A fellow Christian of the Reformation, The Rev. Dr. Voddie Baucham, recently shared of a television program episode he watched broadcast on one of the old networks. This particular program featured a scene between a believer and unbeliever. The unbeliever asked the Christian to open her Bible to Leviticus 18:22, which says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” “Do you agree with that?” asked the atheist. ...

Christians most likely know the story of the prophet Jeremiah, a.k.a. “the weeping prophet” who was thus dubbed because he mourned for the unrepentant people of Judah. When God announced that Jeremiah would deliver His Word to the people, Jeremiah balked, claiming he was too young, and therefore did not have the words to say to them. ...

The recent incivility in the streets of American cities highlight what heroic courage it takes to be in law enforcement, especially the grieving families of officers killed for evil done by someone else. As our elementary teachers taught us: two wrongs do not make a right. (Romans 12:17-21; 1 Peter 3:9-14)...

Christianity is not merely 2,000 years old, but goes back to creation, where we read in Genesis 1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” He did so by speaking all things into existence. We also find those same three words opening the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ...

A fellow pastor recently told me that the average percent of men who become pastors in our Synod (church body, denomination), but do not stay in the ministry all of their working lives is about ten percent. Later, I went to my office and took down the framed photo of my own graduating class and looked at the faces and names and judged only two I would not have been shocked to find that they were no longer in the ministry. ...

Years ago, while driving, I passed a church where the sign displayed a message immediately underneath the name of the church, which is also long forgotten, but the message under the name read, “Where Every Day is Lent.” Lent is the forty days (minus the Sundays) before Easter where we recall our Lord’s victory over Satan, rebuffing the devil’s temptations. ...

A historian described the city of Athens in the first century A.D., specifically in the days of St. Paul: “Athens taught the world the concept of democracy, the rule of the people. It had been the great center of philosophy, the love of wisdom…but its glories had dimmed, and it was no longer the chief city of Greece.” Luke recorded in Acts 17:16ff that St. ...

The president of the church body through which I am so blessed to serve the Lord recently shared something Martin Luther wrote to a fellow believer while the black plague was striking his hometown of Wittenberg (Germany) in the near-mid 1500s. We are not facing anything as horrendous as that scourge, but his counsel sounds a lot like what we are advised today. ...

The fourth Sunday after Easter is always Good Shepherd Sunday in the traditional Church Year calendar. With it is the almost obligatory Psalm 23, which is also popular for funerals. Personally, I never understood the latter because that psalm presents a difficult life for most people. ...

Have you ever wondered why Jesus, after His resurrection from the dead, did not make an appearance before Pilate, the Jewish High Priest, or Nicodemus? Well, Jesus is no beggar. He has a wonderful lesson for those who are glued to their television sets these fretful days, watching programs which are friendly to Biblical Christians or from networks hostile to Biblical Christians. ...

The bookshelves in my church office are crammed full, so I looked for some books to give away or toss. However, I could only part with two. One was on evangelism that was published almost seventy years ago by a publishing house of a once-large church body but has long ago abandoned the Holy Scriptures. ...

The title of this week’s column is the reply a Christian would give after another Christian says, “The Lord is risen!” on an Easter Sunday or on any of the following 39 days of the Easter season. Most of us Christians will confess that as Ascension Day nears, excitement may wear off, but Easter 2020 may be an exception. ...

Holy Week is upon us as we observe our Lord accomplishing what He came to achieve: the overthrow of Satan and the liberation of Man from the bondage of sin. Recorded in the Gospel of John (12:31), Jesus declared of His upcoming crucifixion, death, and resurrection, “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.” Some astute biblical theologians will refer to this as the “second fall of Satan”, with the first as described by Jesus with His sending out of seventy-two disciples to tell of His new kingdom on this earth and to cast out demons. ...

As the time of Lent draws to its glorious end, the appointed Scripture readings (the Lectionary) include the theme of death, but pointing to Jesus as He travels closer and closer to Jerusalem to fulfill His purpose as God becoming flesh to die for the sins of the world. ...

One day God called upon His angels to appear to Him and Satan was among them. God said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Satan’s reply was a two-fold accusation, claiming that Job was not actually righteous but was motivated by God’s generous provision granted to Job: wealth, health, wonderful family, etc. ...

During a recent Wednesday night dinner before our Lenten midweek worship service, a high school-aged parishioner shared with the rest of us that his English class was reading a book on the Salem witch trials. Eleventh grade English curriculum reading has exclusively been American literature, and the two most frequent works which have been read in government schools has been “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathanial Hawthorne and the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards, of the Great Awakening movement which fanned the flames of Christian faith in eighteenth century America. ...

Much of Christendom today is known for its focus, if not an outright human narcissistic viewing of God as intervening in the daily lives of us believers. We always hearing “God has a plan for you”, or “God is working in my life”. Both are true. Yes, God has a plan for everyone who lives today, who lived in the past, and in the future. ...

Recently, I was driving from home to the church and was listening to the news on the radio. It was announced that a study had been completed by the United Nations’ World Health Organization that concluded that there are an estimated 9 million people in the world who are not secure in adequate sources for food. Some are literally starving, but most of those 9 million fell into the category of ill-fed, their diets were not enough to keep them healthy...

Recorded in Exodus 24, Moses has delivered God’s law to God’s people, the Israelites. This is just after Yahweh had given Moses what theologians call “the Decalogue” or more commonly known as the Ten Commandments. That was in chapter 20. Now, more details of that law are found in Exodus chapters 21—24 much of which was recorded by Moses in Leviticus, including specificities of sacrificial offerings—blood, burnt, and peace offerings. ...

Recently, I read a blog from a self-described agnostic, who had vented his frustrations with Christians: “Please stop saying ‘God loves you!’ I’m so sick of hearing that!” Some of us who have questioned the truth claims of Christianity and had wandered away but were drawn back to faith in Lord can at least somewhat understand the man’s ire. ...

To the Christian who takes the Holy Bible to heart as God speaking to His human creation, we want to trust the Lord’s promises of eternal salvation. But we are all born sinful by nature because we are offspring of Adam and Eve. Yet we don’t have to skip many years as recorded in the Holy Bible beginning with the book of Genesis to understand that life in this sinful, fallen world will always be challenging, even dangerous until Christ returns to complete His restoration of His beloved humanity and creation.. ...

These days, we hear moaning and groaning about general church health and the remedy has been that the church must change—and drastically. “What will happen if we don’t get some young people in here? We just can’t allow this church to die!” One churchgoer was more open and honest: “I might live twenty or so more years and this church needs to be here for my funeral!” (I said ‘more open and honest’; I said nothing about good and admirable.) Some of us are tempted to say something snarky like, “Um, I thought pastors wearing skinny jeans and having a half-decent bar band playing contemporary music was supposed to fix all that.” But I won’t. ...

Perhaps the best way to answer a person’s questioning of God’s goodness—most often from an unbeliever, but not always—is to respond with “Why do you believe we deserve good things from God?” The questioner’s response might be “Because he created us”, but God also created my personal favorite animal on His green earth—the cat. ...

Perhaps the most common occurrence recorded in the Holy Scripture which is read on the Day of the Epiphany every year (January 6) is the Baptism of our Lord. When Jesus approached the Jordan River, the last prophet of the Holy Bible, John the Baptist was horrified, considering himself to be unworthy to baptize the long-promised Messiah. ...

