Posts with the tag “pastor-brian-erickson”

In Matthew 28:19 our Lord gave us the Great Commission saying “Go and make disciples.” At this point the disciples had been following Jesus for three years, listening to Him teach the multitudes about...  Read More

When people find out that Jenn and I are from Chicago they love to ask us, “What are some words or phrases people use in California that you don’t hear in Chicago?” A number of phrases come to mind li...  Read More

One of my favorite TV shows is “The Carbonaro Effect”. It’s a hidden camera, magic, TV show. The setting is usually a store, and the host, Michael Cabanaro, is behind a counter selling something. He t...  Read More

In 3 John 4 the Apostle John says, “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”I have read that verse many times, but I never really understood it till I led someone...  Read More

The context here is the ‘brotherly love’ we are to show to fellow believers in Christ. Showing‘brotherly love’ means loving fellow believers as we would biological family members. Thinkabout it, what ...  Read More

In this verse God tells us to ‘give thanks’. But there are two words that precede this commandthat have always bothered me, and they are ‘in everything’. Is it really possible to give thanks ineveryth...  Read More

The God of Israel allowed His people to be taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon because of their sin. God was punishing His people. He was getting their attention. He wanted their focus on Him, ...  Read More

When I’m feeling miserable, I choose joy. When I’m in despair, I choose joy. When my life is filled with trials and tribulations, I choose joy.We all have stuff. Whether it’s something as major as los...  Read More

As I reflect on my life, there are a lot of first days. I think the earliest and most significant was my first day of kindergarten. I remember all the anticipation. My mom going over the list of schoo...  Read More