September 19, 2018 Watching the news on TV gives us a very limited picture of the hurt and devastation experienced by people in parts of the world affected by hurricanes, earthquakes and other events beyond their control. The fallout affects individuals and families for a long time ‒ some for the rest of their life. […]
September 5, 2018 One of the most fulfilling thoughts a human can enjoy is to be desired appropriately. Parents long to hear their children say, “I love you and I want to be with you.” The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that he longed to see him (2 Timothy 1:4), and he wrote the same […]
August 29, 2018 A child feels secure when a parent is nearby. But if they do something that displeases their parent, they want to hide. This game started in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve enjoyed the privilege of living in God’s presence. But when they listened to the counterfeit god, Satan, they […]
August 22, 2018 Ponder Working on a message series from Hebrews 11, I am reminded of how much faith those heroes had and it was based on so little information. It is good for me to remember how privileged I am to have a completed Bible. The early followers of God lived Hebrews 11:1 – […]
August 15, 2018 “Why?” is the most common question when people are faced with life challenges. More often than not, the question is directed at Creator God. This has caused me to wonder how God would answer if we could visit with Him face to face. Typical questions include: Why do bad things happen to […]
August 1, 2018 Psalm 37 abounds with encouragement for people who trust and follow God’s ways, along with a message of doom for those who do not. The Creator is specific in what He considers worthy of approval and what He condemns. I am encouraged by the advice in verse 37: “Mark the blameless and […]
July 25, 2018 Reading through the Psalms, I have pondered who or what was on David’s mind when he talked about taking refuge in God for protection from his enemies. The books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles list some of the people who wanted to be rid of him. I wonder about other forces he […]
July 18, 2018 My mind is on “covenants” this week as I prepare to talk on Sunday about “The New Covenant” from Hebrews chapter 8. Webster’s Dictionary defines the word: a binding and solemn agreement to do or keep from doing a specific thing. Two or more individuals make a compact to follow through on […]
July 11, 2018 The opening pages of the Bible reveal a Creator God Who made a variety of beautiful things, including humans. He placed them in an amazing garden and gave them a life beyond our imagination. The story also includes a counterfeit god who wanted to destroy the relationship between God and humans. Unbelievably, […]
July 5, 2018 Another July 4th is history, and I paused to consider the significance of the celebration. I read The Declaration of Independence and portions of The Constitution of The United States of America and was reminded of the concerns that brought those men to the place of being willing to put their lives […]
June 27, 2018 It is natural for humans to try to avoid hurting. When given a choice to experience something that makes us feel good or something that hurts, most likely we would choose to feel good. While I would not suggest that we look for painful experiences, we probably should not avoid them without […]
June 3, 2020 It was perhaps 18 years ago that a couple of people suggested I should write a weekly blog. I did not know what a “blog” was, but Ponder with Pastor Bill came out of that idea. It has been good for me to have this opportunity, and I hope it has been…
May 20, 2020 It feels strange, almost wrong, for me to ask this question: How could the Creator and Controller of the universe be held in captivity by it? I hope I am not dabbling in something inappropriate, but this has been on my mind. The confinement of lockdown is a familiar situation for all…
May 13, 2020 Creator God gives us a statement of beauty and hope when He puts a silver lining around a dark cloud in the sky. He reminds us that the darkness is temporary and there is something more powerful than the cloud. It feels like our lives, our community and our world have a…
Meditación con el pastor Bill 6 de mayo de 2020 Sentado en mi silla de tratamiento esta semana frente a una ventana que me daba una vista para el Monte St. Helens, cubierto de nieve sobre un fondo azul cielo. Era una escena magnífica, y tuve mucho tiempo para disfrutarla y reflexionar sobre el significado…
May 6, 2020 My treatment chair this week faced a window that provided a frame for Mount St. Helens, covered with snow against a sky-blue background. It was a magnificent scene, and I had plenty of time to enjoy it and ponder the significance of that mountain. Prior to 1980, I called it “Mount Chrome…