I Am the Good Shepherd
If you spend much time in the Old Testament, you will soon come to realize the important role sheep played in the sacrificial system. Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly the Israelites would make animal sacrifices. God told them, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to…
I Am the Light of the World
We’ve all had that experience. We sit in the growing darkness of evening as we are busy reading, watching television, chatting with friends. Then, unexpectedly, someone comes into the room and flips on the lights! Suddenly we realize just how dark the room had become. Even worse, horror of horrors, now we can see the…
The Dissatisfied Life (Prayer Warrior)
Sunday morning my pastor issued this challenge during his sermon: You know, friends, a life of dissatisfaction is a blessed life. Uh-oh! What did I say? Yes, I said it. A life of dissatisfaction is a blessed life. Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew 5:6. It says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst…
The Essential Service of the Church
During a recent news conference, President Trump stated, “I’m identifying houses of worship — churches, synagogues and mosques — as essential places that provide essential services.” What is the essential service of the church? Essential services have been defined throughout the coronavirus pandemic as services necessary for the continuation of society. Some of these include medical services, truck drivers,…
Pandemic or Opportunity? Making the Most of Quarantine
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to limit travel and other activities, people grow increasingly frustrated. While such restrictions certainly challenged our daily lives, God calls us to make the most of every opportunity. How can we make the most of the COVID-19 crisis? Colossians 4:2-6 offers an insightful look at the approach God desires for…
Dragging Your Anchor
Do you have something that is keeping you firmly anchored in your past? Perhaps childhood abuse. Perhaps rape. Perhaps debilitating injury. Perhaps the loss of a child. Whatever that anchor may be, you find yourself incapable of moving past it and moving on with life. Or perhaps you are dragging some anchor that is keeping…
Grumbling to Grateful
Right now it seems every day’s news has some story about high school or college seniors who are lamenting the “loss” of some senior or graduation ritual. At the same time, people are suffering from “quarantine fatigue,” and grumbling about the continuing restrictions on our movements and activities. How can you remain grateful? May I…
I Believe, Amen
Having spent nearly a year researching and writing about the Apostles’ Creed, I find myself strangely reluctant to see it come to an end. But end we must, because we have reached the final word, Amen. Amen, as Donald Cole explains, is a Hebrew word that can be translated “Certainly!” or “It is so!”[1] Apostles’…
Blessed: How Can We Live with God’s Blessing on Our Life?
You may hear many people say they are blessed. Others desire to be blessed. How do we live with God’s blessing? Much misconception surrounds the idea of being blessed by the Lord. However, Psalm 1 offers clear teaching regarding the life God blesses. Live with God’s Blessing: The Blessed Person Avoids Evil Verse 1 clearly…
I Believe in the Life Everlasting
The last declaration in the Apostles’ Creed is that Christians look forward to everlasting life. Who of us has not memorized John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes on him should not perish but have eternal life”? What is life everlasting? So what can we…
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