1746 results for tag: Greg Albrecht

Downward Mobility

They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise." Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." "What do you want me ...

You Are Loved

Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you."—Isaiah 49:13-15 This week is Mother's Day here in North America, and we extend a huge thank-you to all mothers, as we celebrate their role in our lives. Having said that, in the midst of all our Mother's Day celebrations we should remember that the outward trappings of ...

May 2021

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Articles: What Is and Who Is the Church? – pg. 1 Break It Up – pg. 2 My Two "Moms" – pg. 5 Buzzy – pg. 7 Quotes & Connections – pg. 8

The All Star Game of Faith – Greg Albrecht

Baseball season is in full swing, and, as always, this season includes controversy and arguments – not always about the game played on the field.  Once again this year politics are creeping into Mom, Apple Pie and Baseball.  Reacting to political decisions made by the state of Georgia, the hierarchy of MLB has decided to award the All Star Game, previously scheduled for Atlanta, to Denver, to be played on July 13. While I have my opinions about this year’s MLB All Star Game, I will not here enter the swamp of political debate about this decision, but rather propose a far more interesting game in which two teams play an All Star ...

Unwavering Faith? Greg Albrecht

A friend of mine, enduring some painful struggles, asked me to continue to pray for him.  He was particularly concerned, as he said, that “my faith doesn’t waver.” I started thinking about “unwavering” faith.  Everything human wavers – love, commitment, trust, honesty, fidelity, patience – it all wavers.  Human faith wavers.  We are not the rock – Jesus is.  Jesus is the unmoved mover.  He is always here for and with us.  Jesus never walks away and abandons us.   He is perfectly faithful.    It may well be the most faithful ...

The Full Revelation of God’s Love – Greg Albrecht

Friends and Partner letter dated April, 2021 Love and marriage, love and marriage They go together like a horse and carriage This I tell you, brother, you can’t have one without the other.— Frank Sinatra, 1955 If you receive hard copies of these monthly letters, this month’s message should arrive in your mailbox at the beginning of Passion Week—when traditionally Christians recall the week of historical events leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. With the cross of Christ and his resurrection as our focal point, as we remember the first Passion Week, almost 2,000 years ago, I begin this month’s letter with a song ...

Lost and Alone – Looking for Home – Greg Albrecht

Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God, believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?– John 14:3 Most of us have never been physically homeless, but all of us, at one time or another, find ourselves without a spiritual home.  We all, at some point in life, are spiritually lost.  Sometimes we enter the Father’s house but then we wander away.  We may come and we may go.  The door is always open.   No coercion.  No lockdowns. Jesus says that the Father’s house has many rooms ...

Is It True? by Greg Albrecht

The next time you are in the checkout line at the grocery store imagine turning to the person next to you and joyfully announcing “Christ is risen!” Can you picture the bewildered expressions of your fellow shoppers? Imagine you are taking a walk and when someone passes by you greet them by saying, “Christ is risen!” Some of those people would ignore you, and perhaps walk a little faster to put more distance between them and you. Is it true that Jesus was resurrected? Is it true that Jesus is now alive, with his same physical body made immortal, a body that is incorruptible, impervious to aging, disease and death? Did you know ...

You Ain’t Got No Easter Clothes

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."—John 11:43-44 Welcome to the party! Easter is the annual celebration Christians around the world anticipate and long for. Once again we savor victory in Christ. As Christians we are celebrating the most triumphant and victorious day in all history. Let's begin with the words of Peter, who tells us, in 1 Peter 1:3-4: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has ...

What is Our Eternal Reward?

Q: What is our eternal reward? A:The Bible does speak of a reward, but should that reward be viewed as a prize given as a response for our diligent performance of deeds, then our reward would not be by grace through faith, but of works. According to the gospel of Jesus Christ a measured reward we receive on the basis of our own efforts cannot be the reward the biblical writers have in mind. The New Testament is clear and absolute: our eternal reward is given, rather than earned. Everything we as Christ-followers are able to produce by ourselves here in this temporal life is physical and has a shelf life. Nothing we can produce, apart from God, ...

