Minister's Message

Give the “Timothy Advantage” As Americans, we are devoted to the education of our children. We know they need a good foundation of knowledge in order to be productive adults and good providers for their families. We know that a good education gives them an advantage in life. As Christians, we should be even more devoted to the spiritual education of our children. They need a good foundation of knowledge from God’s Word in order to be faithful and productive servants ...

A New Year Psalm for 2012 Here are some good words from the 116th Psalm for your year-end reflection. The first section (verses 7-9) encourages us to look back at what God has done for us: “Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” (NIV) Can you relate? Hasn’t the Lord been good to ...

2012 – Year of the “The Daily Bible”! We are getting close to the finish line for our Bible reading program, “Treasures Old and New”! God bless all of you who stayed the course and who will have read the entire Bible by the end of this coming week! Congratulations! Wasn’t that a worthwhile investment of time and devotion?! Now, if you didn’t finish it all, don’t feel bad. I hope the reading you did blessed you and that you will be more ...

The Best Gifts Money Can’t Buy! Shopping is fine. It can even be fun – sometimes. But if your holiday gift-giving is getting you down – if you’re growing tired of the heavy traffic, long department store lines or risking identity theft with your on-line purchases – if you’re tired of buying things for the ones you love instead of doing things with them, you may want to look into an “alternate gift list.” How about giving the people you ...

Don’t Be Caught Off-Guard (A Lesson from Pearl Harbor) Wednesday will mark the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack of the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. We should remember the day that would “live in infamy” – and learn from it. What happened on December 7, 1941? Simply put, we were caught off guard. In the decades since the attack, there has been a great deal of speculation and debate over how this could have happened and who is to blame for ...

Se Habla “Thanksgiving” To Christians, Thanksgiving is more than a great meal, more than a glorified Thursday, more than a time-honored American tradition. It is a way of life – an integral part of the Christian “essence” -- it is the very language we speak! Whether we pray, sing, converse or write, our words should come out in the language of thanksgiving – expressing our heart-felt gratitude to God. Back in the 80’s, Janet and I became ...

Let’s Talk About Deacons A deacon is a servant of the Body of Christ who has been proven (“tested”), chosen by the church and appointed by the leaders to coordinate one or more ministries of the congregation. And while all believers are called to be servants (including leaders – Mat 20:25-28), deacons are “designated servants,” exemplary servants, recognized by the Body as ministry leaders. Serving as a deacon is better thought of as a ...

Reflecting on Columbus Day This past Monday was Columbus Day Observed. This year marked 519 years since the first landing of Christopher Columbus in the new world – on the easternmost isle of the Bahamas, San Salvador. In subsequent voyages Columbus would explore many of the Lesser and Greater Antilles, the mainland of South America (Venezuela) and the east coast of Central America. While he was not the first European to reach the American continent, his four voyages launched the ...

How Will the World End? It’s bad enough that misguided individuals keep trying to predict WHEN the world will end (the latest “guess” is 12/12/12, based on clever interpretations of Mayan prophecy). Now, scientists and others are predicting HOW it will end! The question of HOW the world will end has been in the media spotlight recently in a number of articles in science journals, TV specials and internet and newspaper stories. This past Tuesday, I read where three U.S. ...

Where Were You Then? Where Are You Now? Questions for Reflection on the 10th Anniversary of September 11, 2001 It’s hard to believe, but today marks ten years since the horrific terrorist attacks of 9/11. And, as you would expect, there has been a plethora of TV specials, documentaries and news articles covering those events from every conceivable angle. Today, my “angle” and purpose in this cover piece is to pose two questions to God’s family at UCCC: Where ...

The Good News About Good Works! A “Labor Day” Reminder of the Value of Christian Labor Tomorrow is Labor Day – a national holiday since 1894. Originally conceived as a day of solidarity and appreciation for America’s unions and laborers, it has become a national “day off” – and the symbolic end to the summer season. (So we can expect cooler weather any day now, right?) As laborers for Christ, I thought this would be a good time to ...

BACK TO SCHOOL TIME! It’s back to school time! It’s back to desks, notebooks, binders and backpacks. It’s back to the “old grind” – of pencils being sharpened! After a long summer, it’s time for our young people and children to “hit the books” again. But don’t we all need to “hit the books”? The 66 books of the Bible, that is! Believers are never too young or too old to continue their “higher education” ...

