Hark!-A Christmas Carol

We are entering the season of Christmas and those wonderful old hymns are all around us. You have to grin a bit when you realize that our very secular world is playing Christ honoring music.  Everyday, the message that the Messiah has come (in the form of a baby in...

The Diet of Worms

In the age of fad diets, I thought I might focus our attention this week on the Diet of Worms. No, I am not talking about ingesting some wiggling fish bait. Actually, I am referring to an official gathering of church officials that occurred in 1521 in the German town...

Hallelujah During Thanksgiving Week

  I can still remember the moment when I first translated the Hebrew term for “praise the Lord.” It was late at night and I was working hard to get through Seminary. My Hebrew class was killing me (foreign languages have always been my nemesis). I was sounding...

Benefits from a Friend

What can we all expect from a true friend? Well, the apostle Paul commented to his friend, Philemon that he anticipated, expected something out of their friendship. In Philemon verse 20 he said: “I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the...

An Early Christmas Thought

The unthinkable happened the other day. I saw Christmas decorations and holiday gifts out on display. And it is not even Halloween! But instead of complaining to the store manager, I decided to use this opportunity to start thinking about what Christmas is all about....

Hidden Fears

Everyone is afraid of something. Some of our trepidations are minor in nature. For example, most of us don’t like mice scurrying around under our feet or trips to the dentist. Some fears are rational. We ought to feel apprehensive about law school exams and other...