Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer Christmas

Advent: Respite of Joy

Have you ever wondered why the third candle in the advent wreath is pink? Why pink? Why the third Sunday? The short answer is joy! But the long answer is fascinating, and it has something to do with Lent, and something to do with an early Gnostic movement that dismissed Jesus as a real human person.

Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer Hebrews

Hebrews: The Arduous Road to Maturity

Healing means saying yes to God, trusting God, taking that next step with God, knowing it will be hard, but it will also be good.

Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer 1 and 2 Peter YouTube

1 Peter 2, A Chosen People

Along with the great privilege of salvation comes the responsibility to grow in holiness, so that being born anew, believers now crave the pure spiritual milk of the word, are built up into the house of God, mature in faith, and serve God.

Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer Hebrews

Hebrews: The Drift

Having now established Jesus as God the Son, truly God and truly the Savior of all creation, the writer of Hebrews turned his attention to what he saw as a drifting away from faith in his audience.

Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer James

James: The Polyvalence of Belief

Most people do not care about what you know, they want to know that you care.

Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer James

James: Temptation

You and I always have the option of asking God for wisdom. Will fulfilling the desire in these circumstances be for good, and God’s glory?

Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer Philemon

Philemon: Every Good Thing

Paul wanted Philemon to mature in his faith, so rather than tell him what to do, Paul entreated him as a fellow elder.

Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer Philemon

Philemon: Encouragement

did Onesimus lead the way, full of hope, confident both in Paul and Timothy’s letter, and in the Spirit at work in Philemon? Was it Onesimus who handed Philemon this personal note, and told him, “This is from our brother Paul,”?

Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer 1 and 2 Peter (With Jude)

2 Peter 2: Righteous? Really?

It complicates things, does it not? When scripture specifically describes Lot and Noah as righteous, then carefully records their drunkenness and sexual deviance.

Joanne Guarnieri Hagemeyer 1 and 2 Peter (With Jude)

2 Peter 1: Add To Your Faith

Peter teaches us to hold two truth loosely together--we have everything we need from God, it is now our responsibility to use it well.