Acts 17:10 – “Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more… [read more]
The first thought that comes instantly when the mesmerizing word “Jesus” is spelled out, even secular critics say that it is the care He exhibited for people – especially the… [read more]
Ernest Becker was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction in 1974 for his book, The Denial of Death. In his book Becker theorizes that man has a dual nature… [read more]
How can one explain the fascination of western culture with death? In December of 2007, when the body of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, was transported from the Apollo… [read more]
We often fear what we don’t understand. We fear what we have never experienced before. A common fear nearly all of us struggle with is the fear of death. No… [read more]
A couple months ago I bought a book for my six year old son called Phobiapedia. The book teaches and illustrates the various phobias humans struggle with like arachnophobia (fear… [read more]
Life was good for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It was a true paradise until Satan slithered into their lives. They went into hiding after they had… [read more]
Much has been said about the definition of church and its meaning. Many scholars, theologians and saints have debated this subject. Is it about a building? Is it about believers… [read more]
It was a custom in ancient Rome for a father to decide if he wanted to keep his infant children. Many fathers chose to reject their babies, especially their daughters. … [read more]
There is a character in Greek mythology named Sisyphus, was the legendary founder and first king of Corinth. He was a reputed master of deceit who successfully tricked Th’natos, the… [read more]
How can a Christian know if they are being led by the Spirit? I recently received this question from a Ministrymaker visitor. God wants us to be led by His… [read more]
“How can Christians resist sin and temptation?” I received this question recently through Ministrymaker. The devil wants to convince us we are victoms to sin and temptation. He is a… [read more]
Pragmatism in the church has become a growing concern. It is harmful because it teaches “the end justifies the means.” This is a quote that was originated by Niccolo Machiavelli… [read more]
My seminary professor once told me about a father whose young son was constantly in trouble. He was continuously getting in trouble. So one day, the father went upstairs to… [read more]
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). For financial professionals and business development managers all over the world, SWOT analysis (based on these four words) spells out the template that helps… [read more]
The scriptures say, “The Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too… [read more]
Nursing homes are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. There are literally thousands of people today living in nursing homes who have never had anyone visit… [read more]
Another glorious year has come and gone. During the past year, many of us witnessed the presence of the Lord at defining moments in our lives. Some have been fortunate… [read more]
Matthew 6:13 says, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” If we are to pray to God requesting Him not to lead us into… [read more]
At the moment in life when a boy feels himself becoming a man I began to ask some earnest questions. Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I… [read more]
As the new year begins, commercial organizations around the globe are busy preparing their year-end balance sheets. While kneeling in prayer, a lightening vision crossed my mind and I pondered… [read more]
One of the more prevalent fears haunting us is the fear of disease, especially a debilitating disease like cancer. My mother suffered from severe dementia before she died and I… [read more]
‘Mystery man’ is a term in our society that refers to a man who has no identify. There is a recent story in the news coming out of Sydney, Australia,… [read more]
Do you remember having a feeling of affection for someone in your youthful years but your feelings were not reciprocated? Maybe you asked her out but she sloughed you off…. [read more]
Have you ever boldly asked someone, “Are you a Christian? What is your faith? What do you believe?” Politicians, especially from New England, like to say, “Well, that’s a private… [read more]
Here is a very touching true story about a young boy‘s unconditional love for his sister. This boy showed the trusting faith and deep love that is unconditional in children…. [read more]
Answering a recent call from the Lord to serve as missionaries in Cali, Columbia, my sister Joey and her husband Danny left their comfortable surroundings in Watervally, Kentucky to teach… [read more]
Peggy slammed the back door as she stormed out of the house. Anger consumed her as clamored down the steps towards her car. “This is it,” she raged. “I’ve had… [read more]
In 1773, William Cowper experienced a nervous breakdown. His mind was telling him that he was condemned to hell for all of eternity. In his mental sickness he thought God… [read more]