It Really Makes You FEEL! Without a doubt, the Bible is a book that really makes you THINK. But God also designed the Bible to make us FEEL. This is particularly true of the Psalms, the Bible’s most emotionally charged book. This collection of inspired poems, prayers and praises speaks to our hearts, not just our minds. As you read and study the Psalms, you can’t help but identify with the emotions and moods of David and the others Psalmists. The Psalms teach us to embrace ...

Sound Financial Advice Need to find some sound financial advice? Well, I wouldn’t recommend looking for it in Washington! Their solution to a bad economy and runaway spending seems to be boiling down to this: BORROW MORE TO SPEND MORE. It looks as though they will raise the “debt ceiling” to new heights in order to keep spending more than they take in. What if a family ran their budget like that? (Some do!) Picture a family that is spending twice as much as it makes. ...

When Things Go South ... (A Message from Habakkuk) Is all the bad news getting you down? It seems that every time you pick up a newspaper or tune in (or log in) to a news program you get hit with more bad economic news. Unemployment is still very high. Wages are low, but prices for goods and services keep going up. Our nation’s debt is now measured in the trillions and we still have to keep raising the debt ceiling. Many homeowners owe more on their house than its market ...

Memorable “Dad-isms” A “Dad-ism” is one of those blunt, pithy statements your Dad said to you, not once, but a thousand times. “Dad-isms” usually come in the form of a word of wisdom or perhaps a correction or warning. I still remember several of my father’s well-worn “Dad-isms”, like “haste makes waste”, or, “the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll get done.” One that used to make me groan was, ...

Turning Summer “Down Time” into “Up Time”! It’s June – it’s summer! Can’t you just hear the “voices” of summertime calling you? Ah yes, the beaches, the theme parks, the barbecues, the mountains of North Carolina, your favorite fishing, boating and swimming spots – they call us and remind us that there is so much recreation out there and so little time! Now, it is not my intention to throw cold water on your hot summer ...

Jesus Is Coming … Yesterday? Here we go again. Another prediction of Judgment Day has come and gone. If you can read this today, we are still here and the End has not yet come! To be sure, we believe that Jesus will come back one day, any day, as He promised. However, it comes as no surprise to us that Jesus did not come (or show a “sign” of His coming) on the day Harold Camping said He would. Camping, an 89 year-old radio evangelist, claims that he has “done the ...

It Comes from Within… “I don’t know where that came from”, insisted the talented quarterback, when fined for making an obscene gesture to a fan after a tough loss. “I was only joking”, insisted the senator who encouraged young people to study hard or they might wind up serving in our military in Afghanistan or Iraq! “I don’t know what got into me” insisted the popular comedian who spouted forth racial slurs after getting upset with ...

MONEY MATTERS There are several good reasons to think about money right now: First, it’s tax season (ouch!). Second, our nation is struggling economically and our leaders are trying to come up with a functional budget (double ouch!). And third, we just had a Ministry Fair, reminding us of the important things we can do with our money and other God-given resources! One of my favorite quotes about money comes from the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. When the wingless ...

“Lamentations” for Northern Japan We’ve all heard the news. We’ve seen the pictures. We are saddened and sobered by the catastrophe in Japan. WHAT CAN YOU AND I DO? First, let’s commit to praying for the Japanese people – for those bereaved, wounded, exposed to harmful radiation; for those who have lost their homes, their possessions, their livelihoods. We can also help them financially and we’ll be letting you know soon how UCCC can be involved ...

Conformed? Or, Transformed? In these times of political correctness and conformity, I consider Romans 12:2 to be one of the most important and relevant verses for believers today: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind …” Paul’s point is clear: The world calls us, even pressures us to conform while the Lord calls us to be transformed. John the Baptist and Jesus Christ experienced the pressure to conform: ...

The Strange Case of the Walking Trees! The gospel of Mark contains perhaps the most unusual of Jesus’ healing miracles. It happened in Bethsaida after Jesus had fed the 4,000. A blind man was brought to Jesus for healing: “And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, ‘Do you see anything?’ And he looked up and said, ‘I see people, but they look like trees, ...

