“And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him’!” (Mark 4:41) This verse speaks volumes. It points to the truth that Jesus’ disciples had a lot to learn about him and his ministry. But they would never fully understand his purpose for coming, at least not until his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection from the grave. Ironically, early in Jesus ministry a demon declared, “Let us alone! What have we to do with […]

“What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?” (Ephesians 4:9) Dr. Luke tells us that Jesus died around 3:00 on a Friday afternoon; just a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath. Funerals were prohibited on the Sabbath, so Jesus’ supporters didn’t have the luxury of time with which to plan a service. They had to hustle just to bury him before sunset. In fact, the Bible notes that they didn’t even have time to secure a tomb in […]

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” (Ephesians 1:7) I remember as a child when items made in Japan were considered cheap and unreliable. However, the quality of Japanese products greatly improved as quality circles evolved in the Japanese culture in the 1960’s. In fact, Japan became known for outstanding quality and reliability. But recent revelations about Toyota and Nissan automobiles point out that quality control we thought was still in place is no longer evident. […]

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) When I move to a new community, finding a good church to attend is number one on my to-do list. While finding someone to cut my hair is not second, it certainly makes the top ten. That’s because the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is about two weeks, which can seem like an eternity if you’re on the losing […]