There’s a very interesting little account at the end of the gospel of John (20:22) where it describes how fearful the disciples were after Jesus’ death. They’re cowering behind locked doors and we’re told that, suddenly, Jesus appears in their midst and says, “Peace be with you.”
Read MoreIt’s not surprising that down through the years, religious hypocrisy has been one of the greatest barriers to faith. Why become a Christian when the church is filled with so many hypocrites who act as living contradictions to their confession?
Read MoreHave you ever heard the story of long-distance American swimmer Florence Chadwick? In 1950, she swam 21 miles across the English Channel from France to England in13 hours and 20 minutes, breaking the women’s world record for traversing that body of water.
Read MoreLife is full of turning points. Those occasions when you stand at a crossroads. Moments when you have to make a decision, and that decision that will forever change your trajectory.
Read MoreI don’t know how familiar you are with the book of Esther, but it’s one of the most exciting accounts in the entire Old Testament. It’s filled with heroes and villains…with intrigue and suspense…and it concludes with an exciting climax.
Read MoreIn 1936, during the Great Depression, famed photographer Dorothea Lange was given permission to snap a series of photos of 32-year-old Florence Owens Thompson and her children. Little did she know that one of those pictures would become iconic for that devastating era of history.
Read MoreHave you ever heard of an omakase restaurant? It’s a unique Japanese tradition where the customer leaves it up to the chef to choose his/her meal. Omakase is a Japanese word that translates, “I’ll leave it up to you.” It comes from the root, “to entrust.”
Read MoreThis week is very significant to the nation of Israel. 72 years ago - May 15, 1948, to be exact - Israel once again became a nation. And it happened against all odds.
Read MoreWhen I first came across the story, I found it hard to believe. It reported how a pride of African lions had rescued a young girl. Yes, you read it correctly. A group of lions rescued a young girl.
Read MoreAs a fisherman, I’m drawn to the accounts recorded in the gospels where Jesus is out on the water. Interestingly, when it comes to having a successful catch, He always tips the scales. Not so for me.
Read MoreAs part of my downtime during these days of “social distancing,” I’ve been bingeing on the old TV series, “24.” Do you remember it? Starring Kiefer Sutherland as anti-terrorism agent, Jack Bauer, each episode is one hour of a 24-hour day.
Read MoreFrom his days as a giant slayer to the season when he commanded Saul’s armies to the time he became ruler of Israel in his own right, David was a warrior. Some Bible commentators, in fact, refer to him as “the warrior king.” But David was more than a military warrior. He was a prayer warrior.
Read MoreAll four of the gospel accounts record the resurrection of Jesus. Like a multifaceted diamond, each of them highlights different aspects of it. One of my favorite versions is that which is found in Matthew.
Read MoreMany of us are familiar with the Palm Sunday account when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. According to Matthew 21:1, Jesus began his ride in Bethphage, a town directly to the east of Jerusalem on the other side of the Mount of Olives.
Read MoreWith his latest book, Anxious for Nothing – Finding Calm in a Chaotic World, best-selling author Max Lucado (“America’s Pastor”) was ahead of the curve. I’m confident that he had no idea that its 2019 release would be so timely, yet in these worrisome days, it has certainly proved to be that.
Read MoreBest-selling author, Max Lucado, describes an occasion when he had a moving encounter with a woman from his church. He writes: She had a tremble to her – a kind of inner tremble you can feel with just a hand on a shoulder.
Read MoreIn Bath, England there are hot springs that, 2000 years ago, provided not only physical relief but emotional release. Scores of prayers have been excavated from the ruins that visitors paid to have written down and offered at the site.
Read MoreMy middle child lives with his wife and dog in Chicago. He works for a public relations firm during the week and plays with a “wedding band” on the weekends. Highly gifted yet firmly grounded, Jim is doing quite well.
Read MoreOne of the subtle, crippling effects of an Internet world is that we are aware of every atrocity, every tragedy within moments of its occurrence in any place in the world.
Read MorePerhaps you’ve heard the saying, “You get what you deserve.” It’s not true. You actually get what you expect. Jesus was clear about this and, in one particular instance, He underscored this in a big way.
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