This morning I calculated the number of days I’ve lived in God’s good earth. It is a number I wish could be applied to monies in a savings account or… [read more]
They were high school sweethearts. Usually those relationships fade away as we mature and grow older. Laura and Martin fell deeper and deeper in love and finally married. But marital… [read more]
Two words only, a subject and a verb (John 11:35). We like to think of Jesus as our tower of strength. He is our Rock, a strong arm to lift… [read more]
My older brothers and I grew up in a small town in northwestern Pennsylvania. The three of us were so different in so many ways. Randy was five years older… [read more]
He is the greatest man to ever walk the earth. He was perfect in his morality. He was unsurpassed in his purity. He was ultimately compassionate and just. His justice… [read more]
My wife and I have been married for many years. We have both recently been made aware that after so many years of living together in the deepest intimacy a… [read more]
We spend so much of our lives seeking after things that will satisfy, or at least we think they will satisfy: affection, approval and acceptance. We want validation, we want… [read more]
Many Christians, especially Presbyterians and Baptists, have embraced and attempted to live by the teachings of the Westminster Confession since it was formulated by the Church of England in 1646…. [read more]
It is true, said one leper. The first appendage lost is the worst. Dreams shattered in a bundle of gauze and lost tissue. Perhaps a greater loss is that of… [read more]
William E. Henley wrote a very popular piece of poetry entitled Invictus: Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever… [read more]
In an authoritarian environment, people tend to submit, follow and trust those in leadership (government or church, for example). The Encyclopedia Britannica defines authoritarianism as “principle of blind submission to… [read more]
I have recently thought much of the influence and importance of light to sustain life. This year I did something I’ve never done before; I planted a garden in my… [read more]
I took a shot in the dark this year by doing something I’ve never done before; I planted a garden. I tried to recall all the things I had learned… [read more]
“He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children…” – Malachi 4:6 Let me share four ways a father’s heart is turned to his children. How does a… [read more]
“…he will turn the hearts of the children to their fathers.” (Malachi 4:6b) We have all had fathers. We have all had imperfect fathers. The whole gospel in a nutshell… [read more]
Jennifer Anniston, the 42 year old actress from the popular sitcom, Friends, made a controversial statement when she insinuated that fathers are often inconvenient and when it comes to child… [read more]
A recent poll indicated that 80 percent of Americans claimed to be Christians. Can you possibly imagine the impact on our culture of 80 percent of us were true, genuine… [read more]
He may delay When we pray. To try us out To search for doubt. To test and see If we will flee,
There was a man named Ignaz Semmelweis who lived in the mid 1800’s. He was a young doctor who worked the maternity ward at the Vienna General Hospital in Hungary…. [read more]
Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most respected leaders of modern history. A Hindu, Gandhi nevertheless admired Jesus and often quoted from the Sermon on the Mount.
God took Elijah up into the mountains to reveal himself to him. Have you ever experienced a time when God decided to reveal himself to you in a special way?… [read more]
Many Christians find it hard to study the book of Revelation, while others believe it is impossible to interpret. God would not give us revelation if He didn’t intend for… [read more]
Robert Redford played a character named Roy Hobbs in The Natural. His promising baseball career tragically ends prematurely when he is shot by a deranged woman. Hobb’s dream of being… [read more]
Don McLean wrote a song called “American Pie” in 1971. The song seems to be a parallel of the loss of innocence in Don’s own life and the changes America… [read more]
“Praise the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits” — Psalm 103:2 When I read the verses in Psalms 103 I realized that David had made a… [read more]
“Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ” — 1 Corinthians 11:1 There was a little boy who was at church listening to a visiting evangelist. After… [read more]
When I was younger I found joy in being with my friends, shopping, playing sports; all the typical activities associated with everyday life. As I have aged, I find that… [read more]
I read an article from the July 2010 issue of TIME magazine about the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). We have been listening for aliens now for over fifty years…. [read more]
How do you start a spiritual conversation with those who don’t know Christ? Here is a superb way I have tried that works great with co-workers, neighbors, friends and family.
