On the western side of the Mediterranean Sea is the Strait of Gibraltar, which opens up into the expansive Atlantic Ocean. For centuries the words “Ne plus ultra” meaning “No more beyond” were chiseled on the Mighty Rock of Gibraltar, which towers over the Strait. It reminded the sailors that beyond the Strait was nothing […]
In the past several weeks I have been preaching from the 12 Minor Prophets. They are found at the end of the Old Testament. They are called “Minor” not because Hosea’s or Amos’ prophetic ministries are less important than Jeremiah’s or Isaiah’s ministries. They are called “Minor” because their messages are shorter than the message […]
When you become a follower of Christ, you are signing up for something that is more like a marathon than a 100-yard sprint. Friedrich Nietzsche, who was no friend of Christianity, demonstrated real wisdom in the following statement: “The essential thing ‘in heaven and earth’ is ……. that there should be long obedience in the […]
On many occasions, the four Gospels reveal Jesus speaking on the topic of money and material wealth. A couple of reasons come to my mind to explain this emphasis. First of all, we are both spiritual and physical beings. As physical beings we are going to need and consume physical resources. In fact, our spiritual […]
It is no accident that Christ experienced the Transfiguration in Mathew 17. This is a mountaintop experience above all mountaintop experiences. It happened right after Jesus’ first explicit teaching of his upcoming arrest, crucifixion and resurrection in Mathew 16:21. Suffering, spiritual power and glory are always held and experienced in dynamic tension within a Christian […]
A Trustworthy Dad Max Lucado, Pastor and author, tells of speaking at a funeral of a family friend. The friend’s son told of an incident when a tornado hit their small town. His father gathered the kids indoors and had them lie under the mattress. The son remembered peeking out from under the mattress and […]
“Mommy Ate The Baby” For weeks a 6-year old boy kept telling his 1st-grade teacher about the baby brother or sister they were expecting at his house. One day his mother allowed the boy to feel the the movements of the unborn child. The little guy was obviously impressed, but made no comment. Furthermore, he […]
Chuck Colson, the founder of Prison Fellowship, shared the story of being invited to preach at tough San Quentin Prison. He eagerly looked forward to this opportunity since 300 of the 2,200 inmates had agreed to come to the chapel to hear him. A cache of weapons, however, were found by prison officials days before […]
There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who could best depict “perfect peace” in a painting. Many artists entered the contest. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only 2 he really liked, and he had to choose between them. Painting a Portrait of Peace One picture […]