“Don’t ever put a picture of me like that for my obituary. Find a good one!” Those were my wife’s words as she glanced through the newspaper one evening this week. And don’t pretend that some of you have never said or at least thought the same thing! I hope I never have to worry about that;…
Usually it just says “Wash Me.” But this one was different. I’m always seeing things written on the back of the trailers on the interstate, and I don’t usually pay much attention. The one that caught my eye the other evening may have been written as a joke, or maybe the writer was serious; I have no…
I read the phrase a little over a week ago, and it has stuck. I hope I can make sense of it to you today. Three simple words that have surfaced over and over again in my heart. “Truth trumps survival.” It was written in a discussion concerning the early church and their commitment to stand…
It’s true because it’s in the Bible. It’s true because we live it. It’s true, undeniably true. It’s the phrase found in Proverbs 27:1 that says, “thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” When we consider that phrase, we usually think of something negative, but it’s not always that way. A day can…
“Christian.” What does that mean? Our Men of the Word group recently began a new study, and the first chapter of the book presented the idea of how the term “Christian” has been hijacked in today’s America. And what the author discussed has stuck with me. It’s also challenged me. There are 2 or 3 possible…
Bad news. It seems to come from anywhere, and sometimes it comes from everywhere. From a child’s disappointing test result in school to a devastating test result in a doctor’s office. From a family conflict to a full-blown family meltdown. From a few unexpected bills to complete financial reversal. And then there’s what’s going on in the world around…
One thing led to another, or really, one verse led to another, and that led to today’s thought. This Sunday at Berean we’ll resume our journey through the book of Romans with a look at Romans 8:28. As I dove in and followed the truths of the verse, I was blessed and challenged. So often…
I’d rather write about something else. But this is what’s on this pastor’s heart today. Lord willing, on this Sunday morning I will hold a precious little life in my arms and pray a prayer of dedication for that baby and the baby’s parents. The parents’ simple desire is to commit themselves to bring their child up…
Tina and I finally took our Christmas tree down last night. Really, “finally” isn’t a good word. “Grudgingly” would be better. I know, I know – it’s almost the middle of January, but we enjoy our tree. The lights, the smell, and the many old decorations that spark good memories are things we love about it each…
When we read the Christmas story, we usually go to the gospels of Luke and Matthew, don’t we? We do that because that’s where we find the details God has given us concerning the announcement and birth of the Savior. And I enjoy reading those passages over and over, year after year. I don’t know about…