And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, (Rev. 20:10). If you believe in God, and have confidence in the inspiration of the Bible, you probably also believe in the Devil. In the same way that God loves you and Jesus has a wonderful plan for your life, the… Continue reading The Day the Dragon Dies

The LORD is my shepherd… (Psalm 23:1). It is the 23rd of July (in case you didn’t know). I have started a new cycle of reading the Psalms which means today I read the classic 23rd Psalm. As I read, I began to personalize the psalm and respond to God using it. I acknowledged that,… Continue reading Need a shepherd?

Happy are the poor in spirit…(Matthew 5:3). In my last rambling I introduced the question about whether Jesus wants us to be happy. Part of what triggered my thinking about this subject was a new book on the science of happiness called The How of Happiness. Unlike other self-help or positive attitude books, this one… Continue reading Jesus wants you happy, pt.2

Rejoice in the Lord always…I will say it again, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4). Do you think God wants you happy? I’ve been rethinking this question lately. Just this morning I was reading a quote where C.S. Lewis remarked, “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do… Continue reading Jesus wants you happy

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free, (John 8:32). As we prepare to celebrate the signing of Declaration of Independence, and the heritage of freedom it represents, I am reminded of these iconic words of Jesus. I’m also reminded of the words of the old spiritual quoted by Martin Luther… Continue reading Free at Last!

I saw a beast coming up out of the sea…(Rev. 13:1). Is President Obama the Antichrist? It has been suggested. How about the Pope? There are those who are convinced he is. How about the 12th Imam? The identity of the “man of lawlessness” is always a hot topic among prophecy buffs. Who did the… Continue reading Antichrist is on the way

Behold, I stand at the door and knock…(Rev. 3:20). I memorized today’s text before I had any clue where it came from or what the original intention of the passage was. I memorized it because it was shared with me as an image of how to become a Christian in the biblical sense of what… Continue reading Open the door…repeatedly

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept, (Psalm 137:1).   On our recent trip to the Holy Land we visited the Archeological Museum in Istanbul. One of the artifacts contained in the museum is the artwork that adorned that ancient gates of Babylon (see picture). I hate to break the news to you,… Continue reading Strangers in a strange land

I… was on the island of Patmos…on the Lord’s Day, (Rev. 1:9). First, let me wish all you dads out there a happy Father’s Day. All I want for Father’s Day is my suitcase. It is somewhere between Denver and Istanbul. This is what happens when you try to replicate the above text! Last Sunday,… Continue reading Preaching on Patmos

I know where you live…where Satan has his throne, (Revelation 2:13). I’ve been off the grid for a few weeks. I can tell you with great certainty that if you need to stay in touch with people via Internet, don’t sail the Aegean! I can also tell you with great certainty that if you ever… Continue reading Teaching in Pergamum