My mother has a set of silver cutlery that she sanctified. By that, I mean, she set them apart from our daily cutlery. They were stored in a special velvet-lined, wooden box. I think she inherited them from her mother. She never got them out to use except when we had special guests over for […]
We live in a day when access to the Bible has never been easier. We have it in print, on tablets, on the computer, and on our phones. With just a click, we can listen to it being read. Yet with all this easy access, the number of people who read the Bible is dwindling. […]
A certain couple whom we will call Jim and Betty had been married for five years. Their happy bliss had faded into daily conflict. They argued and fought every time they were together. They were no longer loving each other; they were treating each other as enemies. Eventually, Jim humbled himself and asked his pastor […]
I was born physically on the 23rd of March 1958 in the small town of Marlette, Michigan, USA. I have been alive for over 65. Each of you have had a similar experience. You were born physically and are alive. Our topic today is regeneration – or rebirth. That is a spiritual birth. Our physical […]
A water filter removes impurities from the water, making it cleaner. A water distiller removes the water from the impurities through evaporation, resulting in totally pure water. Religion tries to remove sin from the sinner. God’s justification removes the sinner from sin’s judgment by a divine payment and divine declaration. Read Romans 4:25. Transition As […]
Martin and Gracia Burnham, American New Tribes missionaries, were celebrating their eighteenth wedding anniversary at the Dos Palmas Resort in the Philippines. Before daybreak on 27 May 2001, they, along with 18 other people, were abducted at gunpoint by Islamic terrorists. A few weeks later, four other captives were taken. The Abu Sayyaf demanded huge […]
If you lived before the death of Christ, every time you sinned, you were required to take a sacrificial animal to the temple to atone for your sin. While the blood of that animal would pay for that sin (Hebrews 9:13), it could not take away your sin (Hebrews 10:4). Each time in the future, […]
Several of our holidays are intended to be memorials. Australia Day 26 January marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and raising of the Union Flag. ANZAC Day commemorates those who have died to protect our freedoms. Christmas Day, of course, commemorates the birth of Christ, and Easter the resurrection of Christ. The intent […]
Wicked Haman had potted to exterminate every Jew living in the Persian kingdom. The law was enacted, and the date was approaching. Queen Esther intervened and begged the king for help. The king hanged wicked Haman for his evil plot, but the law was still active. On that day, and the days that followed, we […]
Though Haman was ruffled, and bit concerned after being forced to parade Mordecai around the city to honour him, he joined the king and Queen Esther for the second banquet. The king again asked Esther to share with him her request. Likely, after uttering a silent prayer and taking a deep breath, Esther spoke. Read […]