In Acts 17 Paul is proclaiming the Gospel to some Greek philosophers in the marketplace in Athens. Paul begins the discussion by commenting on the culture around him, connecting with what his listeners are already familiar with. He refers to the many altars, shrines, and idols he saw on his walk around the […]
3150) Forever Young Read More »
By Johann Gerhard (1582-1637), a German Lutheran pastor and professor of theology. He wrote dozens of books, including Sacred Meditations, a collection of 51 meditations published in 1606. This piece was taken from the chapter 38 of that book. ———————————— Consider the misery and brevity of this present life, so that you may
3142) The Brevity of Life Read More »
At Eternity’s Gate (above) is an oil painting that Vincent van Gogh made in 1890. The painting was completed in early May at a time when he was convalescing from a severe relapse in his mental health troubles, and just two months before his death, generally accepted as a suicide. The painting was
3114) At Eternity’s Gate Read More »
Above drawing: Woman Praying at a Deathbed, 1864, by Swiss artist Benjamin Vautier (1829-1898) ——————————————- The day will come for each of us when we will need these prayers. FOR THE DYING: O my heavenly Father, God of all comfort, I thank you for revealing to me your dear Son, Jesus Christ, in whom I
3085) Prayers When Death Is Near Read More »
Luke 23:32-43 — Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Jesus to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And
3084) Making up for Bad Choices Read More »
An article by Joel Belz in World magazine, July 18, 2009 (with slight editing). Note that this article was written sixteen years ago, so the dollar amounts have increased significantly; but the issue is the same, the debate has continued, and we are all sixteen years closer to the time that each of us may
3066) Decisions About Dying Read More »
The 1984 movie “Places in the Heart” ends with a wonderful image of heaven. The movie is set in a small town in Texas in 1935, in the middle of the Great Depression. It begins with the accidental killing of Sheriff Royce Spalding, a good man with a wife and two
3063) Heaven on My Mind Read More »
Ecclesiastes 7:10 says, “Do not ask, ‘Why were the old days better than these?,’ for it is not wise to ask such questions.” Do you ever ask that or wonder that? Do you, perhaps, as the question implies, just take for granted that things were indeed better in the ‘good old
3050) Were the Old Days Better? Read More »
(…continued) Doug and Gary were having coffee on a Monday morning. Doug said, “I was trying to find something on the radio on my way to the golf course yesterday, and I happened to run across one of these hellfire and damnation preachers. I kept listening just for laughs, but it turned out
2980) A Bit of Insider Information (2/2) Read More »
With such huge swings in the stock market every day now, we could all become billionaires in no time at all– if only we were able to look into the future. That would never work, of course, because if we could all look into the future, there would be no such thing as
2979) A Bit of Insider Information (1/2) Read More »
