Under our deck I have a collection of various rocks that have been dug up from our yard's garden areas. They're differing sizes with some chunks of concrete and asphalt mixed in. I'm hoping that I'll be able to use them for a positive purpose somewhere along the line.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as "Good Shepherd Sunday" with the readings centering on that theme. It is important for us to keep in mind that our Lord who rose victorious and ascended to heaven is indeed still alive and well among us through the work of the Holy Spirit. Unlike us, God is not limited by space and time, but can truly give each of us individualized care, just like we picture a good shepherd knowing all of his or her sheep by name, as well as knowing their individual needs and idiosyncrasies. And as for the sheep, as Jesus says in John 10:27, "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me."

The claim of the Bible is that there is only one God revealed as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that Jesus was not just given special gifts by God but is, in fact, God who dwelt among us also as a true man. So if, in fact, there is only one God and Jesus is God, His claim to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) is valid.

This Sunday, the week after Easter marks the day when Jesus appeared again to His disciples with Thomas present. You will recall that Thomas was not present on Easter evening when Jesus had come to the others and would not believe Jesus was alive unless he himself could put his finger in the nail marks in the hands and his hand into Jesus' side. Jesus accommodated that request, and Thomas declared, "My Lord and my God!"

You will recall that when the day of our Lord's resurrection occurred, the anti-Jesus people spread the false report that it never happened, but, instead, that Jesus' disciples came and stole His body (Matthew 28:11-15). For almost 2,000 years the Christian Church has survived challenges to the truth that Jesus is alive.

There are various reasons why Palm Sunday has historically been a time to celebrate Confirmation, but perhaps none better than it being the start of Holy Week.

This Sunday's worship service will include the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead as recorded in John 11. In the midst of that account is a simple two-word verse that many students often request for a memory verse: "Jesus wept." (John 11:35)

Have you ever ordered something online thinking that it looked one way, only to open the package and be disappointed by what it actually looked like in person?

This coming Sunday we'll hear the account of Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman at the well. She is the one who was married five times and was living with someone who wasn't her husband. When Jesus shared with her that He knew that information, she immediately called him a Prophet.

If you're watching our Lenten Video Devotions available each weekday on our website, YouTube Channel, and facebook page, you know that we have been focusing on giving a blessing for Lent (well, not just for Lent, but for each season of life). What is the greatest blessing you can give?

With the recent warm spell melting the snow in my yard, I find myself looking out at a mess of leaves, twigs, mud, and, being a dog owner... I have a choice at this point. I can either clean it up or just leave it and hope that strong winds will do all the cleaning for me. Unfortunately, that probably won't happen, so if I do not wish to inhibit the growth of my lawn and other plants, I'll have to clean things up.

During this weekend's worship services we'll hear the account of our Lord's Transfiguration when He took Peter, James, and John with Him up a mountain where His appearance was totally changed to reveal His divine nature. Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Him, as Luke puts it, "about His departure, which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem." You may recall that Peter didn't want the moment to end, but suggested the construction of three shelters for Jesus, Moses and Elijah because it was good to be there.

This weekend's readings remind us of our responsibility as God's people to let our light shine. One of the ways we do that is by offering an alternative to what has become common in our world.

I have to admit that before one of our worship services begins I often sneak a peek over at the Crunch Fitness lot to see how the number of cars in that lot compares to ours.

Recently, I've been sharing a devotion during my visits that is titled, "Taking Christmas with Us." It's based on Mary pondering everything in her heart rather than just going on from one thing to the next and forgetting the lasting significance of what the Lord is doing.

John the Baptist once said of Jesus, "He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3:30) As a part of that, John would encourage his followers to start following Jesus. In this weekend's Gospel, we'll hear about two of them hearing John describe Jesus as "the Lamb of God" and then following Jesus. When John's disciples asked Jesus, "Where are You staying?" He invited them to come and see.