Posts by Michele Crater

June 12, 2021 DAILY READING Psalm 100 Mark 7:1-13 FIELD NOTES In today’s reading, Jesus draws a sharp line between human tradition and God’s commandments. As the passage opens, the Pharisees are criticizing Jesus’ disciples for not washing their hands before they eat, thus violating their religious traditions. Jesus calls them hypocrites, and quotes from…

June 11, 2021 DAILY READING Psalm 100 Exodus 4:27-31 FIELD NOTES Our passage could use a little back story. Earlier in chapters 3 & 4, God commissioned Moses to go to Pharaoh in Egypt and demand that he free the Israelites from slavery. But Moses balked. He didn’t want to go. One of his excuses…

June 10, 2021 DAILY READING Psalm 100 Hebrews 3:1-6 FIELD NOTES Do you think a lot about hope? American poet Emily Dickinson said that “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.” Desmond Tutu, the South African bishop that helped…

June 9, 2021 DAILY READING Psalm 29 John 14:25-26 FIELD NOTES In today’s reading, there’s an interesting word in verse 26. The New Revised Standard Version translates it as “Advocate,” but the Greek word is paracletos, which is literally translated “one called alongside to help.”  There have been many times when I have had to ask for help,…

June 8, 2021 DAILY READING Psalm 29 1 Corinthians 12:4-13 FIELD NOTES There’s a member of our church who owns his own business and for years was asked to serve on the administrative committees of our church — the ones that deal with finance and facilities and business-oriented tasks. He wanted to serve and he…

June 7,2021 DAILY READING Psalm 29 Job 38:39 – 39:12 FIELD NOTES The central character of the Book of Job is a righteous man who, due to no wrongdoing of his own, has everything in his life stripped away — his home, his family, his health. Many commentators assert that the main theme of the…

June 5,2021 DAILY READING Psalm 100 John 8:48-59 This week’s sermon text: James 3:1-12 FIELD NOTES Jesus was often misunderstood in his own time. Unfortunately, we sometimes still misunderstand who he is and what he came to do. We misunderstand Jesus when we think he only came to save the good church going people like…

June 4,2021 DAILY READING Psalm 31:1-5 Acts 7:1-16 This week’s sermon text: James 3:1-12 FIELD NOTES If we read further on from today’s scripture, we know that Stephen’s speech in front of the religious leaders was not ultimately successful. Stephen would end up being stoned to death for his testimony of Christ. But Stephen’s speech…

June 3, 2021 DAILY READING Psalm 31:1-5 Acts 6:8-15 This week’s sermon text: James 3:1-12 FIELD NOTES It hurts to be falsely accused. It hurts when others attribute false motives for actions we feel are justified and needed. It hurts because our intentions might be pure, but we just can’t control what others might say…