From January 6 until Ash Wednesday (February 26 this year), some churches, especially those who date back to the 16th century, particularly of the Reformation, will focus on the Epiphany, which means “sudden revelation” or a new understanding of something or someone which one or many did not previously know, were unsure of, or did not comprehend. ...

Luke’s account of Jesus the Christ includes the eight days after His earthly, fleshly birth, in which Jesus was circumcised. When He was forty days old, His mother and father brought Him to the temple to make a sacrifice, required by the Law as recorded in Leviticus 12:1-5 for the purification of Mary and the presentation of Jesus as her first born. ...

It is December 26 as I write this, and later today I will send Christmas cards to some loved ones. No, I’m not late. The Christmas season begins December 25 and ends January 5, the day before the Epiphany. For twelve days, we Christians enjoy hearing “Merry Christmas” because it is a declaration of sweet dependence on Christ. ...

A fellow Reformed Christian (of the Reformation, 16th century) recently reported the birth of a child who was expected to have special needs. The child was also going to need major surgery immediately after his birth. The parents were blessed with a caring group of physicians at the hospital who saw to it to collect a team of surgeons and specialists at the hospital at the time of the child’s birth, ready to help save the child’s life. ...

One Sunday’s Scripture readings for this Advent is from the books of Isaiah, James, and the disciple Matthew’s record of the jailed and condemned John the Baptist’s sending of his own disciples to Jesus to ask the Lord, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matthew 11:2-15) Jesus told John’s followers to return to John and tell him “…what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. ...

A fellow beloved Christian friend of mine is considering foregoing the traditional Christmas this year, with the decorated tree, the holly-laced fireplace mantle, and even hanging any stockings at all, with or without care. He says that he is tired of the pagans’ Christmas observances, with their sappy, shallow, and unbiblical misunderstandings of Christ as Who He is, according to His revelation of Himself through His appointed prophets, disciples, and apostles, as recorded in the Holy Bible. ...

Sunday, December 1 opens the New Year for the Church with Advent, the four week season of repentance and anticipation of the birth of the long-prophesied and promised Messiah which was first mentioned, many believers hold, when the earth was new, and Adam and Eve were put in that perfect Garden to be God’s obedient people, yet they sinned, distrusted their Creator. ...

Jerusalem in the times of Malachi in the history of God’s people was perhaps a good time and place to be a believer in Yahweh. It had potential for peace because all of the people there had voluntarily returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity under the blessing from God’s “servant”, Medo-Persian King Cyrus. ...

Our Lord God saw to it that we live when and where we do. But we’ve all imagined what it would be like to live in a different place and time. Many Christians would, understandably, like to live in early first century Jerusalem, when God Incarnate, the Christ lived, taught, died, and was resurrected by God the Father, defeating sin, death, and the devil for those who believe in Him. ...

Some Christians who are young in age yet faithful to the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, are accused of being old fashioned, mentally living in ancient, by-gone days which will never return. Today’s young Christians have it particularly tough because the words of the unbelievers can be much harsher than of decades past, using expletives exposing deep-seated anger at anyone or anything Christian, while giving “other religions” a pass. ...

We pastors aren’t supposed to talk about ourselves, but as I prepare for next Sunday’s sermon, my morning this day as I write—Thursday, October 31, 2019—well serves as an illustration for Jesus’ introduction to His Sermon on the Mount, otherwise known as The Beatitudes. ...

I recently received an envelope in the mail with a question in bold print to the left of my name and address: “Do you have enough retirement to live comfortably?” I didn’t even have to check the upper right corner for the reliable tipoff for junk mail: “Presorted”. ...

The Pharisees were always trying to find fault with Jesus, and one of them asked Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ...

The traditional Church Year is drawing to a close. This calendar year—2019—the Church New Year begins Sunday, December 1, with the first season of the festival half of the Church Year and that is Advent, the four weeks of repentance before Christmas, when we examine our sins and unworthiness of God’s grace, come to us in the Person of Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins. ...

Habakkuk was a prophet of God who lived around the time of Jeremiah, around 605 B.C. In Habakkuk’s day, Judah was in trouble, and there are many similarities in Judah during this period and what is going on here today, in America, Western Europe, and elsewhere. ...

Some of you may recall the television program “Touched by an Angel”. It was your typical Hollywood pagan take on religion, popular today as the show was in the 1990s. It fits in well with the preference for which we sinful-by-nature humans would like God to be. ...

Christians will struggle with issues that arise, yet consulting the Word of God is always our best avenue. God chose to reveal Himself (and us) through His appointed prophets, disciples, and apostles. In times of confusion about certain matters of discerning God’s will for us, especially when we’re not sure of what God says, there is a method that is not sure-fire but can be helpful. ...

In the first century A.D., the Roman Empire wanted everyone in their empire, those diverse peoples, cultures, and religions to get along. It was to avoid getting involved with skirmishes among those different cultures and competing values. Fighting continuous rebellions and uprisings cost not only money, but weaken their military strength. ...

And old college friend of mine is once again about to become a grandfather, and what a blessing that is. His daughter is a devout Christian and the wife of a former missionary and now pastor. Their children will be blessed because both she and her husband have an infectious love for the Lord. ...

Perhaps the most common complaint from unbelievers we Christians hear against God remains “Since the result of Christianity depends on knowing and believing in Christ, how could ‘a loving God’ place someone in eternal torment if the person had never even heard of Jesus Christ?” The appointed-by-God apostle Paul (Acts 9) addresses that issue as recorded in Romans 1:18-19, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ...

Secular psychologists will attempt to explain human behavior outside their acknowledgement or recognition of God. Limited by observation and study of the human body and familial/social circumstances, their diagnoses of behavioral dysfunction usually describe what we Christians recognize as the product of human sin nature inherited from Adam and Eve in their rebellion against God. ...

It seems like every day some well-known Christian is in the news for renouncing his/her faith. A recent example is a songwriter who declared that he is no longer a Christian but “is going with what is true to me right now.” Some of us will recall the lie the serpent told Eve: “…you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) Typical of that counterfeit god, Satan mixes truth and lie. ...

The book of Ecclesiastes is a book of laments, a collection of sorrows written by Solomon in his old age, likely not long before he died. You also recall that Solomon had been given great wisdom in his young adulthood, just after becoming king, succeeding his father, David, to the throne. ...

Last week, a self-declared Christian who had been popular with Christian young people some years ago announced that he was “leaving God”. He had written a book a decade or so ago which recognized that we Christians do not conform to the world but live as a redeemed child of God, purchased by the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus the Christ. ...

The adult Bible class in the church I serve decided a couple of years ago to study the Book of Genesis. This was not to be a critical review because we do not argue with God’s Word because it is God’s revelation of Himself to His human creation. I had my doubting years in my foolish late-teen, early 20s youth. ...

There once was a mayor of a major city who would often ask constituents, “How am I doing?” But on one occasion, one citizen responded to his usual inquiry with, “Why don’t you ever ask how WE are doing?” In a culture where the individual is highly regarded, personal achievement often rewarded when recognized, and heroes are sought, looking to the self is encouraged. ...

If you have been reading my “Living in the Word” column for very long, you may have noticed that I do not often use what we Christians call “the Epistles” (letters) in the New Testament, composed by the apostle Paul, and some of the twelve disciples. ...

