I want you young people to know that you have been subjected to a subliminal message, a subliminal message that is being communicated to you by your parents, grandparents, Sunday School teachers, ministers and mentors – a message which, next to the words, “We love...

God created us with eyes. That simple fact alone suggests that we are designed to want. We see people, opportunities, and things that we believe would please us – and we want them. Advertisers know this: some years ago there was a commercial whose theme song was, “I...

The truth is, the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was no big deal. The Roman government perpetrated over ten thousand such executions during the long and bloody reign of their empire. If the Jerusalem Times had bothered to send a cub reporter to cover Jesus’...

Thomas Hemerken, better known to the world as Thomas a’ Kempis, was born late in the 14th century. Born of poor parents, he entered the monastery in 1399 and worked there for the next seventy-two years. He distinguished himself as a preacher and spiritual advisor, but...

I think perhaps the fact that this is my first Easter without my father has caused me to think more intently about the reality of heaven. But as I reflect on that subject my mind turns to a statement that my children made to me often when they were young: “Daddy, when...

The ancient Greeks told the story of a young man who was so extraordinarily handsome that every woman fell in love with him at first sight. But this young man returned no one’s affection. He was so self-absorbed, so self-contained, so focused upon his beauty, his...

In the Garden of Gethsemane, twelve of twelve disciples failed their Master. For most of them, their failure laid the groundwork for future service. Their failure under pressure caused them to realize how much they needed the strength of their Lord. Eventually, most...

During this March Madness season, it seems appropriate that the title of the morning sermon comes from a basketball coach. Years ago, the Los Angeles Lakers had such an entertaining team they were known by the nickname, “Showtime.” They won numerous NBA championships...

Remember that the letters of Paul were spoken before they were written, or more precisely, they were written as they were spoken. Because of Paul’s declining eyesight, he never wrote anything himself, but dictated his letters to a faithful amanuensis, a fancy word for...

You may not have ever noticed our first Scriptural text for the morning or ever contemplated its context. Moses has come down from the mountain bearing those fundamental instructions from God that we call the Ten Commandments. The Israelites have witnessed Moses in...