Life This Side of Heaven

What do you want for Christmas?  Has anyone asked you that question this year?  In these days of shopping and sales, have you found yourself racking your brain and trying to figure out what to give your loved ones? In most cases, it comes down to discovering what that other person needs.  Well, if that’s the case, then you’re going to want to take another look at this passage from Paul in 1 Thessa...

Did you know that retailers are already bracing themselves for a blizzard of returns after Christmas again this year? The reality, though, is that they don't want those returns. All this, then, makes the words recorded by the prophet Joel, leap right off the page.  As you and I begin this season of Advent, leading up to Christmas, it’s important to know that we have a God who welcomes returns.  An...

Today is Black Friday! It’s often assumed that the name “Black Friday,” originated with the profit that stores make as a result of all the shopping which takes place annually on this date. The thought is that businesses, working with tight margins throughout the year and operating at financial loss, or “in the red,” now begin to see things turn around.  With massive sales on the day after Thanksgi...

Notes go hereHappy Thanksgiving tomorrow!  I want to get that greeting in before the holiday itself vanishes. In recent years, Thanksgiving has become somewhat of a speed bump on the way to Christmas. However, speed bumps can be quite handy.

Have you ever looked up and noticed a pair of worn-out running shoes, with laces tied together, an hanging on the telephone wire or the power line above? Have you ever wondered why they’re there? When it comes to answering that question there doesn't appear to be a consensus. In Isaiah, the prophet tells us to "Lift your eyes to the heavens." And he reminds us that "the earth will w...

It's football season. It’s that time of the year that we tend to wring our hands and wish there were more people in worship. But take a listen to the writer of Hebrews. Instead of wringing our hands, he points out something that the sports industry remembered and that Christians seemed to have forgotten.

You can almost imagine wide-eyed disciples exclaiming to the Lord, “Look, Teacher!  What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” So, it must have come as a shock to hear Him tell them, “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” That must have been difficult for the disciples to hear.  And even today it brings sadness to some Christians who don’t fully underst...

Have you ever heard of a “haboob”? They’re described as a large walls of dust that are created by strong winds from a collapsing thunderstorm. The thing about a haboob is that they are at one time both amazing and terrifying. It all depends on where you’re standing in the storm. The day of our Savior’s return will be much like that. As Daniel explains, it will be both amazing for some but unwelcom...

You and I are surrounded by promises that are made to us regularly from people we know and products we purchase.  After a while, we simply tune out and hardly even notice them. And that might also be true of one particular phrase we hear in Scripture. But as we sing in Psalm 146, you can be sure that God's promises are promises that last.

If I could put in my two cents, I’d like to share with you my thoughts on the account we hear in Mark, which we often refer to as “The Widow’s Mites.” It’s about a widow and her offering of two copper coins. While it’s often used as a stewardship text it’s really not a prescription for giving. It shows us something much more.

According to recent statistics, chances are pretty good that someone you know, may have had what's referred to as a "Near Death Experience." These individuals, having been resuscitated, gave descriptions of leaving their bodies, journeying through a tunnel, and seeing a bright light or being. Some have said that it provided them with assurance of God's love. So, what are we to make of th...

“Will this be on the test?” It's the question that teachers rarely want to hear. It often means, "What's the minimum requirement I must do to past the test. It's not too different than a question which was asked of Jesus here in Mark. In fact, it's one that still gets asked today.

Architectural models are remarkable. They’re often used to communicate different design aspects of the a and the purpose of its features.  They help people visualize the actual structure and get a glimpse of what’s coming in the future. Well, it may surprise you to know that God did something like that for us. It's even better when you realize that the work has been completed!

Last July, the Pew Research Center revealed what topics Americans talk about with family and friends. Guess where faith made it on the list of topics? However, with these words in Deuteronomy we're reminded how matters of faith and our relationship with God can become a regular part of comfortable conversation – at the dinner table, on vacation, car trips and so much more.

Many of the troubles we face are the same. We live in a world which is hostile to Christ but which also desperately needs to hear the Gospel. However, God reminds us that we’re not alone.  And on November 1, otherwise known as All Saints’ Day, we’re reminded of just how big Christ’s Church is!

It’s been called one of the saddest words in dictionary:  alone.  In fact, the first definition listed for it by the folks at Merriam-Webster is “separated from others.”  However on this day, and as we get ready to celebrate the events of the Reformation tomorrow on October 31, it just may be one of the happiest words you’ll ever hear! Episode art from just one of our Reformation Day cards you can...

When God recorded the Law for Moses He etched it onto two tablets of stone. It was written on rock and it could not be softened or changed. However, it could be broken – and it was. However, wait until you hear where God has engraved His new covenant and eternal promise of salvation! Episode art courtesy of NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Here in Hebrews, the writer reminds us of the rest which God promises. Sadly, it’s a rest which some may miss out on. So, the writer encourages not to make that same mistake. Instead, he invites us to enjoy the eternal rest that God gives – not just as a date at some future point on the calendar, but also right now. It’s closer than you think.

God sees everything … well, not everything.   Now, wait a minute. You may be thinking right now that I’ve bonked my head with a statement like that, but give me a moment to share why this is actually a remarkable fact.

How much money do you need to be wealthy? How much money do you need to be happy? A number of studies have been released this past year which examined these very questions. It may, or may not surprise you to know that they underscore what God revealed to Solomon centuries ago. So, what's the answer? God reveals where real wealth and read happiness are to be found!

Mark records an incident in which Jesus encountered a fellow who looked at salvation as a DIY project.  He came to Jesus and asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life.”  He assumed he had the ability to do it and he was just looking for a few tinkering tips.  It may shock you to hear Jesus’ response.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that of all of the wonderful gifts with which God has blessed His Church, the one most often taken for granted is  “encouragement.”  Those who have often downplay it by telling themselves, “Oh, It’s no big deal.” But it's actually a very big deal!

Do you ever feel as though your life has been cut to pieces and left as tiny piece of scrap that's overlooked and tossed aside by this world? Then take heart!  We have a God who does great things with scraps.

It’s tempting to think that Jesus died for the sins of those who would one day pay Him back. If that were the case, then faith would be a competition to see who brings the most skills, experience, and accomplishments to the table. But, in a very memorable way, Jesus reminds us that the Kingdom of God is about redemption, not a resume.

You’ll be relieved to know that there isn’t going to be a test on the Bible when we get to heaven. But you can be absolutely sure that there will be plenty of times that life’s going to test you and me along the way.   Difficult times, false teaching and more can lead us to lose sight of the love that God has for us and the incredible salvation that is ours through faith.  So here's why the apostl...