   (…continued) Martin Luther worked through his disappointment with the church by simply continuing to focus on God’s Word. He looked past all the abuses of the church, going deeper to find what was central the Christian faith. He did not accept the church’s claim to have authority over God’s Word, and wanted […]
1664) 500 Years Ago This Week (c) Read More »
Above: Martin Luther monument, Dresden, Germany ————-    (…continued) Did Martin Luther find peace with God by becoming a monk?  Not at all. Luther was an intense man, giving himself completely to his studies. What he saw in the church’s teaching and in his own reading of the Bible was an angry, and
1663) 500 Years Ago This Week (b) Read More »
John 3:16-17– (Jesus said), “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” ***************************************    Five hundred years ago this week,
1662) 500 Years Ago This Week (a) Read More »
   (…continued) There are those who firmly believe that one of the solutions to the trouble in our society today is to get rid of Jesus. I believe the opposite. I believe the main problem is our society is that we have already gotten rid of Jesus all too much. I know all about
1646) How Could it Happen? (b) Read More »
Matthew 21:33-46: (Jesus said), “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard.  He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower.  Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to
1645) How Could it Happen? (a) Read More »
By Rick Warren at: http://www.pastorrick.com ———————–    God’s number one characteristic in the Bible isn’t his sovereignty, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, anger, or justice.    It’s his mercy.    The world often wants to portray God as someone who is completely focused upon judgment. But God describes himself first and foremost as a
1633) The Mercy of God Read More »
By Joshua Rogers at http://www.joshuarogers.com, April 13, 2017    I was five years old when I walked into my mother’s bedroom and told her I wanted to give my life to Christ.  We got down on our knees beside the bed and I asked Jesus into my heart.  After that, I proudly told everyone
1465) A Prayer for Easter and Every Day Read More »
Painting above:Â Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms, 1521 19th century painting by Hermann Wislicenus —————————– From The One Year Christian History, by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten, pages 216-7, Tyndale House Publishers, 2003. Â Â Â During the early 1500s Europe was in a great state of flux. Â A revived interest in pre-Christian Greek
1102) Standing Firm Read More »
Luke 15:1-2  —  Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” ****************************************    (…continued)  You may not be in the category of Mrs. Finney’s vicious neighbor Fred or Louie the murderer.  So
1063) To Save Sinners (part two of two) Read More »
   Mrs. Finney stood on her front yard and watched the undertaker drive off with the dead body of her long time neighbor Fred.  He had been ill the last several weeks, and the hospice nurse said he died in his sleep.     “It’s just not fair,” Mrs. Finney said to her
1062) To Save Sinners (part one of two) Read More »