The Ministry of Death OR The Ministry of Life

 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? —2 Corinthians 3:6-8 He looked at me and said, "It happened while I was in church. It was the end of the service, everyone was standing, and so was I. I was doing the same religious thing that everybody else was doing, the same religious ...

Righteousness by Law or by Faith?

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will ...

Looking to Jesus – We gaze on the Light when shrouded in Darkness – Greg Albrecht

Greg Albrecht - PTM President Yet again we have been shocked at the perverse darkness of evil evidenced through the tragedies of shootings and terrorism.  Just when we think the valley of the shadow of death could not get any darker it does. We will mourn with those in grief and we dare not stifle their angry cry of lament. Yet again, the Psalmist's cry echoes across the millennia "How long, O Lord!?" Yet again political parties co-opt our grief and loss as a platform to gain supporters for their cause as they point out real or imagined inadequacies of those on the “the other side of the aisle.” Just when we thought politics ...

April 2021

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Greg Albrecht: When Jesus Rode into Town– pg. 2 Laura Urista: The Heart of the Matter– pg. 4 Ed Dunn: Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled– pg. 5 Brad Jersak: Pastoral Perspective – pg. 7

Q & R “Religion Burnout” – Greg Albrecht

Greg Albrecht - President PTM Question: Is it possible to have a personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ without the religious ties? The reason I ask is because I have been involved with different religions that are cultic in nature since the age of 15 years, ranging from Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventism. I've been told that SDAism has strong tendencies towards cultism, so as far as things go for me, it's very difficult to get involved with any church of any kind. I guess that's what they call church/religion burnout. Is there such a thing called that? Would any materials you may have dealing with religion ...

No Religion Allowed Beyond This Point by Greg Albrecht

Think of a huge sign posted on the Cross of Christ. Warning!  No Religion Allowed Beyond This Point.   The gospel truth is that the Cross of Christ stands for no more lies, prevarications, manipulations, characterizations and deceptions.  Warning!  No Religion Allowed Beyond This Point is the gospel truth.   The BIG LIE of Christ-less religion is that God is angry with you and me.  The “gospel” of Christ-less religion is that even though God is really upset with you and me, we can please and appease him with our behavior, so that he will not send us to hell as he would have had we not appeased him. ...

Lost In and For Him by Greg Albrecht

Friends and Partner letter dated March, 2021 There is one central symbol by which we remember Jesus. Today that image is coated with gold and worn around the necks of athletes and beautiful women, an example of how we can gloss over the crude reality of history. The cross was, of course, a mode of execution. It would be no more bizarre if we made jewelry in the shape of tiny electric chairs, gas chambers and hypodermic needles, the preferred modern modes of execution. The cross, the most universal image in the Christian religion, offers proof that God cares about our suffering and pain. He died of it. That symbol stands unique among all the ...

It’s Good to Be Alive

It's one of two times in the year when brick-and-mortar churches have their highest attendance. It's without a doubt the most meaningful time of the year for Christians, but Easter lilies, bunny rabbits, Easter hams, painted and chocolate eggs can take our attention away from the vital life-giving significance of this spiritual victory we celebrate every spring. Easter signals new life springing from what is seemingly dead and lifeless. Gray gives way to green. Ice melts and snow is replaced by the promise of buds and sprouts. Light overcomes darkness. The light and life that comes bursting from an empty tomb triumphs over death on the cross, a ...

If You Had Only Known What Would Bring You Peace

After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it.'" Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?"  They replied, "The Lord needs it." They brought it to Jesus, threw their ...

What About 3 Days and 3 Nights?

Q: What is your view on Jesus' statement that he would be in the grave three days and three nights? I believe Jesus. I do not believe that it was parts of days and nights like some say. A: I believe Jesus as well. If you examine the gospels, you will find one verse that mentions "three days and three nights" (Matthew 12:40 ) and another 20 verses that speak of his resurrection as being on "the third day" or "in three days." Since we both believe Jesus, should we seek to better understand one verse in the light of 20, or 20 verses in the light of one? Today, the day I am writing this, is Friday. Three days from now will be Sunday. That's the ...