Elijah was a prophet who was chosen by God to serve Him in the northern kingdom of Israel, around 870 B. C. He was struggling to survive because most of the citizens in Jerusalem were not faithful to Yahweh. The religions they preferred were pagan, especially Baal. ...

Your children or grandchildren have questions about God, although they may not be asking. That may be because they don’t know what to ask. Children and adults leave church every Sunday after worshiping God for His grace for His people and enter into the land of secular fundamentalism with its cavernous, amoral void leaving many forgetting what God has to do with any of us. ...

A Christian missionary in Turkey for some twenty-three years has been released from two-year captivity after receiving help from President Trump and his administration. The missionary is warning Christians that persecution is coming here. In a recent speech to a gathering of the Southern Baptist Convention, The Rev. ...

This year we Christians celebrated Easter on April 21 (the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrated a week later, as usual). Jesus walked on the earth for forty days after His resurrection then ascended into heaven (Ascension Day, always on a Thursday, this year May 30). ...

It is true that the average length of retirement in the United States is eighteen years. Decades ago, I worked with a man who had worked very hard, saving and scrimping for his retirement. The day of his freedom from work did finally arrive, but his wife had a few more years to go before they could travel together and see the sights they had always planned. ...

You have likely heard of read that today there are more dogs in American households than there are children. People like dogs because they are loyal, not expensive (unless you are willing to spend maybe tens of thousands of dollars, for Rover’s cancer treatment). They can offer protection for the house and property. In other words, they are useful to us. Children can be poor investments if you are looking at them to exist for your benefit...

Not long after our Lord ascended into heaven after walking the earth for forty days following His resurrection from the dead, disciple Peter was in Joppa waiting for his evening meal and decided to go to the roof of the house for some privacy in praying to the Lord. ...

Todd Friel (www.wretched.org) is one of my favorite Christian apologists (see also Issues Etc. at www.issuesetc.org). Recently, he had a video on his YouTube channel (Wretched) describing false teachers who claim to be Christian. One of the most common characteristics of a false teacher is that he or she “gives very fair speeches with high notions [using] golden expressions. ...

The results of a study on religious bodies in America was recently released reporting that “church membership” has fallen as astounding twenty-percent since the year 2000. That’s quite a stunning loss. The religious bodies that have been declining the fastest are the liberal groups which still claim allegiance to Christianity but dismiss the Holy Bible as unauthoritative, usually promoting what the Bible judges as sexual sins (Romans 1, and a bunch of others passages) and what they call “social justice”, which is fundamental Marxism. ...

After worshipping our Lord on His day, the Sunday of the Resurrection, I came home, exhausted yet full of joy for that morning. We Christians gather on Easter Sunday and greet each other with one saying, “The Lord is risen!” and others respond with “He is risen, indeed, Alleluia!” Later, I recounted some members who were not there because of poor health. ...

An elementary teacher stood before her class and asked her students, “What should you do if a person physically hits you?” A student and Christian girl answered, “Turn the other cheek.” The girl said that she was so surprised that the “whole class” erupted in laughter. ...

Palm Sunday begins the observance of what was the most important week in all of history: the death and resurrection of God Incarnate, God become Man, to save His beloved chosen human creation from sin, hell, and the eternal Lake of Fire. The apostle Luke narrates the passion of Jesus Christ, beginning with His short-lived “triumphant” entry into Jerusalem. When God deals with the devil and sinful human flesh, the ensuing drama reveals how much unlike us He is, and that is a most blessed thing...

The prophet Isaiah had been called to be God’s messenger around 740 BC, just before the northern kingdom, Israel, had been overtaken by the Assyrians, a punishment for the wickedness. At the beginning of Isaiah’s prophetic ministry, which was mostly in Jerusalem, Judah’s King Uzziah had ruled in the southern kingdom, Judah, for more than fifty years. ...

Recorded in Luke 15, Jesus’ Parable of the Prodigal Son reiterates the two previous parables: the Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. They include loss, restoration, joy, and the invitation to join the rejoicing. The Pharisees and scribes had criticized Jesus for receiving unclean folk and eating with them. ...

Recorded in Luke 13:1-9, Jesus was surrounded by curious onlookers some commentators believe want to know more about this apparent miracle worker. Many are impressed with His teaching, some of whom might have marveled at the temple priests’ interest and questioning of Jesus. ...

In the apostle Luke’s account of the Last Supper when Jesus was betrayed, He and His disciples are lounging at the table and after He told them that He desired to eat that supper with them “before I suffer, for I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Clueless to what Jesus was referring, the disciples began to argue among themselves who among them would be the greatest in that kingdom that Jesus promised. ...

Recently one evening with some time to spare and needing some rest, I watched a series of television shows about gangsters of the past, some going back a hundred years ago—the 19 teens—until some more recent, such as in the 1990s. Two commonalities all of these crime figures had in common were that they were ruthless, and they were dead. ...

A secular fundamentalist United States senator from California was accosted in her office recently by a not-so-friendly group of elementary children demanding that she do something immediately to stop the end of the world. With glazed eyes and mentally recorded mantras, they declared that the earth has only twelve years to go in existence, and thus, we all must act now!...

The Joseph of Genesis is considered most blessed. His father Jacob loved him so much. He was Jacob’s favorite son. His jealous brothers tossed Joseph into a well and then sold him into slavery, only for Joseph to end up the top advisor and second most powerful man in then-powerful Egypt. ...

There is a recent report of church attendance reporting that many of the older members of Christian congregations, primarily those of my generation, the baby boomers, are not attending church nearly as often these days. The report accounted for increased traveling of retirees, health issues, and visiting grandchildren and old friends, yet found that many older church members are simply losing interest in coming to church, worshipping our Lord, or studying His Word. ...

There is a commercial running on television these days advertising Israel’s Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as desirable destinations for fun at the beach and a party-time atmosphere at night, and it well may be that kind of place. Personally, I’ve never known anyone who went to Israel for those reasons, but you can also find liquor, sand, and scantily-clad women there. ...

Not long after His baptism, Jesus entered the synagogue at His earthly hometown of Nazareth. As was customary in the synagogue, different people might read the Scriptures each week, and on that day, Jesus rose to take the reading. Unrolling the scroll to Isaiah, Jesus stopped at the place where Isaiah prophesied the coming of the Messiah some 600 years before God became flesh in the person of Jesus, who is the Christ. ...

It seems as though more Christians are refusing to bow to the will of willful sinners. Again more Christians in Arizona say that they are willing to go to jail if the secular authorities judge them as criminals for refusing to affirm homosexuality as good. ...

Years ago there was a teacher who was very much into positive thinking. He had written books on strategies to motivate students and offered his services to speak to groups of the power of positive reinforcement strategies. One particular school year, he had “one of those classes”, mired in apathy to the point of rebellion. ...

Some weeks ago, wanting something to ease my brain before bedtime, I channel-surfed for something easy and came across a televangelist with whom I’ve had little in common theologically. But it had been years since I had heard him preach and was startled and pleased that his sermon was not only Biblical, but his suggested application of God’s Word was spot-on. ...

