“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” The Lord to Joshua, after the death of Moses (Joshua 1.9) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6.10
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Attributed to George Santayana At the end of World War II, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower was stunned by the discovery of death camps. No one was prepared for piles of dead bodies or survivors looking like living skeletons. Such inhumanity seemed
A few weeks ago a congregation of more than 300 gathered for a church service in Germany – with a twist. The service was AI-generated; the sermon was written by ChatGPT, and delivered by a virtual avatar. Of course, a computer can’t do anything on its own: 29 year-old theologian Jonas Simmerlein from the University
God gives his gifts where He finds the vessel empty enough to receive them. C.S. Lewis And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12.9a Self-sufficiency is a dangerous thing, because it is a deceptive thing. We have made idols out of independence,
Years ago I was driving through a rural area when I came upon a country church. I don’t recall the name of the church, but it sounded good – perhaps something like “Grace Bible Church.” As a pastor of a church in a town less than an hour away, I wondered if this church and
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And clever in their own sight! Isaiah 5.20-21 The children’s story entitled The Emperor’s New Clothes is a humorous
Haul out the holly Put up the tree before my spirit falls again Fill up the stocking I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now For we need a little Christmas, right this very minute… American composer and lyricist Jerry Herman passed away three years ago this month, leaving behind many memorable
“For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” ~ Jesus before Pilate “What is truth?” ~ Pilate before turning over Jesus to be crucified Last month, the federal government announced the creation of a
God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1.27 In his classic Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis famously described a lunatic as “on a level with a man who says he is a poached egg.” In my wife’s nurses’ training,
…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3.18a You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2.1 In more than three decades of ministry, I have marveled at many truths of Christianity: The wonder of prayer,
