I grew up reading Psalms 23:4 as, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” Some versions translate verse 4 as “the darkest valley.” Either way, it presents us with an image that is frightening, an image of death and loss. But there is a big difference between those two translations.…
There are several ways we refer to Jesus. He is our Savior, Redeemer, Lord, Master, The Lamb of God, Mediator, Judge, Holy One of Israel, Creator, Only Begotten Son, Immanuel, The Bright and Morning Star, The Good Shepherd, The Alpha and Omega, Chief Cornerstone, Great High Priest, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Messiah,…
Luke chapter 21 has always been special to me. This was the chapter I was reading at around 4:00 a.m. when I was called to preach. There are many sermons in this chapter, but today, briefly, I want to look at verse 27. “Then will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud…
Acts 11:25-26, “Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year, they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” A famous commercial from several years…
This one gets touchy, so hold on! Ezekiel 13:2, “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, Hear the word of the Lord!” We live in a day filled with people who call themselves prophets but are not. It’s a long-standing…
The world has not been perfect since Genesis chapter three, but boy, howdy, it sure seems to be a mess right now. And I’m not talking about politics; I’m talking about people’s attitudes in general. Feelings of bitterness and unforgiveness fill social media outlets every day. I know we need to keep up with what’s…
Matthew chapter 25 contains several parables that deal with the end of time and where people will spend eternity. Humanity is divided into groups known as sheep and goats. As I was thinking about this verse, it struck me that once again, we see the difference between how God views things and how the world…
Can you imagine how the disciples must have felt after the crucifixion? For three years, they had traveled with Jesus. They had witnessed unbelievable miracles, but now He was dead. Had they been completely wrong in who they thought Jesus was? Now, the tomb is empty, and Roman officials are saying someone stole the body.…
For some people, death means the end of existence. As Christians, we know that death is the doorway to eternity. Our acceptance or rejection of Jesus as our Savior determines where we spend eternity. But what about the three days that followed the crucifixion of Jesus? We know His body was taken from the cross…
People often ask me what my favorite place is in the Holy Land. I always tell them there are too many special places to choose from. Then, I will usually add that one of the most emotional places for me is the Via Dolorosa. While the full path that Jesus carried the cross in is…