Something Worth Celebrating! As you know, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. A holiday that celebrates love sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it? Love, true love, is definitely something worth celebrating! After all, love is the greatest virtue, the greatest command and our deepest need. But this so-called holiday of love is a strange potpourri of elements, including Christian martyrdom, Greek and Roman mythology, pagan traditions, modern romantic notions and aggressive marketing – ...

STILL GLOWING … Our Old Testament readings from this past week were from the latter chapters of Exodus, which include the amazing account of Moses’ glowing face (Exodus 34:29-35). It happened on Moses’ second visit to God on Mount Sinai – after he had broken the first set of stone tablets. While on the mountain, Moses asked to see God’s glory and his request was granted! Moses saw the goodness and glory of God from behind – not God’s face, but ...

“Beware of Man” We’ve all seen signs reading, “Beware of dog”. And, of course, here in Florida, many lakes and ponds are decorated with signs warning us to beware of the alligators. To be sure, there are many animals and beasts, even insects that can hurt or maim man. However, none of them is as dangerous to man as man himself! Maybe we need some signs around town that say: “Beware of man”! The recent shooting tragedy in Arizona ...

The “Purpose-Driven” Holiday ’Tis the season! But with the holiday clutter of shopping, traveling, decorating, card-writing, eating, and gift-giving (and getting), one can easily forget what it’s all about. Don’t let this happen to you! Let’s rekindle the spirit and purpose of Jesus’ “coming”. Let’s remember the “why” and the “what for” of His Coming, and enjoy a more fulfilling and ...

“Priceless” Gifts for This or Any Season! “Some things money can’t buy – for everything else there’s MasterCard.” Good tagline, and true. There are some “priceless” gifts that can’t be bought with money or plastic. Maybe we should give our plastic a rest and turn our attention to these “priceless” gifts. What gifts are we talking about? Here are a few ideas for starters: The Gift of Thanksgiving: Gift wrap a “thank ...

Se Habla “Thanksgiving” (“Thanksgiving” Is Spoken Here) To Christians, Thanksgiving is more than a great meal, more than a glorified Thursday, more than a time-honored American tradition. It is a way of life – an integral part of the Christian “essence” -- it is the very language we speak! Whether we pray, sing, converse or write, our words should come out in the language of thanksgiving – expressing our heart-felt gratitude to God. ...

Whatever Happened to Sacrifice? Thursday was Veterans’ Day – a day to remember and appreciate those who have faithfully and bravely served our country in the military, both past and present. It is a day to remember their sacrifices, small and great. Without such sacrifices, America, as we know it, would not exist. Sacrifice is one of the things that has made America great. Not just the sacrifices of our founding fathers and courageous warriors, but of everyday ...

CHRISTIANITY “UNMASKED” I love almost everything about the fall: The cooler days and nights; homecoming; football fever; cooler days and nights; a rise in church attendance and activities; fall colors; Thanksgiving; cooler days and nights (did I already mention that?). The thing I don’t like about the fall is Halloween. It’s not a holiday in my book, it’s the “un”holiday (remember, the word holiday means HOLY DAY.) Some of the ways we celebrate ...

Huddle Up! The college football season is in full swing with the Gators having played their first conference game yesterday. This is always an exciting time of year, especially if you live in a football-driven town like Gainesville. One of the aspects of the game of football that doesn’t get much attention is the huddle. We all know what happens – the team actually gets together in a circle – sometimes arm in arm or even holding hands. (I remember the first time I saw a pro ...

Back to School Time! It’s back to school time! It’s back to desks, notebooks, binders and backpacks. It’s back to the “old grind” – of pencils being sharpened! After a long summer, it’s time for our kids to “hit the books” again. But don’t we all need to “hit the books”? The 66 books of the Bible, that is! Believers are never too young or too old to continue their “higher education” in Jesus’ school of ...

Memorable “Dad-isms” A “Dad-ism” is one of those blunt, pithy statements your Dad said to you, not once, but a thousand times. “Dad-isms” usually come in the form of a word of wisdom or perhaps a correction or warning. I still remember several of my father’s well-worn “Dad-isms”, like “haste makes waste”, or, “the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll get done.” One that used to make me groan was, ...

Turning Summer “Down Time” into “Up Time”! It’s June – it’s summer! Can’t you just hear the “voices” of summertime calling you? Ah yes, the beaches, the theme parks, the barbecues, the mountains of North Carolina, your favorite fishing, boating and swimming spots – they call us and remind us that there is so much recreation out there and so little time! Now, it is not my intention to throw cold water on your hot summer plans, ...

