One of the great mysteries of Christianity is how God uses the virtues of humility and persistence to achieve great things. We see this throughout the Bible and throughout the history of Christianity. It even shows up in the least likely places, such as the old west. The Reverend Dr.Continue Reading
Faith truly can move mountains. It can even win a battle against overwhelming odds. The tension between the Christian and Muslim world is nothing new. It has been going on for centuries. In 1571, Christian Europe was in chaos. The Protestant Reformation had broken the unity of the Church andContinue Reading
What is prudence? In 1845, two ships under the command of Sir John Franklin left England. Their goal was to discover the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic Ocean, across the Arctic, to the Pacific. Neither of the ships nor any of the 138 men ever returned. For more than twentyContinue Reading
Corrie Ten Boom lived in Denmark during World War II. She and her family helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust. Acting on information from an informant, the Nazis arrested the entire ten Boom family and sent them to Scheveningen prison. While in prison, Corrie watched her sister Betsie starveContinue Reading
Many of us are familiar with the traditions of the Amish from movies such as Witness. We know that theses traditionalist Christians generally avoid modern technology. Their homes do not have telephones or televisions and even electricity is relegated to the barn but not the house. To many people thisContinue Reading
David cried out, “Who is this uncircumcised Philstine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” David was just a boy. He was not yet old enough to fight alongside his brothers. Instead he was there to bring food and tend to their weapons. Even so, his wordsContinue Reading
A vacationing American stockbroker, stood on the pier of a quaint coastal fishing village. He watched as a small boat with just one young fisherman pulled into the dock. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. Enjoying the warmth of the early afternoon sun, the American complimented theContinue Reading
What is the better part that Jesus refers to? The story of Martha and Mary may leave us a little confused. Why did Jesus rebuke Martha for her hospitality? Even looking to the first reading does not help much. Abraham’s hospitality to the Lord seems to be the focus there. ButContinue Reading
There are times when, despite our best efforts, we fail. Even though we know that our ministry is desperately needed, we are sometimes rejected. Jesus told us to work hard. He told us there would be difficulties because we are as lambs going out among wolves. He cautioned us toContinue Reading
The Church is often referred to as the Bark of Saint Peter. A bark is a type of boat. From its’ earliest days the Church was seen as a boat sailing on unpredictable and sometimes dangerous seas. It is unsurprising that this analogy was extended to the ship’s wheel thatContinue Reading