I remember my parents listening to Bing Crosby sing “White Christmas” when I was a kid. I thought no one in the world had such a rich, baritone voice. Some… [read more]
We are not so much called to a particular place or task. We are called upon to commit ourselves to God. He then takes us where he wants us and… [read more]
When I was a young buck I loved to play basketball. I breathed basketball. ‘Obsessed’ would not be a word too strong. Unfortunately, I was a short guy playing a… [read more]
Ted Haggard recently visited a local church in our community. He confessed his failures and thanked God for second chances. Ted Haggard’s failure caused a great amount of confusion and… [read more]
It is disturbing that 70% of Americans believe there are many different ways to heaven. Oprah Winfrey reaches millions of viewers with her New Age message declaring there are many… [read more]
“And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled” (Jesus in Luke 14:23… [read more]
There is an urban legend that has been floating about since the 1990’s. A group of scientists were drilling through the earth in Siberia. They drilled nine miles deep and… [read more]
There are good reasons and bad reasons for following Christ. Jesus indicated a very high price must be paid for those who would choose to be his followers. “Foxes have… [read more]
Through the years, my spiritual life has revolved around several key scriptures: John 14:1-6, Psalm 23, Psalm 121, Revelation 21:1-4, and Matthew 6:9-13. That last one is “The Lord’s Prayer.”… [read more]
The story of Paul’s defense before King Agrippa II is found in Acts 26. Paul turned his apology into an opportunity to preach the gospel to a group of elites… [read more]
It is very sad to witness the loss of innocence. Adam and Eve were perfect beings living perfect lives in a perfect paradise. Then the Liar entered the garden and… [read more]
I know you’ve heard that God is love. You’ve heard it hundreds of times. You’ve seen those three words on billboards, on bumper stickers and probably tattooed on someone’s arm…. [read more]
We are told to “search the scriptures” (John 5:39). In the study of the bible (scriptures) we see Jesus, find eternal life (John 5:39-40), we become His disciples, come to… [read more]
Do you believe God can do anything? Is there something you are facing that makes you wonder if God is able to handle it? Scripture tells us there is nothing… [read more]
Unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy are words many Americans use to describe their current financial situation. Jobless months, and in some cases years, have passed for thousands of men and women… [read more]
Many of my family members and friends do not subscribe to my world view. Several of them have such differing opinions (if we allowed it) our differences might cause us… [read more]
I’ve received messages from quite a few Christians lately who admit they are struggling with doubt, temptation and sin like never before. The proliferation of false teaching and lack of… [read more]
Here is an interesting email our good friend Donnie “Sax” Sanders received through his website. The woman was wrestling with the question of tithing on her gross income, which she… [read more]
I was contemplating Christmas and of course the Christmas story came to mind. The verse “There was no room for them in the Inn” (Luke 2:7) particularly struck me. This… [read more]
Joe Beam, founder of Family Dynamics Institute, believes having a satisfying sex life is an essential part of strong marriages — and beyond certain biblical mandates, Christian couples should feel… [read more]
How would you like to have an effective prayer life? The Bible says, “Elijah was a man subject to like passions (weaknesses and failure) as we are, and he prayed… [read more]
When we have negative things happen over and over, failure, or people have told us that we will never amount to much, we begin to believe and expect those very… [read more]
This is a follow up to the teaching I recently sent out on the Fivefold Ministry of the Holy Spirit. To summarize that teaching, the Holy Spirit is with us… [read more]
There has always been a lot of confusion over the ministry of the Holy Spirit. There are usually two extremes. One where there is an over emphasis concerning manifestations of… [read more]
This article is in answer to questions we’ve received about speaking in tongues. I hope you find many of your questions answered as well. It is real, and many great… [read more]