When do you most feel the Lord’s presence in your life?
We might think it’s when we’re gathered with fellow Christians in worship on Sunday. Or when we’re surveying the beauty of God’s creation from a mountain top. Or relaxing by the seashore enraptured with the kaleidoscope of colors of a majestic sunset. Or maybe when we look into the precious face of our newborn child or grandchild. Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
Josh McDowell, the author of several books on Christian evidences, once remarked that even if he could answer every question a skeptic could throw at him, he still may not believe.
Why? Continue reading
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“Abortion is sacred. And the Supreme Court can’t take that away from us, screamed a headline in an article by Rae Guerra-Lorenzo defending the constitutional and personal right of a woman to abort her baby.
Rabbi Mara Nathan, the senior Rabbi at Temple Beth-El in San Antonio, addressed the issue in a sermon entitled “The Right to Choose is a Jewish Value.” She asserted that “Judaism has always been pro-choice” regarding the issue of abortion.
“Let’s be clear: The right to an abortion is sacred.” Tweeted John Fetterman, the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and a 2022 candidate for the United States Senate. Continue reading
Filed under Abortion, Passage To Ponder
Some time ago a nationally popular denominational preacher spoke to a group of Muslims that one blogger described as “cozying up to extremists.”
Aside from that, one of the things that intrigued me was what he thinks the church needs to be fighting, what he called 5 global giants. — war, poverty, corruption, disease, and illiteracy. While I admit these are huge challenges and agree that as good citizens we ought to be concerned about them, is this the true, scriptural mission of the church? Continue reading
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“Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion,” wrote John R. W. Stott. “The concept of resurrection lies at its heart. If you remove it, Christianity is destroyed.”
In his commentary on Luke, Colly Caldwell offers this observation regarding Jesus’ resurrection. “This singular event establishing His divinity forms the unique aspect of Christianity which rises about all other world religions.” The remains of all other religious founders remain buried. But the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth is empty. Continue reading
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“You are the possessor of a great and wonderful power,” wrote J. Martin Kohe.
“This power,” penned Kohe, “when properly applied, will bring confidence instead of timidity, calmness instead of confusion, poise instead of restlessness, and peace of mind instead of heartache.”
And what is this great power? Continue reading
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Through the years Preachers have devised some interesting titles for this text.
“An Achan Heart”
“What’s Achan You?”
“God’s Prescription for an Achan Home”
“The Sin of an Achan Heart.” Continue reading
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I grew up on a small farm in central Indiana. My Dad worked in the factory and we farmed as a sideline means to feed a few pigs and cows. And sometimes for a cash crop.
Farming sure has changed since the 1950s and ’60s. We used a 2-row corn planter. Today corn planters can range in size from 6 rows to 48 rows. But imagine how farming has changed since Bible times?
In our passage today is another one of Jesus’ agricultural parables. It is often called ”The Parable of the Sower.” But it could be also be called “The Parable of the Soils.” Some commentators have called it “the parable of parables.” In one sense, it’s like four parables. in one. It is one of the few parables that Jesus explains the meaning. Continue reading
Filed under Parables of Jesus, Passage To Ponder
Last night Norma Jean and I ate at the College of the Ozarks at the Keeter Center, the Dobyns Dining Room. If you ever come to Branson, MO, I highly recommend it.
The restaurant is staffed by all college students who are working their way through school. College of the Ozarks is known as Hard Work U, where their 1500 students work at more than 120 campus workstations to pay for their tuition.
We were served by a delightful young man, with a slight accent, who was polite, prompt, and very professional in serving us. At the end of the meal, I asked,” Where are you from?” Continue reading
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“Christians are to be the good news before they share the good news,” opined Jospeh Aldrich in his book Lifestyle Evangelism.
Aldrich’s observation reminds me of a quote credited to Francis of Assisi who said, “Always preach the Gospel, and when necessary, use words.”
Both ideas suggest that evangelism is more than just a Monday night event. More than joining an outreach group. More than giving away free Bibles at Starbucks. More than going door to door to find prospects. Continue reading
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