I remember a game I played as a child, but I am not sure what it was called. I think it was called “Follow the Leader,” where one child became the leader and whatever he did had to be exactly duplicated in all those other children who were following the leader. If he jumped, they jumped. If he turned in a circle,…

As if the heart and its desires cannot (and perhaps, should not) be controlled, often a statement is made to defend an unexpected or unjustifiable action, “Well, the heart wants what the heart wants, right?”  Think about that claim.  Think about what is behind such a claim.  Think about where such a claim leads.  What would happen if each person on this…

This weekend, our newsfeeds have been crowded with words like “atrocious,” “heinous,” “inhumane” and “barbaric.” All around the world, it is recognized that the attack made on Israel was reprehensible. But what is this judgment based on? Do you realize that without God, nothing can be called “wrong” or “right”? As evolution has become more and more accepted as fact, atheists have…

As daylight was breaking, the Jews brought Jesus to Pilate in their determination to kill Him. Pilate was not a Jew but a Roman who had been appointed governor over the land. The governor went out to those assembled and asked why they had brought Jesus to him. One of the charges was that Jesus Himself had said that He was the…

At the end of each sermon in our worship services, we extend the Lord’s invitation, and then we stand and sing a “Song of Encouragement” (a.k.a. “Invitation Song”) to “encourage” folks to respond to the Lord.  While this is an expedient to the preaching of the gospel, it has proven over the years to be a beneficial one and worthy of continuation.…

Water is a vital element in God’s creation. It is an essential component to life as we know it. Its unique properties make it excellent for cleaning. It is able to replenish itself through the water cycle and allows for biochemical processes in the body to take place. It should be no surprise then that water also plays a vital role in…

What or who comes to your mind when you hear the word “Ebenezer”? In all likelihood it is the miser created by Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol—Ebenezer Scrooge. Now a second question is, how long has it been since you talked about Ebenezer? You may not be aware of this, but this past Sunday you sang this very word! It was…

What was it?  Was it a health scare or diagnosis or uncertainty that grabbed you and wouldn’t turn your mind loose?  Was it the sudden death of someone dear to you?  Was it the dissolving of your marriage?  Was it the unexpected revelation from a family member or friend that stunned your senses?  You’ve been there.  What was it that got you…