In the 1990s television show “Seinfeld”, character George defended his twisted view of reality by professing what then was supposed to be a laugh-line: “It’s true, if you believe it.” Today, just twenty years later, that “philosophy”—that says reality is born and lives between one’s ears—is current thought, alive inside pornography, a staple to the universities, and now in neighborhoods everywhere in the West. ...

Eight days after Jesus was born, He was circumcised, likely in Bethlehem, according to the Law of God given to Moses. (Leviticus 12) This was done because the flesh of Jesus was offspring of the chosen ones, the people of the Covenant with God, which He made with Abraham (Genesis 12) and his offspring, son Isaac and grandson (Jacob, whose name was later changed by God to Israel). ...

Imagine a young boy entering the house a few days before Christmas and as he’s passing by the tree, he notices a bicycle. Standing next to the tree is also his parents, with glowing smiles on their faces. The boy’s first thoughts are why did they buy him another bicycle? He got one for his birthday this year. A second look at the bicycle really brought confusion to him: it’s the same bicycle, just cleaned up and parked next to the tree...

There was a popular chef whose face was on many magazine covers, had television shows on the Food Network, and whose pots and pans bearing her signature were found on the shelves of many department stores. Then, a former employer revealed that years before the chef had used a racial slur off-camera, for which the chef did admit and profusely apologize, even crying during an interview. ...

Mary Shelley’s famous book “Frankenstein” may be an unusual topic in this time of Advent, the brief, three-week season of preparation for Christmas. But one scene in the book reads almost prophetic—not something of God, but of Man. The situation is when the Creature faces his creator, Dr. ...

If you want to say that you’ve read a book of the Holy Bible, you could opt to read the book of Jude. It’s so short it doesn’t even have chapters. It reads kind of like the book of Amos, full of warnings, woes, and pleas to repent and stay focused on the will of God. ...

In the traditional Church Year calendar, the focus in November is the end of the Church Age, the symbolic use of “1,000 years” or the time between Christ’s fulfillment of the Old Covenant by His substitution of His flesh for ours to free us from the consequences of our sins and His ultimate return. ...

One of the most admired qualities a person can have in this fallen, sinful world is “practicality”. We desire to be “practical” when choosing a new vehicle, spouse, career, and house. Some explain their voting habits by choosing the most practical candidate. We desire him or her to agree with beliefs, which we hold as realistic. The Holy Bible is so helpful in guiding us believers in this life. Filled with humans who fail, we can study their words and deeds and see the consequences...

Revelation chapter seven records two visions the disciple John has of the saints at the throne of God. Verses 2-8 record the 144,000, a symbolic number of completeness, with the twelve tribes of Israel each having 12,000 saints standing before God. They are the victorious Church on earth. ...

The end of October will include recalling the Reformation of the 16th century led most famously by Martin Luther, a monk and professor who challenged the church he loved dearly to return to the Scriptures as God’s revelation of Himself. Yes, there is a book which God had written by the hands of men whom God selected. ...

In a recent Sunday afternoon neighborhood prayer canvas, the church’s youth and I knocked the doors of some forty-three houses. Considering that at least a third of the residents were not home or opted not to answer the door, we felt blessed to have been trusted by eleven of the residents who requested prayers from us strangers as we promised to do when the youth and I returned to the church later that day. ...

Secular psychologists attempt to explain human behavior outside the existence of God. Limited by observation and study of the human body and familial/social circumstances, their diagnoses of behavioral dysfunction usually describe what we Christian know as the product of human sin nature inherited from Adam and Eve in their rebellion against God. ...

These days, social workers report what is likely a trend among young families today—more single fathers as sole parents. Moms have flown the coop, seeking self-satisfaction from increased time for themselves, greener financial pastures, new bed partner(s), or chemically-induced escape from this life—the same kinds of temptations which has been luring fathers from their responsibilities and joys of loving others as God loves them. ...

Years ago, as a requirement in seminary, I attended a Jewish synagogue to view people worship the God of the Old Covenant, the first one in which God chose Abraham with whom to promise to make his offspring great to glorify God. I had a difficult time following the message the teacher was delivering, but my professor had been raised a Jew but had answered the call to faith in which God had given him and had become a Christian. ...

Some congregations will have what is often called “the children’s message”, a lesson for the kiddos just before the pastor’s sermon. A recent one included an old Cherokee legend about when a young boy was to become a man. The tribal elders would take him out into the forest and blindfold him and place him on a log. ...

Whenever someone questions us or our motives or intentions, we tend to be defensive, assuming that our hearts are in the right place. But Christians should be the first to understand why others do question the objectives of our behaviors. We know that we are sinful by nature...

You’ve likely had someone walk up to you and tell you, “I’ve got good news and bad news.” We believers in Christ rejoice in our default reply—“Oh, yes, and His goodness defeats the bad. We Christians are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, as He is revealed in Scripture alone.” But the unbeliever has boxed himself into a corner. ...

One of many Christians’ favorite Scripture passages is Paul’s description of the life of the believer in Galatians 4:1-7. In verse 6, God is address as “Abba, Father” which offers a comforting image of God in the context of an earthly father—providing for our needs and protecting us. ...

To avoid wearing down the sanctuary’s carpet, I keep a kneeler in my office and use it several times a day to confess sinful thoughts, words, and deeds and to thank Him for the faith in Him which He has given me. Without that, I really have nothing (and neither do you). ...

A Christian pastor and seminary professor wrote about a CD he played for his small children in their minivan while travelling somewhere. It was the story of the Three Little Pigs. You likely recall the story. One pig built his house out of straw and the wolf simply blew down the house and ate the pig. The second pig built his house out of sticks and the wolf also blew it down and ate the pig. But the third pig built his house out of bricks which kept him safe...

Recorded in Mark 6, just after Jesus fed the 5,000 men (and unknown numbers of women and children), Jesus once again tells His disciples to go to another place to get some rest, while He goes elsewhere (to pray). They get into a boat to head for Bethsaida, but after night had fallen, Jesus noticed from afar that the boat was impeded by a strong headwind and was not making much progress towards its destination. ...

A creation scientist was recently accosted by a young man who described himself as a Christian. The young man was angry that a Christian could actually believe that Genesis 1-3 could possibly be literally true because “science”, he said, has proven that the earth is billions of years old, not the Christian claim of just over 6,000 years. Of course, the young man never gave any evidence from “science” to back up his truth claim but the scientist did—lots of evidence—to back up Biblical creation...

A curriculum for a church’s education of children focused on God saving individuals because God “had a plan for them”, which is most certainly true. One such person was Moses, whose mother placed him in a basket on the Nile with the prayer that someone would find him and spare him from the Pharaoh’s order that all young male children be killed because he feared the prophecy that a Hebrew would lead his people from slavery in Egypt. ...

It is interesting to compare what pastors seem to emphasize in their sermons and writings. Longtime observers have noted that the pastors in church bodies of the Reformation of the 16th century will employ one of the four gospels more often than the pastors in church groups whose origins can be traced back to the Enlightenment of the 18th century and following. ...

Still rejoicing in the best high school graduation valedictorian speech I’ve ever heard last month, I was moved to re-read the Ecclesiastes verses the bright young man at the podium had quoted. I couldn’t find it, which is not something of which I am proud. So, I decided to re-read the book of Ecclesiastes—if I couldn’t find that quote, I must not be that familiar with that text of wisdom...

