Imagine that moment in a wedding when the doors in the back of the wedding chapel open and the bride appears. The song chosen especially for this moment begins to play and the mother of the bride stands. When she does, the audience stands and turns to see the bride. She has never been more radiant, and who could ever forget this…

How do we know what is good or bad? Hebrews tells us that we can “exercise our senses to discern between good and evil” (Heb. 5:14). It is that ability that helps us stay clear of the traps and temptations this world throws at us. The fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, when consumed, removed innocence and required the consumer…

Did your children ever talk back to you?  Frustrating, wasn’t it?  Who did they think they were?  Why do children talk back to their parents?  It’s because they think they know better and/or because they want their way and are not interested in the parents’ way.  But, when we get older, we outgrow that “talking back” thing, right? Interestingly, there are some…

The contrast between the Old Testament and the New Testament is summarized in the closing verses of Hebrews 12. The writer presents a listing of the events which happened at Mount Sinai where the Old Testament was given. He then gives a second list which stands in marked contrast to the first list. The lists are below with my comments in italics.  …

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Christ?” (Matt. 22:41-42). On another occasion, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of man, am?” (Matt. 16:13). This is an important question. Consider opinions expressed regarding the Christ. “‘Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of…

Sometimes (maybe that should say oftentimes) the verse from Isaiah 11 is misquoted and misapplied, but usually done so in a playful, innocent way.  As Isaiah saw into the future kingdom (i.e., church) of the coming King Jesus, he saw a time of forthcoming unity, which would be characterized by a sweet harmony among its citizens, as if wolves and lambs were…

Pat Boone was not the only singer who recorded it, but he was the one whose version soared to the greatest heights in the late 50s. He sang about how he and his loved one wrote “Love Letters in the Sand” and how his heart was broken as the incoming tide washed those letters away. Think about this for a moment, and…

If you walk into a crowded restaurant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and shout, “Roll Tide,” what kind of reaction do you suppose that you would receive?  Now, take that same, simple message and declare it with just as much passion in a crowded restaurant in Auburn, Alabama.  Do you suppose that you will receive the same response in the Auburn restaurant as you…