This coming weekend at Eastbrook I will begin a new series entitled "Risky Faith." When Jesus came into our world, He gave His very life that we might be brought back to God. Jesus does not call people into a comfortable or safe religion. Instead, Jesus beckons His followers into a faith that risks. It …
The Pathway to Slow Decline, part 2
This continues a post from yesterday looking at the slow decline of Saul the Benjamite, the first king of Israel. As I recently read through Saul's story again, I was struck by the pattern of Saul's slow decline. Here are a few reflections on that for us today. Tormented and Angry Saul It is shortly …
The Pathway to Slow Decline, part 1
The word 'decline' has a different value based on different situations. Seeing a decline in unemployment rates is good, but seeing a decline in gross domestic product is bad. Watching dirty bath water go down the drain is good, but watching your marriage go down the drain is bad. One of the most gripping stories …
Every Blessing You Pour Out
There's a well-known worship song that says: "every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise." While the term 'blessing' is often thoughtlessly used, it refers to a deep happiness or gift that God brings into our lives. Hannah, a Hebrew woman we encounter in 1 Samuel, was someone who knew about both receiving …
Expect God to Speak (Samuel)
Samuel was a child given as a gift to a godly woman who cried out to God for mercy in her barrenness. In response to God’s grace, Samuel’s mother, Hannah, gave him back to God to serve in the house of God with the priest, Eli. Samuel grew up in the place where God was …
Matthew Erickson 