Christmas Presence
December 24, 2020I think if there were a Jeopardy question of “What do you associate with Christmas?” there would be winning answers of trees, cookies, and decorations, but I suspect the number one answer would be Christmas presents. Sadly, what we need a lot more of is Christmas presence, not Christmas presents. There is a word associated with Christmas, Emmanuel (also seen as Immanuel). We see this on cards and hear it in carols, but few know the meaning, which is “God with us.” When you stop to think of it, that one word really encompasses the meaning of Christmas. Jesus was…
Being a Light
It’s not surprising to me to sometimes see houses at Christmastime that have gotten some extreme decorating. What is surprising is that sometimes these houses are located on a street that gets almost no traffic. So presumably these people must…
Gifts at Christmas
In the busy Christmas season, we often find ourselves rushing around shopping, making sure we check off everything on our gift list. In this craziness we can easily lose track of the real meaning of the season. According to tradition,…
Who is the greatest?
The news today is filled with stories of the inequities that exist in our culture. Sadly, this seems to be a function of human nature. Even those trained by Jesus Himself seemed to suffer this malady. Luke 9:46 tells us…
What is your evangelistic R0?
There is a concept in infectious disease study called R0, (pronounced “R naught,”). You may have heard it mentioned on the news in reference to the coronavirus, but it long predates that disease. It is a mathematical term that indicates…
Always Listening
In our home we need to be careful what we say. Key words like “walk” and “toast” get the dog bouncing off the walls. (Yes, our dog loves toast. When the toaster pops, he appears in the kitchen in seconds,…
Is the COVID-19 virus a sign of the end times? (Part 2)
In Part 1 I indicated that I did not really think COVID-19, in and of itself, was a sign that the end times were imminent. However, I also mentioned that I have observed some things that are more ominous than…
Is the COVID-19 virus a sign of the end times?
Part 1 Amid this global pandemic, there are many questions. But the one that I hear the most is whether this virus outbreak is a sign of the end times, as prophesized in the Bible. The verse in 2 Chronicles…
Does the lack of going to church make this Easter feel like every other day?
In the midst of mandatory social distancing orders, most of us are not able to physically attend a church service this Easter. Something I have heard said repeatedly is that not having a church service to attend is making Easter…
Is the COVID-19 virus a curse from God?
Human nature seeks to link up cause and effect. Sometimes this is easy, and sometimes more difficult. In the difficult situations, especially those that have a negative effect, it is human nature to blame God. This is not a new…
The Silver Lining to a Pandemic Quarantine
Living through a pandemic is, in a word, miserable. There is fear, anxiety, stress, isolation, and sometimes illness and death. But I thought that surely despite all the obvious misery there must be some good buried deep within, and indeed,…
The Original Source of Renewable Power