“I argue that the Jesus of the Gospels is essentially a myth,” wrote Alvar Ellegård, a Swedish author on religion and science.[1] There have been those, like Ellegård, who for well over a century have claimed that there was some sort of Christ myth that grew among Jesus’ earthly followers. There were no real miracles, there was no resurrection, and there was certainly nothing divine about Jesus of...  Read More

Sometimes the Lord permits us to see “just over the hilltop” to know our future. A growing chain of circumstances seems to be challenging the contemporary church to recognize and understand more clearly how to live faithfully in challenging times. We know the Spirit “blows where He wills” (John 3:8), which means we may not always know immediately the direction our lives are headed. However, we may...  Read More

[Originally published January 28, 2026] In the year 1797, a tiny baby girl was born in a small cabin about ninety-five miles north of New York City in the town of Esopus, a small hilly settlement called Swartekill. Isabella was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Bomefree, who were brought from Ghana and Guinea by slave traders and sold to Col. Johannes Hardenbergh. Her first prayers were in Dutch...  Read More

[Originally published January 28, 2026] Mark Twain once quipped, "When in doubt tell the truth. It will confound your enemies and astound your friends." Sadly, countless people today do not follow his simple words of wisdom because we live in a culture of lies. Fraudulent financial schemes, a proliferation of internet scams, the fixing of sports games by athletes, and political scandals exemplify ...  Read More

There is much about our current worship that is rushed and shallow. We need to enter our places of worship prepared in heart to encounter our holy God. We need to follow the labyrinth! Labyrinths have been used for centuries to aid worshipers with eliminating distractions in prayer and devotion and drawing closer to God. The psalmist provides us with a labyrinth of sorts to guide us to proper wors...  Read More

Nothing stops quicker the bread of church life from rising than a lack of the Spirit. Acts chapter 5 presents us with evidence that the controlling presence in the daily life of the church must be the Holy Spirit. This permeating authority of the Spirit, in fact, gives rise to Christian moral influence, and must be guarded carefully. Many of our churches have bad dough, and they do not know why. L...  Read More

“The believer essentially becomes one who hopes . . . His future depends utterly and entirely on the outcome of the risen Lord’s course, for he has staked his future on the future of Christ” (HCBC, Jürgen Moltmann). Luke 19:45-21:4, which encompasses our focal passage, provides us with a view of the final confrontations Jesus had in His earthly ministry. Jesus’ rule will be radically different, an...  Read More

Real life, according to Jesus, is life lived in relationship with Him. His words in this passage appear at first glance to be as cold as sub-freezing temperatures in winter. I know phrases like “after he has killed” and “cast you into hell” do not seem to inspire closeness to God, but Jesus also states that the Heavenly Father values us! Frankly, Jesus tells us how to know the warmth of a daily re...  Read More

A horrific tragedy occurred early New Year’s morning in Switzerland. Forty people, as of this writing, were killed in a deadly fire. Dozens of others were injured in the conflagration, some critically. News reports have begun to surface in recent days of families and friends who are understandably swamped by shock and grief. In a moment, in the blink of an eye, it seemed as though their entire liv...  Read More

Jesus’ temptation encounter illustrates that it is not a sin to be tempted. Many believers, however, have not considered the benefit of temptation for their growth in Christ-likeness. Benefit? Temptation, indeed, reminds us not to live independently of God. It spurs us to remain attached closely to the Heavenly Father’s will. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where He was tempted by th...  Read More

“Surely there can be no greater joy than saving souls,” said Lottie Moon (1840-1912), the missionary to China. Southern Baptists will recognize her name instantly because of the Christmas Offering that bears her name; however, we all too often know nothing about what she said! She firmly believed God said, “Go,” meaning that we should go to the nations. He is not only a saving God, but He sends as...  Read More

“To learn strong faith is to endure great trials,” says George Mueller. The Apostle Peter knew the meaning of such Christian resolve as he wrote a letter to the churches in Asia Minor. He has been called the “Apostle of Hope” because he directs the focus of persecuted believers away from their severe trials toward a promised future deliverance. Peter knew about suffering for Christ. He had endured...  Read More