Jeremy R. Geerdes Posts

One of the hardest things about my job is when I have to confront someone about sin. I hate it. In fact, I’ve lost a few parishioners, and even a couple of good friends because their sin stood in blatant contrast to their professed faith. It kills me. But it can’t be escaped. It’s part […]

There are, of course, some people who just irritate. There are others who cause problems. And there are those who are the “Debbie Downer” (yes, that was a SNL reference) who just smother everyone with their pessimism and gloom. Fortunately, though, all of these combine to form a minority of all the people there are, […]

When I started this word study over a year ago, I was desperately hoping to better understand joy, its causes, its inhibitors, etc., so that I could have more of it. I still want that. I can’t imagine that anyone wouldn’t want that. But as I stumbled the other day upon 1 Corinthians 7, I […]

I belong to a denomination which proudly calls itself part of the Holiness Movement. Without getting into the details of our history, this means that we emphasize the message that Jesus came to save us from sin itself – not just its consequences – and regular people can – indeed, must – be holy in […]

Sometimes, I am a most self-centered person. I hate to admit that, but it’s true. I expect that the whole world should revolve around me and share my perspective and my emotions on the subjects of life, the universe, and everything. Now, this is not all the time, but particularly when I’m down, disappointed, discouraged, […]

I don’t like persecution. Not that I’ve ever suffered anything even remotely like the persecution saints experienced in the New Testament – or continue to experience today in some parts of the world – but even the little bit that I have experienced – generally, name calling, strange stares, etc. – has been enough that […]

Ever since I first set my sights on being a leader, I was told that the first, instinctive response that everyone has to change is resistance. Over the years, I’ve sat in countless seminars and discussions where the varying degrees of that resistance are outlined and explored, but the fact remains that, whoever we are […]

The future tense has always intrigued me. Perhaps that’s why I’ve been a Star Trek fan since I saw my first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in something like 4th grade. I’ve enjoyed science fiction in general for even longer. And I love reading magazines like Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, and others that […]

In my study of joy, I’ve come across numerous instances where joy is attributed to obedience. In other words, if we obey God, we will have joy. In John 15, though, we have a little different take on this connection. As Jesus prepares for the Garden and the Cross, He spent a night hanging out […]

For eight years and change, I had poured into Chip. Week in and week out, I had watched as he tried to make life work on his own terms. I was there when his baby was born (well, within a couple of hours, anyway). I listened when his wife and him had fights. I prayed […]