While most Americans probably have no idea who she was, Sarah Josepha Hale (1788-1879) can be seen as the mother of our modern Thanksgiving celebration. In 1864, the Newport, New Hampshire native had become the “editress” of a respected publication known as Godey’s Lady’s Book. In her prominent position, the young widow and mother of…
The schoolyard bully who bruises the little girl. The thug who pushes an old woman to her death on the subway rails. The gang that robs a jewelry store and stabs the owner. The coward who carjacks and shoots the driver. They’re all guilty of crimes against innocent lives. The abortionist who wields forceps may…
During these infamous days in Israel, the eagerness to make sense of things by rushing to conclusions and judgements must be tempered with some fundamentals that do not change regardless of events. First, even as the world witnesses the terror and pain in Israel inflicted by Hamas, we must remember God loves the Palestinians. Second,…
As I write this article, Hamas has viciously attacked the nation of Israel. Nearly 1,000 Israelis have died, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel is formally at war — the first time since 1973.
Not long ago, a discouraged minister recently said to me, “At one time I thought that I was going to help change the world . . . Now that the years have gone by, I realize that it’s just not possible to make much of a difference. You get by, and maybe leave a mark…
Today, people well beyond the protean years of childhood may now identify as any number of “selves,” and with growing momentum are insisting that everyone else affirm and agree. But must the public necessarily acquiesce, or be compelled to affirm things they know aren’t true?
You know God is powerfully present in a service when people come to the altar, not just to throw themselves before the Divine Lawgiver for mercy but also before local law enforcement. It was a small town in Illinois — a Friday night service as we were nearing the end of our “50 states in…
Even the apostle Paul faced this struggle; he said he was “chief of sinners,” (1 Timothy 1:15-16) in part because he knew he had a terrible past. He had persecuted the first Christians and tried his best to ruin their lives. But God showed him mercy. And this same Paul said he was confident nothing…
This is a great question which was submitted by one of our followers. Can we repent after we die? After all, it is often said that God is a “God of second chances.” However, what does God’s Word say about repentance after death? According to Hebrews 9:27, “it is appointed for man to die once,…
Magic Mountain, an amusement park in Southern California, is known for a roller coaster named X2. Coincidentally, I was there to speak at a youth event when I overheard an X-rated conversation—between churched teens no less. It prompted me to address the issue from stage. I asked, “How many of you struggle with using bad…