Don’t Forget to Remember! Sometimes we forget to remember. For many people, Memorial Day is just a three-day week-end, a warm-up to usher in summer activities and vacationing, a good time to fire up the barbecue or take in the Indy 500. Don’t forget that it was originally conceived in the after-math of the Civil War as a time to remember – a day to rest from work, to step back from the daily grind, to look back and remember and honor the fallen “heroes” ...

WHAT I’VE LEARNED IN 30 YEARS This past Tuesday, May 18, was the 30-year anniversary of two events. One of them is well known and the other is little known. May 18, 1980 was the day Mount St. Helens erupted in southwestern Washington state. And it was the day I started full-time ministry! (I sincerely hope there’s no ominous connection there!) Going forward from that date, I spent four years as a youth minister at the El Portal Drive Church of Christ in Richmond, ...

WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN’ GOIN’ ON! Since Christmas of ’09 there has been a string of severe earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, Indonesia, Baja California and now in western China, with several other strong ones in various places. Seismologists are saying that what they’ve seen in the past few months is the most intense and destructive round of seismic activity in recent history. Hmm … Are these earthquakes indicators that we are nearing the End? Jesus ...

“Searching for Hametz” When God was about to rescue the Israelites from their slavery to the Egyptians, He gave instructions for the feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread. The Israelites were given this command, as recorded in Exodus 12:15: “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses.” Tuesday, March 30, is the Jewish Passover. Millions of Jews all around the world will commemorate ...

Stay in the Word, Church! Three Sundays ago I preached a message from Mark 4 on the parable of the Sower. I emphasized Jesus’ teaching on the seed planted in the “thorny” ground – how the clutter of life (worries, wealth and wants) can limit (even eliminate) our receptivity to God’s Word and our productivity in God’s Kingdom. The bottom line of the message was that we have to be more receptive to be more productive. With that truth in mind, I hope you ...

So Much Devotion, So Little a Prize (A Message from the 2010 Winter Games) As you know, the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver are in full swing. I have only watched snippets of the events so far, but I have been trying to keep up through the news reports and media summaries. I have to say that I personally enjoy the Summer Games more than the Winter Games, but there are several Winter events and athletes I follow with some interest. The Olympic Games have always captured the ...

From Confetti to Ashes (What’s wrong with this picture?) This past Wednesday is the day certain denominations call “Ash Wednesday.” It marks the end of Mardi Gras (aka. Carnival) and the beginning of the so-called “Lenten” season. It’s when the wild celebrations, dances, parties, costumes and loud parades (like those in New Orleans) suddenly give way to a season of sacrifice and self-denial. They go from confetti to ashes – on cue! In fact, the day ...

Something Worth Celebrating! As you know, today is Valentine’s Day. A holiday celebrating love sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it? Love, true love, is definitely something worth celebrating! After all, love is the greatest virtue, the greatest command and our deepest need. But this so-called holiday of love is such a strange potpourri of elements, including Christian martyrdom, Greek and Roman mythology, pagan traditions, modern romantic notions and aggressive marketing ...

“Lamentations” for Haiti We’ve all heard the news. We’ve all seen the pictures. We are all saddened and sobered by the catastrophe in Haiti. It’s humbling to think that in less than a minute a capital city was turned into rubble. Misery upon poverty! Let’s be praying for the Haitian people – for the bereaved, for the wounded, for the children, for the destitute. They need help, healing, hope, love, support and continued assistance. Let’s ...

A Spiritual “Work Out” for 2010 I promised last Sunday to give you a completed copy of the “plan” I briefly outlined for you in my sermon, so here it is. Remember what Paul said in Philippians 2:12-13 – that God “WORKS IN us” to accomplish His purposes. Our part is to “WORK OUT our own salvation with fear and trembling.” That is, we need to have an “action plan” to specifically live out the Christian life. A DAILY “Work ...

A Psalm for the New Year As we begin a new year, Psalm 116 is a good scripture for our contemplation. Verses 7-9 encourage us to look back at what God has done for us: “Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” (NIV) Hasn’t God been good to us in 2009? He has taken care of our needs and then ...

