It was completely dark on the island. The generators had gone out, and Easter Island was plunged into darkness. With no nearby city lights and only the moon and stars overhead, I lit a candle in my small room. It reminded me of World War 2 and the “Blackout Regulations.” This was a general mandate—that all windows should be prepared with heavy…

“Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!” When Mrs. Julia Johnston penned this hymn in 1911, she might have had in mind her sins and guilt. When we sing this song, perhaps we ponder our own inadequacies.  Whatever your reflections may be, this song points to an unwavering truth—our need for God’s grace. This is not…

In America we like sports. Baseball, once America’s favorite pastime, now has fierce competition with the National Basketball Association and the National Football League. A spectator sport is any sport that is usually associated with people watching.  The most watched sport on the planet is Soccer (a.k.a. Football), though I would not recommend “following a multitude to do evil” (Ex. 23:2). No…

Lamentations 3:21-24. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD’S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the…

Paul said this and Timothy understood the application. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul is defending his right to be paid for his labor in the kingdom. In this context, he mentions an often misunderstood passage. “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became…

There it was in the magazine rack amongst all the juicy titles: “9 Practices for Better…,” “12 Ways to Know your Man is…,” “The Scandal Comes to Light, Interview with…” This particular title stood in stark contrast to those around it. Printed above a picture of a large towering cross against a cloudy background was this title, “Jesus: 89 Inspiring Ways to…

They saw Jesus spending time with tax collectors and sinners again. For the Pharisees and scribes, the very “religious” people of Jesus’ day, that was the last thing any God-fearing person would do. The only thing worse would be getting caught talking to a Samaritan woman. When confronted about this on another occasion Jesus said, “It is not those who are healthy…

We say it all the time, and we refer to it in sermons and in writings. The phrase “Great Commission” is nowhere written in the text of the Bible, but its impact is on every page. It is essentially Jesus saying, “You have been given My whole story. Now tell the world about Me.” The Great Commission is so great that God…