Treasure Chest
The Dimensions of the Cross, Part 2
Dimension 2: THE CROSS IS OUR MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION Not only has Christ died for us, but believers have died with Christ! This is like the width of the Cross—it reaches every aspect of our nature. When I first learned about this I wondered, How could I have died with Christ 2,000 years ago, when…
The Dimensions of the Cross, Part 1
The town where we live has a distinctive Christian symbol adorning the ridge above it.[1] Looking over the city is a cross. Lined with lights, its presence is very noticeable at night. To many, it is just a religious monument or community landmark; to those who know Jesus Christ, it symbolizes God’s redemptive love. Since…
Descending the Staircase of Humility
Many consider pride to be the root sin (Isaiah 14:12-15). If so, then humility is the primary condition for us to qualify for God’s spiritual blessings. Christ’s wonderful invitation to abundant life includes this core value of humility: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.…
The Power of Christ’s Resurrection
Our family used to live a short drive north of Niagara Falls. This awesome sight is one of the major tourist attractions of North America. The Niagara River flows over the American Falls and, on the Canadian side, the Horseshoe Falls. They rate as the third greatest in the world in the power and volume…
The Lord Is My Shepherd ( Part 2)
We have been considering the profound blessings we have in Christ as our Good Shepherd (Psalm 23; John 10). When our 98 year old church member went to be with the Lord, her funeral service bulletin contained Psalm 23. Then verse six was fulfilled in her experience: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All…
The Lord Is My Shepherd (Part 1)
Friends who live in Jerusalem testified of the renewed cycle of violence taking place around them. I was intrigued by their description of a local shepherd and how he calmed his little flock: “On Saturday morning, for the first time in three years, we had a major conflict on our street… Six Israeli jeeps of…
Employed By Grace
A friend of mine–who knows I enjoy puns–sent me this testimony about a fellow who tried to find work: “My first job was working in an orange juice factory, but I got canned because I couldn’t concentrate. Then I worked in the woods as a lumberjack, but I just couldn’t hack it, so they gave…
Tearing Down Strongholds, Part 2
Imagine going to the doctor’s office with severe pain. Instead of identifying the symptoms and making an accurate diagnosis, the physician only guesses at the problem and gives you a pain-killer. Would that resolve the health problem? No. (I recall a young man from our church going to the hospital with seriious abdominal pain; he…
Tearing Down Strongholds
Ministry trips to Great Britain gave me the wonderful opportunity to see historic castles there. These fortresses have stood for centuries as bastions of defense in their area. The castle in Edinburgh, Scotland, for example, overlooks the city and tops the “royal mile” that leads to the Queen’s residence. Although castles today serve more…
Let the Real You Stand Up
From the archives of my memory comes a TV game show from the late 1950’s. It was called, “To Tell the Truth.” I tracked down a description of the British version of this vintage program. Four celebrities come to play by asking questions of three protagonists. One of the protagonists has a secret which they…