Good Samaritan Hospital. Good Samaritan Clinic. Good Samaritan Society. Good Samaritan Inn. Good Samaritan Community. Good Samaritan Church.
Good Samaritan Academy.
All of the above plus Samaritan’s Purse, Samaritan Project, Samaritan Ministry and many more institutions of mercy derive their name from today’s text and its hero, identified for all time as “The Good Samaritan.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
Today’s text reminds us of the popular hymn penned by Julia H. Johnston (1849-1919), “Grace Greater Than Our Sin.”
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount out-poured–
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt {shed}
In Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul takes them (and us) from the depths of despair and Satan’s snare to the heights of greater hope and infinite glory. Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
Remember the Ukrainian born comedian Yakov Smirnoff who began his career in Russia, then migrated to the United States? He’s actually still performing in Branson.
When Smirnoff first came to the US he said that he was not prepared for the incredible variety of instant products available in grocery stores. “On my first shopping trip, I saw powered milk. You just add water, and you get milk.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
Sunday our family visited the Skyview Church in Pinellas Park where Charles Murray serves as one of the pastors as well as a preacher.
His sermon text was from Psalm 136 on the topic of “Thanksgiving,” which is a wonderful passage for us to ponder prior to our American Thanksgiving Day. Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder, Psalms
Bob Russell, a Kentucky preacher, recalls a class when his 5th grade Bible class teacher told about a King who was looking for a new chariot driver.
Three men sought the job and were taken up a winding mountain road to a dangerous precipice. As a test of their driving skills they were each asked, “How close could you drive your chariot to the edge of this cliff?”
The first replied, “I think I could bring the wheel of the chariot within six inches of the cliff.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
There’s an old saying regarding Biblical interpretation that “a text taken out of context is a pretext.” In other words, it speaks to the perils of proof texting, making the Bible say whatever you want it to mean.
In today’s passage (highlighted in Mark Robert’s 5 Day Bible Reading program this week) many have lifted verses from this section to apply them in ways Jesus never intended regarding the work of the Holy Spirit. Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
While revered and respected in history, Winston Churchill had his share of opposition as indicated by his personal and political enemies. However, he was the master of a witty rejoinder to his critics.
George Bernard Shaw once invited Churchill to the opening night of one of his plays. Shaw sent him two tickets with the note, “One for yourself and one for a friend–if you have one.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
Once asked about her handicap of being born both blind and mute, Helen Keller replied, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”
This quote reminds me of an observation by author and minister E. Paul Hovey who said, “A blind man’s world is bounded by the limits of his touch; an ignorant man’s world by the limits of his knowledge: a great man’s world by the limits of his vision.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
“The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts,” wrote A. W. Tozer, in The Pursuit of God.
“The primary purpose of reading the Bible,” opined James Merritt “is not to know the Bible but to know God.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
“Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing,” opined Oscar Wilde the Irish poet, playwright, and novelist.
Since Wilde lived in the 19th century, I wonder what he would think today?
In an age of ethical relativism, moral degradation, and spiritual malaise, it almost seems as if everyone and everything has its price. But there are some things that are priceless. They have value beyond monetary measure. Beyond a price tag. Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
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