Why is today called “Good” Friday?
This brief video explains why today is called “Good” Friday. It’s worth a few minutes. Click to view now. http://youtu.be/FzxXvEtf9D0
Implanting Microchips—Blessing or Curse?
Microchips are no longer just for laptops and phones. With so many amazing discoveries in medicine these days, I don’t get overly excited about one anymore. Well, that was until one invention made its debut with such a jolting impact that it just may be the beginning of a whole new era in the medical…
“In Jesus’ Name.” What does it mean?
All spiritually healthy service is done in the Name of Jesus. When we act in his Name, spiritual fruit is produced. Acting in the Name of Jesus doesn’t mean we are acting as foreign ambassadors or representatives of Jesus or that we are merely following his example. Serving in the Name of Jesus means we…
Make Me a Blessing. What’s That?
On our last trip to Israel, my wife and I joined a Jewish family for their weekly Shabbat dinner in Jerusalem. I’ll never forget the emotional moment during the Shabbat meal when the father and mother took turns taking each of their children’s faces in their hands, looking into their eyes, and blessed them with…
A Spiritual Lesson from the World’s Oldest Tree
Several years ago I visited the Greek island of Crete where I saw what is considered the oldest tree on earth—an olive tree. It’s estimated to be 3,000 years old and is still producing olives. Later, Phyllis, my wife, and I visited the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem where we saw olive trees believed to…
3 Reasons to be SILENT in the Face of Pain.
3 Reasons to be SILENT in the Face of Pain. Minutes after my sweet mother passed away, her pastor called to let me know Mama unexpectedly died from a stroke. I caught the first plane home. A large crowd had gathered in Mama’s living room. As I was about to enter, I remember thinking, “The…
Faith and Forgiveness. Confusing
Faith and Forgiveness. Confusing Sandy dropped out of church completely and no one knew why. Her friends called and tried to find out what was going on. After three months of hearing a string of vague excuses for her absence, they asked me, her pastor, to check on her. I called her repeatedly, but when…
Words Are Like Air
The moment a newborn cries out a collective sigh of relief echoes through the delivery room. The baby is alive and breathing. Air can be life-giving. On the other hand, air can be life-taking. When air moves at speeds over two hundred miles per hour in a killer-tornado, air becomes a horrific, destructive force. Our…
Who Is On Your Mean-the-Most List?
Who Is On Your Mean-the-Most List? Some people picture God as the super-policeman of the universe who keeps his supernatural eye on his human creatures, hoping to catch them doing something wrong. Nothing could be further from the truth. Over thousands of years, the many authors of the Bible observed God’s acts and attitude towards…
We Artists Try to Create Beauty.
We artists try to create beauty. We see beauty all around us and work hard to translate what we see onto a canvas so we can share with others what we see and feel. Even the best artists confess that they are fall short of the ultimate beauty created by our Heavenly Creator. As lovely as human art is, our…