Holy Spirit

One humorist has explored the reasons that people give for not going to church.[i]   He’s taken commonly given reasons for not going to church and asked What if we used the same reasoning in other areas of life?  For instance, he asks, what if we decided to stop washing our bodies.  When people asked why we don’t wash, we would use the same some reasoning people use to describe why they don’t go to church.  Here, then, are ten reasons not to wash (using the same reasons people give for not attending church):Read More »How the Holy Spirit Cultivates Jesus’ Character

Danielle Steel has sold over 570 million books.[1]    When people think of Danielle Steel they think of her as an author.  In a recent Newsweek column, however, Steel revealed another side to her, one she’s never spoken publicly about and one most people know nothing about.[2]   For over ten years Steel and a team of volunteers have gone onto the streets of San Francisco to provide clothing, bedding, supplies and food to the homeless.  They have served more than 30,000 homeless people.  And she is writing about it now to draw attention to the plight of the poor.  When most think about Danielle Steel they think of her as an author.  There is, however, another important element to her life.  One she wants more people to know about.Read More »How the Holy Spirit Prepares us for Jesus’ Ministry

I’ve been reading some church history and I came across a man named Pier Pettignano.  Pettignano lived in the thirteenth century.[i]    He was an admirer of Saint Francis of Assisi.  Pettignano claimed to have had a vision.  In his vision was a procession or parade of people.  The parade was made of the apostles and other saints and martyrs.  At the front of the procession was Mary, the mother of Jesus.  All of them were walking carefully and intentionally.  With each step they scrutinized the ground so they might step in the footprints of Christ.  The way of life which Jesus taught and lived was still visible on the ground as a set of his footprints.  And it took effort and intention for the procession to see and try to place their feet in Jesus’ footsteps.  (If you’ve ever tried to walk in someone else’s footprints in the snow or in the sand, you get the picture.)  But at the end of this great procession came Saint Francis of Assisi, barefoot and brown-robed.  He was walking easily and casually.  And with each step he landed effortlessly in the footsteps of Jesus.Read More »How the Holy Spirit Reveals Jesus’ Way

In 2005 the American Film Institute (AFI) selected the top 100 movie quotes of all time.  They revealed the quotes on a three-hour television special. Here are some of the movie quotes that made the top ten:Read More »How the Holy Spirit Mediates Jesus’ Presence