Jesus arose “very early in the morning” (Mark 1:35, ESV), “a great while before day” (ASV), and “departed to a solitary place” to pray. His disciples found Him and told Him, “Everyone is looking for You” (1:37). Notice how Jesus responded. He did not say, “You go and preach in the next towns.” He said, “Let us go into the next towns, that…

There are many things that stand out in my mind about what was important to my parents when I was a kid. I remember them sacrificing to send me to a private school. I remember them sitting in the bleachers at every home basketball game. I remember them making sure I had every single need met, so that I could achieve whatever…

The shady character slinked his way into the electronics store and selected the largest, most expensive TV in the store. At the cash register, he laid down a spread of crisp, new, one-hundred dollar bills. The cashier placed the bills under her UV light but there was no security thread in the bill. Every last bill in his stack was counterfeit. But,…

I love a good shortcut. When driving, if there’s a quicker, shorter way to get somewhere, I try to find it. On the computer, I love a good keyboard shortcut or tasks that can be automated. Themicrowave oven was invented and is still a top-selling appliance because people love shortcuts. So when it comes to the Christian life, some Christians start looking…

You’ve seen signs that indicate a house is for sale, or property or a building is for sale, but have you ever seen a sign indicating a church is for sale? Maybe you have. Maybe you’ve seen a “For Sale” sign in front of a religious complex. But, that’s not such a big deal, because it’s only the structure that is being…

According to a recent poll (and I don’t always trust polls, by the way), the majority of American adults (52% of them) have smoked marijuana at some point in their lives. So there you have it! “Everyone else is doing it,” as some might suggest, “So it’s ok for me to do it, too.” Is that the way it works? If the…

People in the first century were no different than people are in the twenty-first century. Everyone needs the Lord! When Jesus saw the multitudes of people “weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd,” He was “moved with compassion for them” (Matt. 9:36). He told His disciples that people everywhere needed the Great Shepherd, and then He told them to pray. Pay…

Oh wait! I didn’t give you his full name yet! His full name has everything to do with where he lives. You know his name, right? He’s Oscar the Grouch. And you know where he lives–in a trash can! How apropos for a Grouch to live in a trash can! Why is he named “the Grouch”? According to muppet.wikia.com (yes, that’s real),…