Last Sunday evening, I watched (for the umpteenth time) another film version of Arthur Miller’s play, “Death of a Salesman”. The main character—Willy Loman—is an aging husband and father who is failing not only as an employee in his chosen field—sales—but also as a provider for his wife and is unfaithful to her. ...

Thirty-five years ago this spring, I was living in Tulsa and regularly attended a church of the brand of my youth. One Sunday’s Bible class lesson was the end of a commentary on the Gospel of John and was entitled, “What happened to Jesus’ body?” The author had three theories: first, the disciples stole it, but that’s what every unbeliever would have expected. ...

A few of my parishioners are old enough to remember the end of World War II, recalling the American and Allied armies coming towards Germany from the West and the Soviets (Russians) entering from the East. Those troops discovered the German concentration camps with their piles and piles of skeletons and corpses, mainly of Jewish people who were hated by the Nazis and targeted for eradication or elimination. ...

There is a band called Human League which had a very big hit called, “Don’t You Want Me, Baby?” The lyrics are conversational; the two singers are communicating to each other in the song. The male sings about how he met her when she was a lowly cocktail waitress, but he claims that “I picked you out, shook you up, and turned you around, turned you into someone new.” But now, he claims, that she has forgotten or has lost at least some of her gratitude...

The Acts 2 Pentecost account is moving, showing excitement of God’s power from on high. In this age of dwindling numbers in churches and zapped zeal for God’s Word, a sadness or even despair has settled in congregations whose decline has been happening for some years now. If your church’s numbers are bothering you most, I can’t help you. But if it’s the lack of joy, please read on...

The Festival half of the Church Year is over. From late November, with the four weeks before Christmas is the Advent season when we anticipate Christmas, which is the celebration of God becoming Man. The Lenten season prompts us to reflect on our sins. ...

As most of you know, Easter is more than one Sunday; it is a season recognized since the early church as lasting for forty days because that’s how long our Lord walked the earth after His bodily resurrection from the dead. Last Thursday was Ascension Day, recalling Christ’s return to His heavenly Father. ...

I was looking out my office window this morning, looking for diversion or an illustration, I suppose. I noticed a big black bird walking under a tree about thirty or so feet from my window, looking as though it was searching for food. Back and forth it went. ...

Of all the wonderful qualities that can be honestly said about the Holy Bible, perhaps the one that tops my own list, maybe even second only to what should be everyone’s number 1—“authenticity”—should be “consistency”. Yes, I’m aware of most if not all of the false claims on “scholarly” cable television programs and books which preach that the Holy Bible is phony or suspect. ...

Some Christians will greet each other on Easter Sunday with “The Lord is risen!” with the reply “He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!” The tradition (and the Easter season) lasts forty days because that’s how long our Lord walked the earth before He ascended into heaven. Someone asked me recently, “Shouldn’t that greeting say, “The Lord HAS risen”, instead of “The Lord IS risen”? My answer was that “risen” there is not a verb, but an adjective, describing our Lord...

Easter has come, thus ending the preceding 40-day season of Lent. It’s forty days because that’s how long our Lord spent in the desert without food and was tempted by the devil. For some reason, I’m not exhausted, worn out as I usually am after Lent. ...

Imagine this scenario: There is a friend of yours who has invited you to his house for a remembrance Passover Seder meal. He talks about the kosher foods that promise to be tasty, and lots of it. Then, he tells you that after the meal, you should expect to witness a troop of federal marshals coming to arrest him on multiple charges of capital offenses. “I’ll probably be put to death for this.” Think you’ll show up? Or would you expect him to be dining alone that evening?...

Recorded in Numbers 21, the freed Israelites are in the desert on their way to the land that God had promised them. But one time, they had to go around a long route to get to where they needed to be. The people grumbled against Moses (and God) complaining about the food, which was actual manna from heaven—divinely sent nourishment directly from God—with their words, “We hate this worthless food.” God had some medicine for them—in a mass of slithering dangers the Scriptures call “fiery serpents” which bit the grumblers, many of whom died. ...

Last week’s article for the Living in the Word column was titled, “Walking with the Christ”. This week, it has a different title because walking with Jesus and following Him are often not the same. Case in point is recorded in Mark 10:32-45 as the disciples—all twelve of them—are with Jesus as He is returning to Jerusalem. ...

A week or so, a priestess in the religious organization of my youth was fired for officiating at a ceremony of two homosexual women. The woman who was fired admitted that she knew the consequences, but felt “that the church needs to be inclusive”. Some of her fellow clergy people in that area supported her firing because she had broken the organization’s rules. ...

Some of you may remember the 1992 Los Angeles riots that were triggered by a not-guilty verdict against some police officers who were accused of beating crime suspect Rodney King. Many also recall the white truck driver who was pulled out of his cab and was given a beating by some black men. But before those convicted attackers were sentenced, the victim walked over to the men and embraced one of them who stood hard and fast, not accepting the man’s hug...

Much has been written about disciple Peter’s dim-witted response to see the Lord Jesus all glowing in a bright white—bright enough to illuminate two figures standing next to Him—Moses and Elijah. By the time of the Transfiguration (Mark 9: 2-13), Moses had been dead almost a millennia and a half, while Elijah had been literally carried off this earth in a chariot some 600 years before then. ...

Much has been written about disciple Peter’s dim-witted response to see the Lord Jesus all glowing in a bright white—bright enough to illuminate two figures standing next to Him—Moses and Elijah. By the time of the Transfiguration (Mark 9: 2-13), Moses had been dead almost a millennia and a half, while Elijah had been literally carried off this earth in a chariot some 600 years before then. ...

A former parishioner of mine once shared a story of her daughter who had been a church organist. One day while practicing for the coming Sunday’s music, the daughter said that she heard what sounded like a choir singing. Knowing that she was the only person in the sanctuary, she stopped playing as she was startled and at least a bit frightened. ...

When you think of the prophet Jonah, what comes to mind? It’s the whale, isn’t it? That is unfortunate because the book of Jonah contains one of the most remarkable miracles anywhere in the Holy Bible. And it’s not the whale swallowing Jonah. God had called upon Jonah to go to wicked Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, and call upon them to repent to the one, true God. ...

Years ago, before I was a pastor, the church I attended had completed a Bible study and was thinking about what book of the Bible might be studied next. I overheard one woman say, “I hope it’s not another book of the Bible! I’ve read all of them.” Of course, books of the Holy Bible are not like novels or mere histories where you read and retain what you believe to be important. ...

Years ago, a fellow Christian challenged me on my belief in a young earth. Like he, I used to hold that the smart, educated, “scholarly” people with PhDs in the major Ivy League colleges must know something we don’t. But it doesn’t take much digging to find out some major skeletons in the Old Earth position—not just theological, but scientific as well. Christianity and science are not in opposition. That is a false scenario. But everyone should be opposed to bad science...

In 2 Samuel 7, we read of David, proud of his new cedar palace and grateful for the Lord’s shower of blessings upon him. David was so thankful that he decides to build a cedar house for God—sort of. Actually, David is concerned that the Ark of the Covenant doesn’t have good home. ...

Years ago, I purchased a book I thought dealt with losing loved ones. Upon receiving the book, I noticed that I had not paid close enough attention to the subtitle. Inside, I read of a woman who had a tumultuous relationship with her mother, of whom the author said was manipulative, playing one child against the other, a routine that caused much hurt and damage. The author contends that her life really began after her mother’s death. Not until then was she free from despair and heartbreak...

