Join Andy Stoddard as he shares with us his daily reflection. Along with an occasional surprise.
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In this reflection, we continue looking at the difficult and often uncomfortable imprecatory Psalms with Psalm 140. David cries out to God for protection from those who have hurt him and asks God to bring judgment upon his enemies. How do we reconcile these words with Jesus' command to love our enemies? As we wrestle with that question, we explore the difference between karma and grace.…
What do we do with the parts of the Bible that make us uncomfortable? In this reflection on Psalm 109, we look at one of the imprecatory Psalms—an intense prayer in which David cries out to God for justice against his enemies. These words can be difficult to reconcile with Jesus' command to love our enemies and pray for those who hurt us, but perhaps that's exactly why we need to wrestle with…
As we finish our journey through 1 Corinthians, we look at Paul's closing words and the many people he names at the end of his letter. Timothy, Apollos, Priscilla, Aquila, Stephanas, and others remind us that the work of God has never been about one person doing everything. Paul may have been the apostle, but he understood that the ministry belonged to all of them together. In this reflection, we…
Today we look at 1 Corinthians 16:1–4, where Paul reminds the church of one of the earliest and most essential marks of Christian life: remember the poor. Paul ends this letter with a grounding reminder: after all the debates, disagreements, and distractions, the church must not forget the poor. We talk about why this mattered in the early church and why it still matters today — for our churches,…
In our message from August 16, 2026, Andy shares with us from Acts 8: 26-40. We see the Lord tell Phillip to go. And that is what he did, and so many things were changed for the better because of it. God does the same today. He has so much good for us to do each day. He gives the same call. Let's go!
What happens to us after the resurrection? In this reflection on 1 Corinthians 15, we explore Paul's attempt to describe the resurrection body and what it means for our hope as Christians. Paul uses the image of a seed becoming something far greater than what was planted to help us understand that while our resurrection bodies will be connected to who we are now, they will be…
Today, we take a closer look at 1 Corinthians 15 and Paul's powerful statement that "all die in Adam" but "all are made alive in Christ." What does that actually mean for how we understand sin, humanity, salvation, and the image of God? We talk about our natural "bent to sinning," why sin is more than simply the bad things we do, and how Christ restores what has been corrupted. We'll also unpack…
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul makes a bold claim: if there is no resurrection from the dead, then the entire Christian faith falls apart. In today's reflection, Andy explores the cultural and theological background behind Paul's argument, including the Jewish debate over resurrection and why the early Christians were so focused on Christ's return. Paul insists that the resurrection isn't a peripheral…
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul reminds the church of what is truly "of first importance": Jesus Christ—his death for our sins, his burial, his resurrection, and his appearances to the witnesses. In today's reflection, Andy explores what it means to keep the main thing the main thing in our faith. There are many theological questions and denominational differences that matter deeply to Christians, from…
What does Paul mean when he says that worship should be done "decently and in order"? In today's reflection, Andy finishes 1 Corinthians 14 by exploring Paul's teaching about orderly worship, spiritual gifts, prophecy, tongues, and the controversial passage about women speaking in church. Rather than reading that verse in isolation, Andy considers it alongside Paul's earlier instructions in…
In our Sunday Sermon from August 9, 2026, I share from Deuteronomy 31: 1-8. We see God telling the people and Joshua to move forward, even in the uncertainty. They can jump because they know that God will be there on the other side. So can we.
Why do some Christians speak in tongues while others don't? In today's reflection, Andy continues through 1 Corinthians 14 by exploring Paul's discussion of tongues and prophecy. Along the way, he explains the Wesleyan roots that connect Methodists and many Pentecostal and charismatic traditions, while reflecting on what spiritual maturity ultimately looks like. Whether expressed through…
We often hear 1 Corinthians 13 at weddings, but Paul wasn't writing about romance—he was addressing a divided church. In today's reflection, Andy explores the famous "love chapter" in its original context and shows why love is the greatest spiritual gift of all. Knowledge, faith, sacrifice, and even miraculous gifts mean nothing if they are not shaped by love. As followers of Christ, both our…