2004 Articles by Ray Pritchard

Nothing Unusual Ever Happens Here

December 26, 2004

NOTHING UNUSUAL EVER HAPPENS HERE by Ray Pritchard Bethlehem, December 25, 2000 Years Ago””It’s been a quiet day in our little town. Local police reported no suspicious activity in the last 24 hours. The Greater Hebron Chamber of Commerce said yesterday that they project a 50% increase in tourism next year as…

Sermon 52 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

It's Okay to Say "Merry Christmas"

December 19, 2004

It’s Okay to Say “Merry Christmas”� by Ray Pritchard A man came into church last Sunday and said, “Merry Christmas.”� Then he looked at me and said, “I guess it's still all right to say that here.”� His comment reflects the growing frustration many Christians feel about the aggressive s…

Sermon 51 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Unexpected Good News

December 12, 2004

UNEXPECTED GOOD NEWS by Ray Pritchard The current issue of Newsweek contains some unexpected good news. A recent survey reveals that 79% of Americans believe that Jesus was born of a virgin without a human father. Here are few other findings from the survey: 93% say that Jesus Christ was an actual person who lived on the ea…

Sermon 50 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

St. Ephaem's Prayer

December 05, 2004

ST. EPHAEM’S PRAYER by Ray Pritchard Most of us, I suppose, have never heard of St. Ephraem of Syria. Or perhaps I shouldn’t suppose that. The only thing I know for certain is that I had never heard of him before this week. While attending a pastors’ luncheon last Tuesday, Wilbur Ellsworth shared a prayer by …

Sermon 49 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Restless, Waiting, Willing

November 28, 2004

RESTLESS, WAITING, WILLING by Ray Pritchard At our recent Pastors’ Retreat, Howard Duncan shared something the Lord had put on his heart overnight. He said that as pastors, we are called to ask, “What is God doing and how can we join him in his work?”� That's different from asking, “How can we get God t…

Sermon 48 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

How to Recognize Satan's Accusations

November 14, 2004

HOW TO RECOGNIZE SATAN’S ACCUSATIONS by Ray Pritchard This morning I happened to hear the end of a sermon in which Erwin Lutzer addressed an important question: “How do you distinguish between the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the accusations of the devil concerning our sin?”� Dr. Lutzer’s answer wa…

Sermon 46 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Q & A About the Biannual Business Meeting

November 07, 2004

Q & A ABOUT THE BIANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING by Ray Pritchard Q Why should I come to the business meeting? A Because it’s one of two times during the year when you get the inside scoop on what’s going on at the church. Q What you mean by “inside scoop”�? A We talk about the year just past and about our pla…

Sermon 45 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Reformation Sunday 2004

October 31, 2004

REFORMATION SUNDAY 2004 by Ray Pritchard You could hardly imagine a less auspicious way to begin a revolution. A young monk named Martin Luther nailed a sheet of paper to the doors of the local church. Luther had no idea he was igniting a movement that would change the world. He merely intended his “95 Theses”� t…

Sermon 44 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Bob & Amber's Excellent Adventure

October 24, 2004

BOB & AMBER’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE by Ray Pritchard Some years ago Bob and Amber Leland stopped by to see me one final time before leaving the Chicago area to return to Irian Jaya for another term of missionary service. When we got together, Bob had something definite on his mind. He took out some sheets of paper and sa…

Sermon 43 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

25 Ways You Can Be Part of World Focus Week

October 17, 2004

25 WAYS YOU CAN BE PART OF WORLD FOCUS WEEK by Ray Pritchard Find Martha Peaslee’s picture on the missionary wall in the Sanctuary lobby. Pray for Uzbekistan at the Sunday night Concert of Prayer. Share a table with a missionary at the Family Night Supper on Wednesday. Ask Dr. Aletta Bell about her favorite Indian food…

Sermon 42 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Amending Our Church Constitution to Define Marriage

October 10, 2004

AMENDING OUR CHURCH CONSTITUTION TO DEFINE MARRIAGE by Ray Pritchard Last spring the elders appointed a task force to work on revising our church constitution in several key areas. This marks the first time since we approved our current constitution in 1992 that we have made any changes. The task force recommended, and the …

Sermon 41 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

The Best Defense for a Bad Memory

October 03, 2004

THE BEST DEFENSE FOR A BAD MEMORY by Ray Pritchard “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips”� (Proverbs 24:26). This verse will suggest different things to different people. What exactly does it mean and what is the relationship between an honest answer and a kiss on the lips? I think there are three points o…

Sermon 40 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

The First Rule of Holes

September 26, 2004

THE FIRST RULE OF HOLES by Ray Pritchard A friend was talking with his son about the importance of sound financial principles. But what do you do when you are already in debt? The answer is not hard to find: Get out of debt as quickly as possible. My friend shared a pithy aphorism that he called the First Rule of Holes, whi…

Sermon 39 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

So That ...

