“Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, ‘Take heart, your sins are forgiven’” (Matthew 9:2). Healing the man’s body was secondary. Jesus’ real purpose was to heal the man’s heart. Our Lord had a hidden agenda others often missed –…
Dr. Robert Liston was a 19th-century surgeon. He was arguably the worst doctor ever. In one surgery, he had a 200 percent mortality rate. While performing a leg amputation, Liston accidentally cut off two fingers from his assistant’s hand. Both the patient and his nurse died of gangrene, likely due to the saw being unclean. …
Several times a week, I will hear someone say, “Have you read the latest book by [insert famous author]?” Friends will recommend a podcast, video presentation, or article. We send links to a sermon or song. And that’s all good. But here’s what we don’t send each other so often – Bible verses. Whatever happened…
I’ve seen it many times. A football player crosses the end zone for a touchdown. Then a frustrated defender knocks the ball from his hands. The result is a fumble – in the end zone. The touchdown still counts. The offensive player isn’t bothered too much by the fumble, since he already scored. In recovery,…
Let’s talk about Nicodemus. Not that Nicodemus. I’m not talking about the fellow in John 3, who came to Jesus at night. I’m talking about the town named after him, in northern Kansas. In 1877, a few families settled in this remote part of a remote state. They named their fair city after the Pharisee…
There are a lot of phobias out there. The five most common phobias are the fear of darkness, heights, flying, confined spaces, and driving. Other common phobias include the fear of public speaking, the sight of blood, drowning, crowds, and spiders. Add this one to the list – the fear of open doors. It’s a…
“I appointed two large thanksgiving choirs” (Nehemiah 12:31). Nehemiah was the great wall builder of the Old Testament. He prayerfully led God’s people to rebuild the wall around the city of Jerusalem. He stepped in during a time of great danger, despondency, and discouragement. But in addition to the wall, Nehemiah built something else. Thanksgiving…
Tony Campolo had a famous sermon called “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming.” His point was that while we often must endure the pain and heartache represented by Good Friday (crucifixion), better days are coming, represented by Sunday (resurrection). We have all heard a lot of sermons about the crucifixion and the resurrection. Friday and Sunday.…
Running back Rashaan Salaam won the Heisman Trophy in 1994, as the best player in college football. But in his rookie season with the Chicago Bears, Salaam fumbled the ball nine times. To prevent future fumbles, the coaches fixed a tether to the football during practice. When he ran with the ball, someone ran behind…
God didn’t call you to be successful, but he did call you to be fruitful. And if you are already fruitful, God’s plan for your life is that you become more fruitful. Jesus was pretty clear: “Every branch that bears fruit he prunes so it will be more fruitful” (John 15:2). How, exactly, do we…