The Big Gamble

  When it comes to taking BIG risks, God tops us all. He risked creating mankind in His image, knowing we would fail and unleash all the devastating effects of sin into an otherwise pristine world. He risked His reputation by entering into a covenant with a small group of mostly unfaithful people who would [...]

Giving Thanks for Him

When you were a kid, how did you celebrate Thanksgiving? In my elementary school (back in the 50s) we always rehearsed the story of how the Pilgrims and Indians came together to share a meal of wild turkey and locally grown crops on the first Thanksgiving Day. My teachers emphasized that the Pilgrims had barely [...]

The Coming of God

As I walk around my neighborhood, I see few signs of Jesus. The blowup figures in people’s yards are mostly Santa Claus and Will Ferrell’s Elf, with an occasional reindeer thrown in. I see few manger scenes, which were common when I was growing up. I know it’s still early, but I don’t expect much [...]

Land of Promises

In October I traveled to Israel and got to see with my own eyes the places I’ve just read about in the Bible. When I experienced for myself the barrenness of the southern desert region I could understand better how hard it must have been for the Jews to leave the relative fertility of Egypt [...]

To Make His Blessings Flow

Among holiday movies, It’s a Wonderful Life ranks high in popularity with most people. Many would say it’s their favorite Christmas movie ... and for good reason. The idea of the film is brilliant. Exploring the what ifs of the human experience, it asks the haunting questions that tug at our hearts. Can one life [...]

The Great Christmas Let-Down

During the months of November and December we hear a lot about Jesus’ birth. We seldom mention it during the other ten months of the year, but during the Advent and Christmas season we are treated to a seemingly non-stop retelling of the awesome event. I don’t imagine I can bring any new insights to [...]