I read a story from World War II about a US marine who was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and crossfire, he had lost touch with his fellow soldiers. Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled insi...  Read More

I want us to think about the quality today of gentleness. For some reason, all this week I have had gentle on my mind. The apostle Paul teaches us that among the Fruit of the Spirit is the godly quality of gentleness. What is it, anyway? The word for “gentleness” is the Greek word “prautes” (prah-ot-aze) and it connotes the idea of “strength under control.” The word was used of a wild stallion tha...  Read More

I mentioned this past Sunday in my sermon how much I loved the cartoon strip Peanuts that ran in newspapers across the country for many years. I will share another Peanuts strip with you today. In this one, Charlie Brown is talking on the phone to a girl who says, “Hey, guess what I’m running for? May Day Queen at school.” Charlie Brown answers, “That’s very interesting. Lucy has already been chos...  Read More

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). These words come from the Apostle Paul and serve as a good reminder. Be a good example as you follow the best example! When I think about the Apostle Paul, I cannot begin to imagine the kind of impact he had in people’s lives over the years and that continues today because of his resolve to follow the example of Christ. I...  Read More

Last Sunday I spoke on the subject That’s NOT What Friends Are For! Today let’s continue to think about friends and friendships. Most people would say they have friends. However, experts in behavioral psychology say that only one in five has a real friend. It may very well be that there are some who would claim to have friends who really only have casual friends, but not actual friends. But, wheth...  Read More

Today is the day after Valentine’s Day. Hopefully, you remembered yesterday. If not, then you are in trouble! Good luck with that… Anyway, Valentine’s Day serves as our culture’s traditional way to express love for your sweetheart on a special day. Of course, you knew that…and likely did that.This reminds us today that we have an even more important love we should always remember and it is our Fir...  Read More