The heart of Peter’s epistle written to the early church which was likely enduring, or about to endure, Roman persecution at the hands of Nero can be found in the second chapter: 11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the...

When many of our kids (and us too perhaps) think of Christmas, they think of trees, lights, decorations, presents, special meals, and family gatherings. There is nothing at all wrong with these aspects of the Christmas season, but we know that there is more, much more, to Christmas. In John’s prologue to his Gospel, he provides a fantastic summary...

Are you weary? Do you feel stretched thin—far too thin? This year has surely been a trying one, hasn’t it? We have taken a beating personally. We have taken a beating in our ministries. And we have taken a beating as a nation, and beyond. What we desperately need right now is rest. We need refreshment. Which is why...

Seeing the connection between Passover and the crucifixion of Jesus is not difficult. As we know, Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples on Thursday evening before going to the garden to pray with them. Hours later, in the middle of the night, Jesus would be arrested, tried, and found guilty of bogus charges. He would then be...

Throughout high school and college I worked at a hardware store. It was a great job, but like any job, it was not without its frustrations. The store I was in during college was used as a training store for new managers. These manager trainees would work at our store for a couple of months to learn the ropes...

I am a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While I don’t read the comic books from which the movies come, I have seen all of the movies at least twice and just recently binged them all in chronological order. (Yes, I am a fan of chronology for more than just the Bible’s one big story.) One of...