I have to be careful how much I allow myself to watch the news. You see, I’ve always been an emotion just under the surface kind of person. It doesn’t take much for my “feelings” to influence my mood. And of course, the news likes to promote sensationalism. What’s the saying? “If it bleeds, it…
I sometimes wonder what it must have been like for someone to belong to that church in Corinth. Sometimes it seems like their gatherings got a little unmanageable. Remember . . . these last chapters in this first letter to the Corinthians contain Paul’s responses to questions they have asked. He talked about marriage and…
It’s long been called the “love chapter,” one that has been shared at countless weddings over the years… Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about…
The cultural message for the past 50 years has been “my body, my choice.” But is that true based on God’s Word? In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul wrote: Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not…
How much time do you spend investing in relationships with unbelievers? Historically, there have been some groups of Christians that have chosen to create their own exclusive communities to remain isolated from the “influence of the world”—people who choose not to be friends with people outside of their faith community. In 1 Corinthians 5, the…
Have you noticed culture is trying to eliminate the word “sin” from the public forum? There appears to be an effort to remove the idea of an absolute religious or moral law; therefore, making it possible for everyone to determine for themselves what is right or wrong. And many Christians avoid talking about sin for…
Do you have a loved one, a friend or neighbor who is not a believer? Have you have carefully looked for openings to share your faith? Perhaps, many times . . . over many years. You wait and pray and wait some more. It would be great if a single, gentle nudge from you led…
How often does you pastor preach about the consequences of sin and the importance of obedience? When I was growing up, our pastor used to preach long messages. At one point, my dad, who was a personal friend of his, teased him about the fact that they seemed to be getting even longer. Our pastor…
We used to live near a “Berean” church. And Rev and I think it’s was one of the best names ever for a Christian church. Here’s why: The people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if…
Have you ever wanted to be famous? Do you long to be “known” and popular? Have you ever been tempted to do a little “name dropping” so you could tag along on the celebrity recognition ride? Luke wrote the following near the beginning of his Gospel: Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also…
Nazis. There’s a good reason that word causes a sickening reaction. In fact, it has become even more apparent lately that if someone wants to cast an individual or group in the worst possible light . . . that’s the word label to apply. Romans. In New Testament times, the word “Roman” would have caused…
Do you ever worry that there is an effort to silence Christians through various forms of persecution? After a year where the churches were closed and statements of faith being declared hate speech and people being taken off social media for presenting Biblical truths . . . it’s hard not to wonder where our nation…
It seems now, more than ever, people want to believe that it simply doesn’t matter what you believe. All roads lead to Heaven. And even within the Christian church some say there is no hell. So, no worries, right?! While there seems to be increasing pressure to think like that, nothing could be further from…
Do you have a favorite chapter of the Bible? Original manuscripts of the Bible were not written with section breaks but over time, chapters were added and then in 1560, the Geneva Bible included both chapters and verses. There are 1,189 chapters in the Bible and 23,145 verses. Although, I have a long list of…
I sometimes wonder how often we trust the teachings of liars. We know that mixed messages are everywhere even in the church. How in the world are we supposed to know the truth? Jesus gave those who were willing to listen, 3 simple things to look for to determine if a religious leader is teaching…
A couple of year’s ago, I asked a group of friends, “how do you see Jesus when you pray?” You can check out their responses here. I also answered the question myself… I imagine Jesus waiting for me at the well. Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well. John 4:6 He…
Nicodemus came under a cover of darkness. He wanted to know more about Jesus. His Pharisaical peers were quickly making up their minds and rejecting the Rabbi but Nicodemus wanted to examine the Man and His teaching personally. Jesus used the opportunity to teach Nicodemus several truths that have been foundational to our faith ever…
Why do we so often wait until we’ve run out of self before we take our needs to the Lord? The idea of self-sufficiency is a powerful drive in our lives and I think the enemy of our souls is just fine with that. We turn to so-called “experts and authorities,” read self-help books, worry…
Jesus would have welcomed the Pharisee’s questions if they had truly wanted to learn from Him. But they tossed questions His way trying to trap Him into saying something that would either 1. get Him in trouble with those who followed Him, or 2. get Him in trouble with the Roman government. The funny thing…
When you feel rejected and unworthy . . . run to Jesus! In a first Century culture, men were valued, women less so, and children were to be seen and not heard. One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this,…
Jesus went out of His way to show people that He loved them. And because as He said… The Father and I are one. John 10:30 Jesus made the point that He was showing them God’s love for them. A love that is proclaimed in the stories Jesus shared in Luke 15. The Lost Sheep…