GETTING ON THE SAME PAGE IN 2010 When people get on the same page, amazing things can happen. In Genesis 11 we see what “same page” unity can accomplish. People came together in a common cause and common objective. They made such remarkable progress that God Himself, though not pleased with their purpose, was impressed with the power of their unified efforts. God commented in Genesis 11:6, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the ...

The “Purpose-Driven” Holiday ’Tis the season! But with the holiday clutter of shopping, traveling, decorating, card-writing, eating, and gift-giving (and getting), one can easily forget what it’s all about. Don’t let this happen to you! Let’s rekindle the spirit and purpose of Jesus’ “coming”. Let’s remember the “why” and the “what for” of His Coming, and enjoy a more fulfilling and ...

“Priceless” Gifts for This or Any Season! “Some things money can’t buy – for everything else there’s MasterCard.” Good tagline, and true. There are some “priceless” gifts that can’t be bought with money or plastic. Maybe we should give our plastic a rest and turn our attention to these “priceless” gifts. What gifts are we talking about? Here are a few ideas for starters: í The Gift of Thanksgiving: Gift wrap a ...

Don’t Be Caught Off-Guard (A Lesson from Pearl Harbor) Tomorrow will mark the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack of the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. We should always remember the day that would “live in infamy” – and learn from it. What happened on December 7, 1941? Simply put, we were caught off guard. In the decades since the attack, there has been a great deal of investigation, speculation and debate over how this could have happened and who is to ...

Learning to Speak “Thanksgiving” To Christians, Thanksgiving is more than a big meal, more than a glorified Thursday, more than a time-honored American tradition. It is a way of life – an integral part of the Christian “essence” -- it is the very language we speak! Whether we pray, sing, converse or write, our words should come out in the language of thanksgiving – expressing our heart-felt gratitude to God. Back in the 80’s, Janet and I ...

Whatever Happened to Sacrifice? Wednesday was Veterans’ Day – a day when we remember and appreciate those who have faithfully and bravely served our country in the military, both past and present. It is a day to remember their sacrifices, small and great. Without such sacrifices, America, as we know it, would not exist. Sacrifice is one of the things that has made America great. Not just the sacrifices of our founding fathers and courageous warriors, but of everyday ...

“BEWARE OF MAN” We’ve all seen warning signs like, “BEWARE OF DOG”, or, for us Floridians, “BEWARE OF ALLIGATORS” is always appropriate! The word “beware” simply means to be wary, watch out, be careful. It’s a way to forewarn us that in this place you may encounter danger. And to be sure, there are many creatures that can endanger us. However, none of them is as dangerous to man as man himself! Maybe we need some signs posted ...

How We Get What We Need; How God Gets What He Wants I’d like to pose two questions about our relationship with God: First, are you getting what you need from God? Second, is He getting what He wants from you? There is a Psalm that addresses these key questions. Speaking through the Psalmist, Asaph, God reveals His simple “recipe” for us to get what we need and for Him to get what He wants. Let’s have a look … “For every beast of the forest is ...

A Warm Welcome on Homecoming Sunday 2009! Homecoming is always a special time of year in a university town like Gainesville. It is also special to the University City Church of Christ. Since 1897 this family of God’s people has been worshiping and serving the Lord here in Gainesville. By God’s grace UCCC has become a spiritual “home” and refuge to many over the decades, an inviting and welcoming community of believers; where Jesus is honored; and where His people are ...

Strong Man, Stronger Man Samson was a strong man. Set apart from birth as a Nazirite, God endowed him with superhuman brute strength. Samson had it and he was not afraid to use it! He spent his life fighting Israel’s arch enemies, the Philistines. But, while Samson was physically strong, and had faith in God, he was morally weak and became a prisoner to his own passion. Samson lived by the “not-so-golden” rule: “As they did to me, so I have done to them” (Judges ...

It’s back to school time! It’s back to desks, notebooks, binders and backpacks. It’s back to the “old grind” – of pencils being sharpened! After a long summer, it’s time for our kids to “hit the books” again. But don’t we all need to “hit the books”? The 66 books of the Bible, that is! Believers are never too young or too old to continue their “higher education” in Jesus’ school of discipleship (Luke ...

Recently, there has been a flood of debates over the president's health care proposal. What kind of health plans do we need? Is the president's plan a good plan? Are our current plans adequate? Well, don't ask me, I'm just a preacher! But I would like to address God's plans for us. He has a great plan to meet all our health needs - physical, emotional, spiritual and eternal!For the past several weeks, our Sunday morning messages have been emphasizing God's plan for our lives. He had a plan for ...

