Drama in the snow One of the most dramatic incidents in my life happened soon after Christmas high up in the Swiss Alps. My wife and I were walking through the little Alpine village of Adelboden to watch the Men's Downhill of the World Cup. We are both poor skiers, but we were not there for the skiing. We were speakers at a conference at a … [Read more...]

As we look back at the awesome events that surrounded Jesus' first coming as a baby born in Bethlehem, we are looking forward to the culmination of history, when our risen Savior and King of kings returns at the end of the age. Every Christmas season is like a dress rehearsal for the awesome return of our King.  How we celebrate and honor the … [Read more...]

When the Lord Jesus Christ asked His disciples, Who people say that the Son of Man is? Peter’s inspired confession of faith in Jesus was that He is the Christ, the Messiah-Son of the Living God (see Matthew 16:13-17). The word ‘Son’ as applied to Jesus in relation to God, does not contain the physical meaning some assume it does. God is Spirit … [Read more...]

When people say they believe the Bible contains errors, it’s a good practice to ask them to name those errors so you can open a Bible and look at them together. Sometimes they will raise old and easily answered questions such as “Where did Cain get his wife?” But usually they can’t name many supposed errors, if any at all. Often, they’ve taken … [Read more...]

I thought I was a Christian for years. I swore I had a relationship with God. I believed I could die at any moment and be welcomed into heaven. I wasn’t. I didn’t. I wouldn’t. I did not have a category for someone thinking they were a follower of Christ and not actually being one. I assumed that if I had any desire to be a Christian, … [Read more...]

Jesus says that He is going to build His Church that no force of evil will ever prevail against it (see Mathew 16:18). Peter also reminds us that the Church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone (see1 Peter 2:4-9). What is the Church? The church is not a business or a corporation and it is … [Read more...]

Often the love we need most is the love we want least. The love feels so harsh, so blunt, so unpleasant in the moment that we often don’t even recognize it as love. My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. … [Read more...]

All Christians suffer, and don’t it count it strange when afflictions come, either you have, you are, or you will through many tribulations enter the Kingdom of God. After an extensive tour of the United States, the well known German pastor Helmut Thielicke was asked what he saw as the greatest defect among American Christians. He replied, " They … [Read more...]

500 Miles, Two Best Friends, One Wheelchair “If you have those moments in your life where you just know inside and out it's something you're supposed to do, I just knew. I just knew,” says Justin. For Justin Skeesuck, it would be the epic adventure he and lifelong friend Patrick Gray had talked about for years: a 500-mile trek on the … [Read more...]

The office of the prophet is probably the least-understood and most-neglected ministry office in the Church today. If we refuse to receive an apostle, we refuse order. However, if we refuse to receive a prophet, we refuse destiny. Where there is no destiny there is no future. The Church then becomes relegated to the narrow existence of the here and … [Read more...]