There are five main areas in the Great Commission that Christ gave the church: evangelism, teaching, worship, fellowship, and service. However, it is important to highlight that, today, evangelism is not only the first but also the most urgent area of the whole mission that we must fulfill. The reason for this statement is simple: […]

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One of the most memorable failures in the Bible is recorded in Mark 14:27-31 and 66-72. Just after the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that they would all be scattered and desert Him. The apostle Peter assured Him that if everyone else were to deny Him, he would not, and was prepared to die. […]

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The recent resurrection of Lazarus had caused quite a stir in Jerusalem among the throngs gathered for Passover. A number of Greeks, probably Jewish proselytes, had also come to Jerusalem to worship and heard of the miracle. They approached Philip: “Sir, we would see Jesus” (John 12:21, KJV). Jesus’ followers didn’t know it then, but […]

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“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). A right understanding of the gospel makes all the difference in how we live out our salvation experience. So what is the nature and core content of the gospel? The goal of this article is to show […]

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Prison life has beat the hellion out of me. It has helped me to learn not to be hardheaded when God is trying to teach me something. For these lessons, I thank God. Life is a painful struggle, but only the dead need not struggle. For these struggles, I thank God. Trials and tribulations have […]

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I had been called in to give an emergency talk to a first grade class at a school where I once interned as guidance counselor. As I entered the room, loud, desperate sobs filled the air. The homeroom teacher explained that a close relative of a student in the class was shot and killed the […]

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Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1, NASB). Faith can be such a challenging concept: assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. It is so hard to trust in things we cannot see. In fact, it may seem foolish to do […]

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Life is full of good and bad experiences. The good ones don’t affect us as much as the bad ones do. Oftentimes, bad experiences leave us wounded, caused by such things as the loss of a loved one, physical abuse, sickness, and injustice. Many times these wounds don’t heal; they remain open for a long […]

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“Is there someone who can wrap these flowers?” I asked the store clerk as I paid for my bouquet of bright pink carnations nestled in baby’s breath. “I’ll call someone to floral,” he said. As I waited, I lifted the flowers to my nose and smelled their spicy-sweet fragrance. Soon a young man, who told […]

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The four Gospels are amazingly complex portraits of the Son of God. Each account verbally “paints” its subject from many different angles, capturing different aspects of the gospel just as a cut and polished precious stone catches and reflects light differently from its many facets. One of those aspects of the good news is the […]

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Many years ago, when I married Troy, I did not know he had told people that he would kill himself. While we were dating, I felt uncomfortable in my relationship with Troy. When I tried to tell him that we needed to “cool it,” he became upset. Each time he cried and said, “I don’t […]

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Like a Tree   “They will be like a tree planted by the water . . . its leaves are always green” (Jeremiah 17:8, NIV)   Like a tree by a stream, let me be, my roots deep in moist soil, so when drought comes, heavens don’t give rain, I stand green and flourishing.   […]

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