Forty years have passed since July 20, 1969 and the historic moon-landing of Apollo 11. When Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon’s surface, he spoke the unforgettable words, “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” It was a surreal moment and I remember it as if it were yesterday. My parents, brother, sister and I, and a neighbor friend or two, sat in front of our black and white TV. We were transfixed by the live images from the ...

You often hear these words from a song leader or worship leader. You know the drill: We are prompted to stand up for a particular song and to remain standing for the prayer that follows. It’s not hard to stand – almost any one-year old can do it. It’s no big deal, right? I mean, when we think of amazing feats, we’re impressed with how fast or how far someone can run, or high or how far they can jump, or how much weight they can lift, press or pull, or how fast they can ...

It’s June – it’s summer! Can’t you just hear the “voices” of summertime calling you? Ah yes, the beaches, the theme parks, the barbecues, the mountains of North Carolina, your favorite fishing, boating and swimming spots – they call us and remind us that there is so much recreation out there and so little time! Now, it is not my intention to throw cold water on your hot summer plans, but there’s another “voice” we need to hear before ...

In these times of political correctness and conformity, I consider Romans 12:2 to be one of the most important and relevant verses for believers today: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind …”” Paul’s point is clear: The world calls us to conform while the Lord calls us to be transformed. And those of the world don’t just want us to conform, they pressure us to do so. John the Baptist and Jesus experienced the ...

It’s baaaaaack ... April 15th, the deadline for paying our dues to Uncle Sam. It’s never a popular date for Americans, and with the economic downturn, this is an especially rough tax season. May God help us meet our tax burden and may He continue to meet all our needs! Speaking of taxes, I want to pose a tax-time question: Are you paying what you owe? Now before you tell me that your taxes are none of my business, allow me to bring Jesus into the question ... The Jewish religious ...

“What I pray for is your improvement”, Paul told the Corinthian believers in 2 Corinthians 13:9 (RSV). That has been our goal in this recent series of Sunday morning messages called “Home Improvement”. We are taking aim at your improvement, my improvement, our improvement. Being better Christians, better students, better teachers, better spouses, better parents, better kids, better friends, better citizens, better servants, better teachers, better encouragers, better ...

It’s that time of year again – when we tweak our clocks to add an hour of daylight to our spring and summer afternoons. (I hope nobody forgot ...) And while I don’t enjoy losing the hour of sleep, (as we did last night), I do enjoy the extended daylight. To help us remember which way we change our clocks and watches, a catchy phrase was invented: We “fall back” in the fall and “spring forward” in the spring. As believers in Jesus we should always be in ...

Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were two very influential men, who shared little in common except their birthdays. They were both born on February 12, 1809 – 200 years ago this past Thursday. That’s right. Lincoln, the American president, and Darwin, the English naturalist, came into the world on the same day! Lincoln and Darwin came from opposite sides of the Atlantic, and they shared an opposite world view. One of them believed that “all men are created equal”, ...

A week ago I spoke on the topic “Time to Build”. Reading from the prophet Haggai, we found that the Jews had put the work of rebuilding God’s House on the back burner – for 15 years! Meanwhile, they busied themselves with their own houses and interests. Haggai was sent to light a fire under them to get them to set their priorities right and put God’s House first. He told them to “go”, “bring materials” and “build” – and ...

Without a doubt, the Bible is a book that really makes you THINK. But God also designed the Bible to make us FEEL. This is particularly true of the Psalms, the Bible’s most emotionally charged book. This collection of inspired poems, prayers and praises speaks to our hearts, not just our minds. As you read and study the Psalms, you can’t help but identify with the emotions and moods of David and the others Psalmists. The Psalms teach us to embrace positive emotions (“right ...

The two most common New Year’s resolutions are about DIET and EXERCISE. Here is a doable plan for a healthy diet of spiritual nourishment and a balanced spiritual “work out” to get us in shape for the New Year. It’s a regimen designed to specifically “live the life.” See what you think… A Simple DAILY Plan: Every day ... Say your prayers (Eph 6:18; 1 Th 5:17) Get into the Word (Ac 17:11; Mat 4:4) Encourage someone (Heb 3:12-14) Do a good deed (Gal ...