September 19, 2004

SO THAT by Ray Pritchard Recently I picked up a useful insight from some friends who were eating supper with us. Somehow the conversation turned to prayer, and a man shared an insight that was new to me. “When I pray,”� he said, “I always try to include the phrase ’so that.’ I heard a guest pre…

Sermon 38 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Should We Use the Bible in the Marriage Debate?

September 05, 2004

SHOULD WE USE THE BIBLE IN THE MARRIAGE DEBATE? by Ray Pritchard At first, the question seems unnecessary. Of course we will use the Bible in the great debate over marriage. How could Christians avoid the Bible? And why should we? Before answering that question, consider an article by Don Wycliff, the “public editor
…

Sermon 36 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

After You've Done Something Stupid

June 27, 2004

AFTER YOU’VE DONE SOMETHING STUPID by Ray Pritchard The headline told the story: “Politicians' Private Lives Disappearing.”� The writer began by discussing Bill Clinton's moral failures while he was president. Those failings are well known to us all and don't need to be repeated here. Then the writer discuss…

Sermon 26 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

"But Do It Soon"

June 13, 2004

“BUT DO IT SOON”� by Ray Pritchard Last night my wife Marlene shared with me an e-mail she received from a woman she has never met. It all started several years ago when Nick was diagnosed with an autoimmune blood disorder. After a series of failed treatments, he underwent surgery that reversed his symptoms so th…

Sermon 24 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

A Line in the Sand

June 06, 2004

Last week Skip Olson sent me an e-mail wondering why professing Christians could not stand arm-in-arm over issues of great moral importance. In many ways the disunity within Christendom opens the door for evil to flourish in our society. But perhaps the critical nature of these times will…

Sermon 23 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Are We on the Brink of Revival?

May 30, 2004

ARE WE ON THE BRINK OF REVIVAL? by Dr. Ray Pritchard Is America poised for a great spiritual awakening? Many factors argue against it. Several years ago Chuck Colson issued a solemn warning about the decline of our culture. He spotlighted three ominous trends: partial-birth abortion, euthanasia, and the movement to legalize…

Sermon 22 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

The God of Tiny Details

May 23, 2004

THE GOD OF TINY DETAILS by Ray Pritchard Several years ago I spent a week speaking at Dallas Seminary. On my last day there, the president, Mark Bailey, took us out for lunch. While we were driving along North Central Expressway, I commented to Dr. Bailey about the brand-new, ten-story apartment building that had just been …

Sermon 21 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

A Visit to the Dentist

May 16, 2004

A VISIT TO THE DENTIST by Ray Pritchard Rambling thoughts before, during and after my visit: 1) I wonder what he'll find this time? 2) You don't think about your teeth until there is a problem. 3) If dentists are so friendly, why do they have sharp tools in their hands? 4) I wonder how many times the Bible mentions teeth? A…

Sermon 20 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Level Three Faith — A Personal Update

May 09, 2004

LEVEL THREE FAITH””A PERSONAL UPDATE by Ray Pritchard During the Legacy Campaign last September, I preached a sermon called “Level Three Faith and How to Get There.”� Whenever a church enters a stewardship campaign, there is danger and there is opportunity. The danger is that by talking openly about mon…

Sermon 19 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

God's Hidden Smile

April 25, 2004

GOD’S HIDDEN SMILE by Ray Pritchard “The LORD said to him, 'Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ?’”� (Exodus 4:11). This is a verse that will make you stop and think. There are four questions here, and each one deserves consid…

Sermon 17 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Jesus Is All I Need

April 11, 2004

JESUS IS ALL I NEED by Ray Pritchard I first heard this from Steve Brown who heard Ron Dunn say it in a sermon: “We often say, 'Jesus is all I need.' But you will never know if Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have. When Jesus is all you have, then you discover that Jesus is all you need.”� The more I…

