronicles,…

  • ON A MISSION

    Connect The Testaments1 Chronicles 14:1-15:29; 2 Timothy 1:1-2; Psalm 83 We’re on a mission from God.” Whenever the Blues Brothers delivered this line, they were met with a less-than-enthusiastic reception. While they had a different “mission” in mind, their famous line summarizes Paul’s ministry, and their reception is strangely related to a pressing problem in…

  • THE FIGHT AGAINST IT

    Connect The Testaments1 Chronicles 12:1-13:14; 1 Timothy 6:11-21; Psalm 81:1-82:8 Fear is poisonous. When it drives our decisions, it will slowly destroy us—causing us to make moves that are against God’s will and detrimental to ourselves and others. The antidote to fear is complete reliance on Yahweh, our God, and His work through the Spirit.…

  • THE POWER OF WORDS

    Connect The Testaments1 Chronicles 9:1-10:14; 1 Timothy 5:18-6:2; Psalm 79:1-13 Gossip kills churches. And gossip is always painful, especially when disguised as concern. A request to “pray for so-and-so because of this thing they did” is not asking for prayer; it’s gossiping. If you know some personal detail about someone’s mishap, don’t share it with…