Sorted by date Results 1 - 14 of 14
“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the d...
For the past few weeks, we have been bombarded by political commercials, polls, promises, debates, mudslinging and fighting. We will all have our fill of politics by election day next Tuesday. I have been studying the word politics to help me better understand this whole process and have found this interesting definition. The word politics comes from two words, “poly” and “tics.” “Poly” means many and “tics” means blood-sucking creatures …. Well, it may not be the right definition, but we might all believe this is true by election day. Ser...
Most mornings, I try to play with our dog before I head out the door. Dogs can teach you a lot about life. I had her favorite treat this morning, and we were working on her tricks. As soon as she heard her treat bag, she jumped and ran in circles because she anticipated the treat. When I pick up her ball, her bottom jaw quivers in anticipation of fetching the ball. As soon as she hears my truck coming into the drive, she is at the back door anxiously waiting for me to come in. Anticipation has been a constant companion in my thoughts these...
It is a challenge today to raise a family today. It is the hardest and scariest thing I have ever done. I know myself. I can take the simple and make it complex. I can take the functioning and create dysfunction. I know this feeling all too well when considering my father's role. I remember when I launched out my last child. As I drove back from dropping her off at college, all I could think about was the untaught lessons, my mistakes and the deep desire that she would do well despite me. Now, I look into the faces of each of my grandchildren...
Christmas is almost here. If you are like me, it has been a busy time throughout December. No one experiences many quiet moments as Christmas approaches — parties, shopping, cooking, greeting cards, always a lot to do this month. Then there are the countless interruptions of life to go with the busyness of the month. The phone rings as we are trying to eat. Coworkers interrupt your work to talk. Our children have a sudden emergency. Some are unwelcome, some are just a nuisance and some are cherished. Remember the last telemarketer or r...
Our church is finishing up our Vacation Bible School this week. This year is special because it is my wife and my 30th VBS. We have seen so many children create all kinds of crazy themes and have had a great time each year. VBS is a treasured week each year, although it seems to get a little more exhausting as we age. I really enjoy working with children and teaching them about the Lord and His Word. Nothing is more beautiful than seeing a child embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now I have adults that remind me that their relationship with...
How do you mark the end of summer? Some look at Labor Day, others when it starts to cool. Some look at the start of school, and some hold to the official date. For me, it begins with the end of VBS, school starts, the county fair, and then the annual car show. I always like the change of the seasons. When people ask me what my favorite season is, it is always the in-betweens. The changing leaves, the first snow, the budding of Spring, and the first dip in the pool. I guess I enjoy change. Life is like a series of changing seasons. One person de...
A few weeks ago, I experienced one of the loneliest times of my life. My wife had just gone into surgery, and I was sitting alone in the surgical waiting area. After almost 30 years of ministry, I am used to hanging out in surgical waiting rooms. I have spent countless hours sitting with family members as their loved ones were in surgery. Covid has drastically changed this ministry. For the past two years, pastors have not been allowed to sit with families during these difficult times. In fact, most hospitals are limiting families to just one...
What a time of history it is that we find ourselves facing. A month ago, lives were normal. All of us were making plans for the spring – graduations, reunions, summer vacations; like I said, normal. Then came the storm. A microscopic virus has gripped the entirety of our daily lives. As if we were about finished with a puzzle and as we placed some of the last pieces, Covid-19 grabbed the table and tossed it up in the air, scattering puzzle pieces everywhere. All our plans, all the parts of our daily lives scattered all over the floor. Chaos a...
Christmas is almost here. If you are like me, it has been a busy time throughout the month of December. No one experiences many quiet moments as Christmas approaches. Parties, shopping, cooking, greeting cards – always a lot to do this month. Then there are the countless interruptions of life to go with the busyness of the month. The phone rings as we are trying to eat. Coworkers interrupt your work to talk. Our children have a sudden emergency. Some are unwelcomed, some are just a nuisance, and some are cherished. Remember the last t...
Life has many interruptions. The phone rings as we are trying to eat. Coworkers interrupt your work to talk. Our children have a sudden emergency. Some are unwelcomed, some are just a nuisance, and some are cherished. Remember the last telemarketer, or remember when your wife awoke you and told you it was time to get her to the hospital, the baby was coming! Good or bad interruptions happen. Go back two thousand years ago. The world was interrupted like no other night. A sleeping town of Bethlehem would never be the same again! It all started...
Humanity is truly a diverse lot. We come in different shapes, sizes and colors. We come from different backgrounds, we have various degrees of beliefs and values, each of us has a different set of circumstances that determines everything from our personality to our attitudes about life. We are unique. There are only a few common things about each of us, but there is one thing that each of us will experience in our lifetime. It is our greatest enemy, our greatest fear, and the one thing in life that causes us the most anxiety and pain: DEATH. Ea...
I trust that you and your family are adjusting well as we all get back to the routines of another school year. New shoes, clothes and school supplies are in for a long year. There is nothing better than opening a new box of crayons or the smell of a new eraser. It is fun to watch the new turn into the routine again. It is a challenge to raise a family today. It is the hardest and scariest thing I have ever done. I know myself. I can take the simple and make it complex. I can take the functioning and create dysfunction. I know this feeling all...
In many of our churches throughout our community, this Sunday we will be turning our attention back to the Passion Week and the Resurrection of our Lord. I really enjoy this week. I need to be drawn back into the source of my salvation and eternal hope. Nothing is better than seeing a defeated day turning into a Living Hope! The problem we often have as we read and hear the stories of the Bible is that we often fail to realize that the people involved in these stories are no different than us today. They had the same fears and worries. They had...