Just the other day, while researching for next Sunday’s sermon, I came across a commentary on Isaiah 40:1-11. The commentary was dated “November 1983”, not all that long ago, in my view. But right from the beginning, I came across a word I had not seen before—“ palaver”. ...

If you’re an avid gardener, you know that you’re about to be on the receiving end of a slew of catalogs for spring planting. When January’s cold and sometimes snowy weather arrives, it’s comforting to peruse your favorite nursery’s ornamentals, such as the early spring Lenten rose (hellebores), April’s azalea, June’s daylilies, and July’s sunflower...

The Gospel reading for the Last Sunday of the Church Year is from Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus reports of Himself, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the peoples, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ...

With the close of the Church Year coming, the traditional readings include a Gospel reading of Jesus’ parables about the end of the Church Age, the return of Christ. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35) is an alarming text about forgiveness—the servant accepts his master’s forgiveness but does not give the same to his own servants. ...

Here we are again, near the end of the Church Year, according to the traditional church calendar. Advent, the four weeks before Christmas begins the Church New Year on Sunday, December 3. November is the month when we focus on the end of the Church Age, when Christ returns...

Recently, I read that Christianity is no longer the claimed religion of more than half of all Americans. Personally, I don’t believe that poll because it was taken by a company with a history of hostility to the Christian faith. Like their fellow “progressives”, they admire Islam much more, and I suspect that is because the progressives don’t tolerate opposition to their faith claims either...

A couple or three years ago, I visited a website associated with my church body’s seminaries. I was most heartened to read some of the blogs the young pastors-to-be were writing. Almost all of them were emboldened to tell the truth according to God’s Word. ...

My pickup truck has a sticker on the window that reads “1517” with the seal of Martin Luther in the middle. There are likely many who are not sure what that means but it points to the 500th anniversary of Luther’s participation in the Reformation by nailing concerns (The 95 Theses) with what he saw as corruption in the then-universal Church. ...

A Christian recently shared a story of visiting a church where the clergy person’s sermon never mentioned any Scripture passages and made declarations about the next life with Christ that have no basis in the Holy Bible. “It was all about feelings”, my friend said. ...

A church that I know of invests every Wednesday evening to study the Book of Psalms. Each of those evenings is dedicated to just one psalm and to complete the entire Psalter (150 psalms) takes three years. I say they “invest” because that’s exactly what it is. ...

Recently, a pastor told of a survey given to the members of a parish he once served which was an instrument designed to evaluate the congregation’s various ministries. The assessment also included a self-evaluation of the members themselves and as well as of each other. ...

It doesn’t take long for us Christians to discover that Christianity is not a self-improvement program. We do not become “like Christ” although our behaviors may appear as a goodness that is in us that is Christ-like. What does often motivate people to do good things is to convince themselves that they are “good people”. But only the Christ is good, we cannot be Him, which is proper because we do not need another One...

Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob, so much that Jacob even had a special coat of many colors made especially for Joseph, which he showed off to his brothers. That did not endear Joseph to his brothers. Joseph was also sinful, like all of us. He had a dream that all his family would end up being his servants and was bold enough to tell them about the dream. That wasn’t well-received either. Even Father Jacob rebuked him for that...

I watched a YouTube video recently featuring a professor at Princeton University, Liz Harman, who says she “defends some of [her] work” in which she finds “nothing morally bad” with early-term abortions. (Google “Phil 103-Liz Harman on Abortion-YouTube”) She argues against anyone who says “something bad happens when a ‘fetus’ dies” because Professor Harman claims that if the ‘fetus’ dies before being conscious or having any experiences, she believes aborting the child at that stage would not be immoral. ...

Many church bodies follow what they call a lectionary series, an appointed set of Scripture readings to be read on a given Sunday of the Church Year. My own church follows a three-year lectionary. Every Sunday, we will read a Psalm, an Old Testament Reading, an Epistle (which means “letter”, usually from Paul), and a reading from the Gospel. ...

In a recent children’s message in a worship service, I asked the kiddos how they could know if what they were doing was the right thing. Another way to put it is, “How can you find out what is good and not good? One girl quickly raised her hand and said, “If I have to go stand in the corner, I did a bad thing.” True, consequences do come if we break rules or do things harmful to others or ourselves. ...

You might have read about University of California, Berkeley’s recent cancellation of an appearance and book signing event featuring secular fundamentalist speaker and author Richard Dawkins. The reason for disallowing Dawkins’ presence on their campus is because Dawkins has said some things in the past that was critical of Islam, which is an absolute no-no among the “progressives”. ...

Recently, a man stopped by the church office in need of a drink of water. He described himself as a traveler, with no particular direction in life. "Have you ever been lost?" he asked. Of course, I have. We all have. And of course, I assumed he was referring to salvation, so we talked for a while as he rested and drank cool water. ...

Upon first arriving on the seminary grounds for the first time, I parked my pickup near a booth set up which had a homemade “Welcome” sign above a booth. There was a nurse who welcomed me, asked my name, and requested I get on the scales for a weigh-in. ...

American Calvinist theologian R. C. Sproul told of an apparently recurring scene in his childhood. He recalled, “I remember Mama standing in front of me, her hands poised on her hips, her eyes glaring with hot coals of fire and saying in stentorian tones, ‘Just what is the big idea, young man?’ Instinctively I knew my mother was not asking me an abstract question about theory. ...

Early or mid-November is a good time for a pastor to take off a week or so. All Saints Day is past and Advent doesn't begin for another half month. This year, I took my mother to Richwood, Kentucky, to the Creation Museum. On leaving the museum, my mother commented, “I feel a little better about this country today.”

Recently, a local Christian college invited a Creationist scholar to speak to their students and the community on the Lord's creation of all things world and universe. About an hour before the program was to begin, I sat at my office desk pondering if I could afford the time. I weighed my belief in a young earth against tasks needing completion. I decided that I'd stay and work...

Fairness Those of you who have read the book of Job know that the book is not about suffering. It's about God. The book is the oldest in the Bible, certainly before Abraham because there is no mention of the chosen Israelites or the Jews. There is no mention of the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments or God's Law. ...

We Christians confess that we see God as a benevolent, loving God. But this tempts us to hold false expectations of God to be the Great Genie, one who gets us out of jams, makes our life pleasant, and when He fails to favor us to our liking, we wonder where He is, what we have done to anger Him. ...

We Christians should be familiar with Elijah's encounter with the widow of Zarephath. (1 Kings 17:8-16). Elijah, the only prophet who is recorded as directly go to heaven without dying, met this widow with a son. Elijah instructs the woman to bring him a morsel of bread, but the woman said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. ...

After Jesus had rebuked His disciples' attempt to send the little children away, a man comes up to Jesus and asked Him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" The man's question contains at least one correct understanding: eternal life is an inheritance, but the man contradicts that understanding by asking what he must do to inherit it. ...

With some spare time on my hands recently, I began a chat relationship with a guy who is one very angry atheist. He's civil to me with his hellos and goodbyes, but in between, his writings are obscenity and profanity-laden tirades of filthy blasphemy against what he calls "the god myth" and rails at my "idiocy and delusions". ...

