Julie and I have fourteen grandchildren. We are less than forty-eight hours from our first grandchild being married. When most of you read this, the happy couple will be on their honeymoon. If I were to give blanket advice to them and every other couple on the planet, here is what I would say. Julie … Continue reading Wedding Bells Are Ringing
John
In The Meantime
For roughly two thousand years, Christians have looked to the skies for the return of Jesus Christ. We started looking the moment Christ ascended into heaven. At the ascension, an angel said to those present, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you … Continue reading In The Meantime
Our Love For God
"I love Jesus!" is a statement often uttered, but is it true? To answer that question, I reckon the first thing to do is to define love. What is love? The Bible gives us the definition of love in its most famous verse, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave..." Love … Continue reading Our Love For God
Shake, Rattle, and Roll
Last Thursday, Indiana experienced an earthquake. I have lived in Indiana for almost forty years, and this is only the second earth shaking I have felt here. Decades ago, I lived in California for three years and experienced multiple quakes, including one measuring 6.1. The shakeup Thursday was only a 3.8, but the epicenter was … Continue reading Shake, Rattle, and Roll
We Need Revival
The church needs revival. Before shouting, "Amen!" to that comment, "Oh my!" may be more appropriate. "Amen" to the statement about revival is a stamp of approval, yet it implies that everyone else needs fixing. The "Oh my" indicates that the hearer understands they are also part of the problem. The church and possibly every … Continue reading We Need Revival
Bible Bloodbath
King Solomon built the first Jewish Temple. When completed, a dedication ceremony took place. At the ceremony, the Hebrews made sacrifices. The Bible tells us, "the people offered sacrifices before the LORD" and that "king Solomon offered a sacrifice..." (2 Chronicles 7:4-5). The Bible does not tell us how many people came with a sacrifice. … Continue reading Bible Bloodbath
God Is Not In The Repair Business
As a child, once a year, we would visit my aunt. In a prominent place in her living room was a vase. The vase had roses painted on it. It also had two cracks running up the side. Every visit, she would warm me to be careful. My cousin broke it years ago, my aunt … Continue reading God Is Not In The Repair Business
Lessons From Hogan, Klink, And Schultz
One day when we lived in Germany, I had reason to talk to our landlord. Standing outside his door, I could hear him laughing hysterically inside. Not wanting to break up a funny moment, I waited a minute or two before knocking. The laughter never stopped; I eventually knocked anyway. He was still laughing when … Continue reading Lessons From Hogan, Klink, And Schultz
Heart, Mind, And Soul.
Jesus had a way of having the last word. A good example is when the scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus the woman "taken in adultery." After He said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John 8:7), all the woman's accusers left. There was nothing more … Continue reading Heart, Mind, And Soul.
Why The What
Have you ever wondered, "Why Christmas?" The answer seems simple enough, "We have Christmas to celebrate Jesus' birthday." Jesus' birthday is the what, not the why. Jesus' birthday is what we celebrate on Christmas. But why do we celebrate His birth? Going a bit deeper, maybe we should ask why Jesus was born in the … Continue reading Why The What