There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24b, ESV). Throughout my career as a pastor, I’ve heard this question too often: “I’m not sure that I have any friends.” I’ve heard this from both introverts and extroverts, from those who isolate themselves and, surprisingly, from the “life of the party” types. […]
Do I Have Friends? Read More »
And a young man followed him [Jesus], with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked (Mark 14:51-52, ESV). After Jesus was arrested, a young man following Jesus and the disciples was grabbed by his linen cloth (bed clothes), and being a
John Mark’s Middle of the Night Adventure Read More »
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12, ESV). Seventy years had passed since the captivity of the Jews in Babylon. Daniel knew this from reading the prophet Jeremiah, so he began praying
Persia/Iran/Israel: A Master Class for Prayer! Read More »
I memorized 1 Peter decades ago and recently reread chapter 1 during my 5:30 a.m. Bible reading time. Below are some notes I made… Note #1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (1 Peter 1:1, ESV, emphasis added). Peter mentions
Notes from Reading 1 Peter 1:1-9 Read More »
John to the seven churches that are in Asia… (Revelation 1:4, NASB). John begins his revelation to the “seven churches” in Asia as the originally intended recipients. Then the book ends with this statement, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people” (Revelation 22:21, NLT). The beginning of the book was written to
Saturday’s Revelations on Revelation #4 Read More »
The prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up (James 5:15, NASB1995). In chapter 5 of the Epistle of James (the last chapter of the book), reading verses 13 through 18, note that prayer is mentioned in every verse, and the focus is powerful praying. These verses provide a
Prayers of Healing and Miracles Read More »
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24, ESV). The Barna Organization® researches all things Christianity — youth in church, adults in church, whether youth are leaving or coming back to church, pastors doing well or poorly, finances, theological
Resilient Families Read More »
It’s over. My wife and I, on a “traveling” whirlwind, have been out of town conducting conferences (and enjoying vacation) seven of the last 11 weekends. We’ve been to Oklahoma, Virginia Beach, Cincinnati, Dayton, Springfield, and Panama City, Panama. Whereas the Apostle Paul writes about his travels, “Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18, ESV). Easter focuses on the resurrection of Jesus, as it should. He has risen, and you should be thinking, “He has risen, indeed!” But let’s not forget the cross; without it,
The Crucifixion Rethought Read More »
One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” (Mark 12:28, NLT) At the time of Jesus, scholastic consensus held that the Law and the Prophets (the Jewish term for our
Integrity Relationships Read More »