Last year, about this time, news came that a beloved member of my extended family passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack. My heart aches for my uncle, for my cousins, and for all who loved my aunt Debbie dearly. It’s not what we expected. Unmet Expectations The unexpected loss of my aunt stands out…
. . . I will fear no evil: for thou art with me (Psalm 23:4). We are often told that the senior years of life are supposed to be the golden years—years of enjoying the fruits of our labor and handing the tools over to the next generation. Robert Browning describes these years as “the…
Emily and I have a deep-seated desire raise our 4 year-old daughter with Christ at the center of our family this Christmas. However, it can be hard to compete with the excitement of presents, the glow of lights, and the taste of treats. I have confession to make — it’s not just my daughter who…
One of the greatest responsibilities I have as a pastor is to prepare my people for suffering. Hardships are the norm, not the exception, in the Christian life (I Pet.4:12f). As Barnabus said, “through many tribulations we enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:23). A dear sister in our church, Rachel, recently received news that…
Zechariah 3:1-9 As we approach this season, we will once again hear the story of Christ and of Christmas. We will exchange the traditional greetings of “Merry Christmas!” “Happy New Year!” We will speak of joy, hope and peace. Nevertheless, we must ask, “Is this real?” Is there any hope of joy and peace in…
Last week, the Founders Movement, a conservative element in the Southern Baptist Convention, released a long-awaited documentary “By What Standard? God’s World . . . God’s Rules” challenging current cultural trends within the SBC. Three issues, in particular, are addressed—Beth Moore and the role of women in pulpit ministry in the churches, the acceptance of…
November/December 2019 | VOLUME 29 | NUMBER 6 THE FUNDAMENTALS: Who Is God? Theology Proper Charles Spurgeon said, The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great…
Do you have a wishlist? Recently I began the arduous task of sifting through various wishlists to pick out just the right present for each person. But, to me, the best gifts are not the ones found on a list, but the ones discovered in the little moments of life. Perhaps it’s happened to you-…
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:10 A particularly interesting word in the King James Version is tidings. The translators gave us a number of different translations for it. The word in the original language is…
Things looked bad for Israel, and even worse for Assyria. Yes, the Assyrians would invade (Isaiah 10:5-6; 36:1-2), but after they destroyed Israel, the army would meet their doom. The British poet, Lord Byron (George Gordon) described the story recorded in Isaiah 37:14-38. The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, And his…