Sermon 15 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

We Can't Be Friends with Everyone

April 04, 2004

WE CAN’T BE FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE by Ray Pritchard The following question arrived a few days ago: “When it's all said and done, is it impossible for Christians to form close, intimate (platonic) relationships with non-Christians? As I grow closer in my walk with God, I realize how little I have in common with the …

Sermon 14 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

How God Uses Cancer to Help Us Grow

March 28, 2004

Not long ago I received an e-mail from a man I’ve never met. He lives hundreds of miles from Chicago so I don’t suppose that I’ll ever meet him in person. A year ago he discovered that he has prostate cancer. In times past he made many mistakes and hurt his own family gre…

Sermon 13 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Martin Luther’s Advice

March 21, 2004

Many years ago I took a course on Advanced Apologetics taught by Dr. John Warwick Montgomery. One day he talked to us about Martin Luther’s theology, which Dr. Montgomery summed up as law and grace. All the details of that discussion have long been forgotten–all save one. I remember this point because our teacher brought it home with great, repeated force: Preach law to the proud; preach grace to the humble.

Sermon 12 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

The Strategic Prayer Initiative

March 07, 2004

THE STRATEGIC PRAYER INITIATIVE by Ray Pritchard Several years ago Mike Jebb came up with a revolutionary idea: What if Christians took prayer seriously? What if, instead of praying “when we feel like it,” Christians began to pray the way that soldiers go to war? What if our prayer room became a “war room…

Sermon 10 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Forgiving the Unforgivable

March 07, 2004

Sermon 13 of 13 from the Articles and Public Letters series

The Truth about the Passion Movie

March 03, 2004

Sermon 12 of 13 from the Articles and Public Letters series

Further Thoughts on "The Passion of the Christ"

March 02, 2004

Sermon 11 of 13 from the Articles and Public Letters series

"He Took My Place"

February 29, 2004

“HE TOOK MY PLACE” by Ray Pritchard The current controversy over “The Passion of the Christ” has raised an important point that deserves careful discussion. We know that Jesus died for others. What does that really mean? Perhaps an illustration will help. At the time of the Civil War, there was a band of…

Sermon 9 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Sowing Seeds for Jesus

February 15, 2004

SOWING SEEDS FOR JESUS by Ray Pritchard A friend writes asking for help with a difficult situation. Because of a change on the job, this person now works around two men who are openly homosexual. Recently they have started sharing details about their personal relationships. The problem: “I work in an environment that t…

Sermon 7 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Follow the Cloud!

February 08, 2004

FOLLOW THE CLOUD! by Ray Pritchard “So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels” (Exodus 40:38). The cloud and the fire represented the very presence of God. They weren't just symbols; they represented…

Sermon 6 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

The Howard Dean Syndrome

February 01, 2004

Howard Dean is an angry man. You can tell by the way he talks to people. You can also tell because lots of people are talking about how angry he is. I’m writing these words the day after the New Hampshire primary where he lost for the second time in a week to John Kerry. Maybe he’s …

Sermon 5 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

The New Worship Schedule

January 25, 2004

THE NEW WORSHIP SCHEDULE by Ray Pritchard Elsewhere in today’s bulletin you’ll find an announcement for the new worship schedule that begins Sunday, March 21. Here are the highlights: 1. We will have three worship hours on Sunday morning: 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30 a.m. 2. The worship schedule in the Sanctuary will be …

Sermon 4 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

The Cost of Compassion

January 18, 2004

“Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me” (Luke 8:46). These strange words mean at least this much: Jesus knew God’s power had flowed from him into the body of the woman who touched his garment. Power that had been his passed from him to her. It resulted i…

Sermon 3 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Baggage Claim

January 11, 2004

BAGGAGE CLAIM by Ray Pritchard The following illustration comes from Craig Barnes, longtime pastor of National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. One day he stood at the baggage claim area in an airport, watching the bags tumble off the conveyor belt and onto the carousel one by one. As he pondered the matter, that une…

Sermon 2 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series

Five Signs of the End Times

January 04, 2004

Many people want to know, “what are the signs of the end?” All a person needs to do is glance at news headlines in order to see that we live in tumultuous times. So when I came across an email titled “Five Signs of the End Times in 2003”, I was curious to see one man’s perspective.

Sermon 1 of 52 from the Ponder This - 2004 series