All languages have figures of speech that outside of that culture might not make sense.  If you talk about “beating around the bush,” what does that mean, for example?  We kind of understand, but probably don’t know its origin.  The phrase dates to medieval times when hunters hired men to beat the area around bushes as they hunted, to flush out game that was hiding underneath.  The animal being hu...  Read More

I truly enjoy the story portrayed in Fiddler on the Roof.  Rexanne and I went to see the play on one of our early dates, at The Muny outside theater in St Louis way back in 1998.  The main character in the story is Tevye, who is stressed because his daughters, one by one, choose mates in unconventional ways.  Tevye has an ongoing habit of talking to God out loud when alone, trying to reason throug...  Read More

After Jesus answered the questioner about what the greatest commandment was (to love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, and mind), he knew that wasn’t enough, so he offered a second most important command, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39).  The Apostle Paul went so far as to say the whole of the law is fulfilled by obeying this one command (Galatians 5:14). The Apostle...  Read More

It’s been pointed out that unfortunately far too many people are emotional addicts when it comes to searching for a church that excites them, where the music moves them, where they get a high from a thrilling song service or sermon.  When they come down from such a high, instead of being motivated to live better, to serve more, they just delve into a downer period, anxious for their next high.  An...  Read More

Rexanne has a sweatshirt she wears that says Imago Dei on the front of it.  This term, Imago Dei, is Latin for “In God’s Image.”  Bible believing Christians certainly believe this.  We are told in Genesis 1, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.”It is an amazing thought that we have the image of God within our makeup.  It doesn’t...  Read More

The story is told of a rabbi searching for Jewish kids who had been displaced as the Nazi years began, their families seeking to protect them by sending them to a monastery in southern France.  After the war ended this rabbi went to the monastery.  They had been there for years and the priest in charge was unaware of the circumstances.  He told the rabbi that all the children were Christian, not J...  Read More

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  Proven to be the most well-known verse in the Bible.  It’s a good one, for sure.  The key message: Jesus tells us how much God loves us, and the heart of Jesus’s purpose on earth.  Even though what it says is true, it is probably one of the most abused verses ...  Read More

It was April 14, 1912, at about 11:40pm.  Darkness was about to take on a whole new level. The Titanic hit an iceberg.  Theoretically the ship was further south in the Atlantic than icebergs normally traveled, but the thought that the ship was unsinkable didn’t help.  A gash was ripped in the side and water started to get inside the chambers.  Less than three hours later it sank.  Most of the peop...  Read More

Most people who watch TV, including the Super Bowl, have seen the He Gets Us commercials.  Underwritten by several groups together, the intent is to create interest in Jesus, have people check with resources provided, then coach them from there.  And as I have read about the results, it appears many have done just that, responded with questions and allowed others to provide biblical counsel.  A go...  Read More

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1, 2).  It’s been said that if we only believe these very first words of the Bible, all else that follows – such as miracles – are not only possible, but probable.  God created.  But s...  Read More

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.  Of this you have heard before in the word of truth, the gospel” (Colossians 1:3-5).“Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2).Oliver W...  Read More

Richard Dawkins is an outspoken critic of Christian faith, and he argues that you cannot be an intelligent scientific thinker and still hold religious beliefs.  This is a major stumbling block for many as popular teaching in schools is that we evolved from lower forms of life, supposedly supported by science, and a very naturalistic worldview becomes the norm. How can the biblical view coincide wi...  Read More