Some tenth-grade English classes were struggling to understand the motivations of the main character of mid-twentieth century existentialist Albert Camus' novel, "The Stranger". The character, Meursault, showed no grief at his mother's funeral, accepted a marriage proposal from his girlfriend with a why-not attitude, and later emptied a loaded gun into a man and blamed it on the sun. ...

Watching the news here in the United States today leaves many Christians shaking their heads, wondering whatever happened to the country they had known and loved for so long. But as addressed here before, the Christian should not be surprised, for the hatred here for Christ, His children, and the moral anarchy can be traced back to the original drawing board for this country and its resulting constitution. ...

Recorded in Mark 3:14-15, Jesus gave His authority to His disciples to "preach and to cast out demons." Sometime later, Jesus finds the disciples arguing with some scribes who were opposed to Jesus. (Mark 9:14-29) A father had brought his demon-possessed son to the disciples for expulsion and cleansing, but the apostles had failed. We don't know what the scribes and disciples were saying back and forth to one another, but we can take some pretty good guesses...

Graduation ceremonies, for the most part, are over now, at least around here. The graduates have listened to platitudes about endings and beginnings, attitudes and adventures ahead, and falling down and getting back up again. Forty years ago, about half of students who began college dropped out by the end of their freshman year. ...

In this Church year, Sunday, May 24 begins the Pentecost season. It recognizes Christ's victory over sin and death and the beginning of the work of the Church. The Acts 2 account of the first Pentecost displays God's work and will to save His people. Now, it was His disciples who were called to witness Him to others, to call them to repentance and to saving faith in Jesus Christ...

Not Alone Christians know that we humans are sinful by nature. God did not make us that way. Everything He created, He declared as good. He created Adam and Eve. And they're our original parents. They rebelled against God, beginning with Eve, as we read in Genesis 3:6, "the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. ...

You may recall your first apartment after leaving home. It may have been your second year in college. It was likely not as nice (or clean) as your parents' place, but who cared? What mattered most is that it was YOUR place, and no one else's. If you were in a secular, public college at the time, you were likely told that you were in the process of becoming one of the enlightened ones. ...

He Is We had just left the church in silence after a Maundy Thursday worship service, a part of that worship service in our church body, just as it is in Good Friday worship. A young, startled child asked me, "What was that all about?" On the church step outside, I muttered/stuttered to answer her question, but could not do so beyond a facts-only reply. ...

If you've ever witnessed arguments concerning Christianity in general, it won't take long to see a pattern. The believer will often quote Scriptures and his or her belief. The unbeliever will quote something from a cable TV program he once saw, hurl insults at Christians, claiming that Christians are ignorant. ...

Another pastor recently shared, "It is said that if a frog is placed in hot water, it will jump out, but if it is placed in lukewarm water that is gradually heated, it will never get out, but slowly die." Please don't try this at home, but consider this a lesson for all of us who have what we call "comfort zones." Lack of talent can be an indication of avoiding certain activities. ...

When God presented the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 20), He did not do what many of us think would have been obvious: preface the presentation reminding Moses that God is God, our Creator, and that He owns us. Want to do a check on your ancestry? Your full search, if it's honest, would end up at the same place and people as mine--those two who decided to "be like God, knowing good from evil", yes, the exact same Adam and Eve who ate from the forbidden Tree and thought they could hide from omniscient, omnipresent God--from behind a tree. ...

February 18 is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the penitential season of Lent, which lasts forty days, minus the Sundays, that mirrors our Lord's forty days in the desert, when He was tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1-11) During Lent, some Christians may struggle against a particular sin or unhealthy habit, to better appreciate our Lord's suffering. ...

When we think of the glory days of God's kingdom of Israel, we think of King David, who ruled circa 1000 B.C. David's son, Solomon, came after him, ruling until about 950 B.C. After him, the kingdom was divided, and over time, the two kingdoms "forgot" the Lord--they paid nominal tribute to God and saw Him as only one possibility for a source of truth. ...

No Huffing and Puffing It is said that times change. My high school senior classmates had options that included going to work at a factory making today's equivalent of $32 an hour--$67,000 a year--and that was the "starting" pay for a forty-hour work week! Today, seniors at that same high school do not have the latter option--that factory and others like it have closed...

His Call Many of us believers have personally experienced or witnessed a testimony from a person who had been enlightened by some Scripture passages they had never read. It's quite possibly their own "Bible" was a paraphrased (rewritten text) or a less-than-honest word-by-word translation which said little or nothing about particular sins. ...

Years ago, an old college buddy and I were camping in some woods on the edge of a beach in Wilmington, NC. After a five minute walk to have a look at the Atlantic Ocean, we met a couple of boys, maybe 12 or so years old. Looking out on the water at what looked like a small island, I pointed and exclaimed, "Look! There it is!" The boys began snickering, but after some defensive questioning and coaxing from my friend and me, we convinced the boys that we were all looking at the shoreline of Spain...

Asheville, North Carolina is home to visual artist Grace Carol Bomer. She is a Christian whose work chronicles God's salvation of His beloved but desperate human creation. One of her works displays a man bowing down as in reverence and plea for deliverance. Entitled "We Bow Down I", the physical and the spiritual meet, with a funnel-shaped apparition coming from above to encounter the prostrate man who is surrounded by oppressive darkened earth tones...

In 2 Samuel 7, we read of David, proud of his new cedar palace and grateful for the Lord's shower of blessings upon him. David is so thankful that he decides to build a cedar house for God. After all, David surmises, how could he have a nice house while poor ol' God is practically homeless? The usually adept Samuel agrees, without consulting God but God retorts with something like "Do I, Almighty God, need a house built by human hands?"...

Two sets of parents were criticized some years ago for approving the wedding of their fourteen-year-old son and daughter. The critics scoffed at the idea that the two adolescents were mature enough for the responsibilities of marriage and could not know what love really is at that age. The children admitted that they were having sex, so the parents asked the critics, 'which was worse, getting married at fourteen or having sex outside of marriage?...

A Christian once set up a booth on a college campus to witness the gospel (good news) of Jesus the Christ with the students who might stop and talk with him. No loudspeakers, but a banner, some tracts, and a couple of folding chairs. A young woman stopped and told the Christian that his booth and presence were offending her. ...

The traditional Church year ended on Sunday, November 23, with end-time Scripture readings and their scenes of heaven or the new earth in the never-ending life. The Gospel reading for that day was from Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus tells of His return in glory to "separate the sheep from the goats". ...

Some of you may remember from high school reading the poetry of twentieth-century poet and writer Dorothy Parker. She admitted that much of her poems were autobiographical and she is perhaps remembered more for her observational quips, such as "If you wear a short enough skirt, the party will come to you." She was no prude, for sure, but an alcoholic who often wrote of suicide, ending one of her poems with, "...so I'm thinking of throwing the battle/would you kindly direct me to hell?"...

My phone has partially-eaten apple on the back of it. I don't know if the manufacturer was making a theological smarty-pants comment with that symbol or not. Whenever I look at the icon, it does remind me of my condition--a sinner because of The Fall of so long ago. I've been looking for a crucifix to stick below that bitten apple to also remind me of Christ's victory over all sin, and how He has saved us. But I did find a small sticker that will work just as well: a sheep...

