For centuries the Christian church has celebrated the season of Advent, which means “coming.” Strategically positioned before Christmas, the season of Advent highlights the waiting, the expectation, the longing—like kiddos antsy to tear open the presents under the tree. What are we waiting for? The coming or arrival of the world’s Savior, Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” We express this yearning for God’s …
Some cultures today practice the custom of arranged marriages. Fathers take the lead in finding wives for their sons. It’s much different than our modern American culture where two kids become interested in each other, date, fall in love, and announce to their parents that they’re getting married. Either is acceptable to God, with this one major promise: God has …
How do you generally greet each morning? There are really two kind of people, those who say, “Good morning, Lord!” and those who say, “Good Lord, it’s morning!” Some of you might be thinking that this depends on whether or not you have had a cup of coffee, or a shower, or if you got enough sleep. My concern here—and …
Colossians chapter one describes our enemy as “the dominion of darkness,” a pitch black shadow that chases us, trying to suck us into its control. A black hole from hell. Just think about darkness for a moment. Darkness indicates an inability to function. Try to navigate your way through darkness, down the stairs and to the farthest corner of your basement, and …
Much like Yasser Arafat arranged marriages for a group of PLO terrorists, Abraham arranged for his son Isaac’s marriage—with one big difference.
The rush is on. Get the turkey stuffed and in the oven. Finalize the cleaning – the kind that takes place only when friends or relatives visit. Make that last minute trip to the store, get to church, and pick up grandma. Lots to do. Gotta get to it. And Thanksgiving happened. Then there was the task of cleaning up. …
An attitude of gratitude is especially unique and powerful because it changes other attitudes. When you are thankful, you are less grumpy. When you are thankful, you aren’t as overwhelmed. When you are thankful, you are humble. When you are thankful, you are more likely to understand the needs of others. And God says you can always be thankful for …
I was blind, now I’m seeing in color I was dead, now I’m living forever I had failed, but you were my redeemer I’ve been blessed beyond all measure I was lost, now I’m found by the father I’ve been changed from a ruin to treasure I’ve been given a hope and a future I’ve been blessed beyond all measure …
Corrie Ten Boon became a victim of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during WWII. She and her family were confined to a Nazi concentration camp for hiding fugitives, and she was the only one who survived. Later in life she wrote about the terrible conditions of the concentration camp, as soldiers sought to destroy her sanity and identity. She …
Those in heaven aren’t the only saints. The Bible urges living, breathing believers on this earth, “Love the Lord, all his saints … be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:23,24). One could make the case Biblically that there really aren’t different categories of saints or degrees of sainthood. All saints have this in common: …