Inappropriate Websites A young American woman wrote a one-sentence response to another person's blog on a Web site. It might have been YouTube; I've forgotten. She's probably college age or maybe a little older. Her moniker denoted a female, and I assumed she was around college age or maybe a bit older, because she expressed the kind of thinking I had around the time my undergraduate secular university "awarded" me that suitable-for-framing document that suggested I was educated. She wrote:...

For Better, for Worse Whenever someone questions us or our motives or intentions, we tend to be defensive, assuming that our hearts are in the right place. But Christians should be the first to understand why others do question the objectives of our behaviors. We know that we are sinful by nature...

A Christian brother recently shared a line from a poem by Dorothy Francis Guerney which reads, "The kiss of the sun is for pardon, the song of the birds for mirth; one is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth." You probably recall some house that was surrounded by beautiful roses, and other ornamentals, both perennials and annuals, such as pansies, daylilies, and daffodils. ...

Christian apologetics (defense of the faith) involves the forensic evidence for the reality of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ. Through Him in the flesh, God revealed Himself to His creation as their Creator and Savior. One of the many questions that has never been satisfied by unbelievers is how could Christianity have grown so much, thrived for so long, if it were a hoax, as there have been many, many people who have declared themselves to be the One...

In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35), a king wanted to settle accounts. One man owed the king ten thousand talents, with just one talent being the equivalent of twenty years of labor. The servant begged the king to give him more time, promising that he would repay, although the debt was too great for the servant and all his family to repay...

Years ago, I attended an urban church as a visitor, and after the service, a woman came up and welcomed me. After expressing appreciation for her warm welcome, she said something like, "You may have noticed that we do not dress up very 'fancy' around here. ...

In his first complaint against God, seventh century B.C. prophet Jeremiah asked the Lord, "Why does the way of the wicked prosper?" (Jeremiah 12) Jeremiah struggles to understand how a righteous God can tolerate the wicked and even allow them to prosper. One observer remarked that Jeremiah was like most of us twenty-first A.D. believers who often do not see the big picture of God's grace as He works in the world to bring His justice and salvation to His beloved people...

In the town in which I live, it is back to school today for teens, kiddos, and their younger siblings, the kidlets (the latter term borrowed from a friend). Some of them may love to learn but they don't have a choice where they go, when they go, or what classes to take and rules to follow. No, their choices are limited to the level of scholastic effort put forth, clothes, and who will not be their friends...

Last month, a group of children were packing up their crafts, Bible story art work, etc. to prepare to go home at the end of the last day of Vacation Bible School. Some kiddos were crying and others were lamenting that it had ended. The children could tell that they had been loved. ...

After Jesus heard of Herod's killing of John the Baptist, our Lord withdrew "to a desolate place by Himself". We see that the crowds had followed Him and that the Lord had "great compassion" for them. Much of the crowd was following Him not as the Savior from sins, but for His power to heal and make right their messy and painful temporal (earthly) lives. ...

In another time and place where people were falling away from faith in Christ, the crowds who had followed Jesus believed less in Him as Savior because He failed to meet their expectations. Jesus gave them what they deserved because of their refusal to believe in Him as Savior: He spoke to them in difficult parables. ...

A new friend shared a story of a mother who lost her son to cancer. The boy had suffered since birth, but from his earliest years to his death just before reaching adolescence, he is remembered for his ear-to-ear grin, always smiling, seemingly happy. ...

Years ago, a stand-up comic asked why anyone would be a Christian, and especially advertise by wearing a crucifix showing what the world really thought of Jesus. Assuming that the comedian was ignorant of Scripture, we Christians would be tempted to explain to him why Jesus came and the real meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection,. But was it merely ignorance on the part of the now-departed comic?...

It is likely that few of you who recall the moniker, "Key 73", which was billed to be the largest, most comprehensive, multi-denominational (ecumenical) evangelism effort in modern times. The name "Key 73" was used because the outreach effort idea was born on the Francis Scott Key Bridge between Virginia and Washington DC, and it was supposed to be launched in 1973, resulting in reviving apathetic church members and producing new converts. ...

One of the lies the devil tells to keep people away from God is to tell us that the plan of salvation begins after you clean up your life and make yourself presentable to God. No, as Paul tells us in Romans Chapter 6 and 7, it is the cross of Christ that makes believers clean. ...

We Christians, through the wider Church, enter the Pentecost season when we boldly proclaim God's Word and commit to outreach and evangelism. To prepare, we'll take a broad overview of the Church of Jesus Christ, from where the Church has come, why it is the way it is, and where we Christians can go from here...

In many churches worldwide, Sunday, June 8, 2014 will be Pentecost Sunday, the first day of the Pentecost season. The "festival" season (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter) ends, and we enter what some call the "non-festival" season--Pentecost. Pentecost Sunday is grounded by Acts 2, the miraculous account of the disciples receiving the "Helper" whom Jesus had promised in the previous chapter's record of His ascension...

"Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia." Sunday, May 25 will be the last day many churches will use this paschal greeting until April 5, 2015, the next Easter. Next Thursday, May 29, is Ascension Day, when we remember our Lord's ascension into heaven which occurred forty days after His resurrection. ...

We Christians need to be careful about judging other people's hearts. That doesn't mean that we can't call a sin a sin. The unbelievers always misuse Jesus' "judge not" directive to shut up us believers about sin. (Matthew 7:1) But Jesus warns His believers to discern those who are false teachers and to use discernment (judgment). (Matthew 7:15-16) But we Christians must be careful in judging the motives of others mostly because our intentions are not pure, either...

A friend who was a French teacher in Houston would huff anytime she heard a person curse, and then self-excuse it with "Pardon my French." She would correct them, "That's not French! And since when does misapplication excuse error?" You may recall studying the Dreyfus Affair from your high school history class. ...

Many, and probably most of us Christians have a miracle story we love to share with anyone who would listen. Maybe God healed a beloved sick one, or God delivered from chemical addiction, revived a broken, but beloved relationship. Your heart races as you complete your story with "Praise the Lord!" Now, imagine a man telling you how he had been divinely saved from drowning and he completes his story with, "All glory to Allah!"...

In the ancient Greek legend of "Damocles", the title's namesake character was a "yes-man," a flatterer, who fawned over the tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius. Damocles told him no one else on earth was more blessed because Dionysius had such wealth, prestige, and power. ...

If you had seen Israel's first king, Saul, you would have likely said, "Now, that's a king!" In 1 Samuel 9:2-3, he is described as most handsome, taller than anyone. But Saul had a problem with pride. He became so conceited that he thought that he deserved to be king. And just like most people, Saul had a jealousy problem, specifically with also-handsome David, and Saul chased the once shepherd boy, now hero and rival, all over the kingdom...

Recently, I heard a woman publicly lamenting that this nation is going to the dogs. Yes, today we're asking our uniformed young men and women to offer their very lives to make the world safe for sodomy and abortion. But even sadder to hear from her was, "We can't even speak out against it!" Of course, that's not true, especially for Christians. ...

In what many say is one of the "hardest" teachings of Jesus, He was asked if sin caused a certain man to be born blind. Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." So, was the man blind so he could be a prop for Jesus to display His power? (John 9:1-41) For many, the possibility that Jesus would use someone for His own benefit is nothing short of scandalous. So, God created us for His glory and pleasure?...