Sermons and Biblical Studies

Topics: Assumptions; Attitudes; Awe; Education; Faith; Fear of God; Glorifying God; Miracles; Power; Reverence; Wonder; Worship References: Job 25:2; Habakkuk 3:2; Matthew 8:23–27; 9:8; 11:25; Mark 4:35–41; Luke 5:26; 7:16; 8:22–25; 10:21; Hebrews 12:28 A group of Laotian refugees who had been attending the church I pastored in Sacramento, California, approached me after the service … Continue reading “MIRACLE
IN THE STORM”

Topics: Conversion; Great Commission; Ministry; Power; Prophecy Reference: Matthew 28:18–20 Olaf Trygvesson of Norway was the Viking’s Viking. He was unmatched in climbing and swimming and leaping and could juggle five daggers in the air, always catching them by the handle. Early in life he conducted successful raids on Holland and France. Then he turned … Continue reading “OLAF’S
CONVERSION”

Topics: Addiction; Conversion; Gambling; Grace; Holy Spirit; Mercy; New Life; Outreach; Salvation; Suicide References: Psalm 30; 2 Corinthians 5:17–20 I sat in my car in front of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. I had just driven back from a three-day gambling binge in Atlantic City, where I had lost more than $5,000. I had maxed out … Continue reading “SAVED
FROM SUICIDE”

Topics: Appearances; Faith; Light; Perception and Reality; Spiritual Perception; Trust; Watchfulness References: Numbers 12:8; Isaiah 48:6; Matthew 5:14; Mark 4:22; Luke 9:45 A copper object can be protected from microwave radiation by using a special “cloaking device.” That’s what researchers discovered in the fall of 2006. The cloaking device used special materials to divert the … Continue reading “SHIELDED
FROM HARM”

Topics: Hearing God; Listening; Signs; Spiritual Perception Reference: 1 Kings 19:9–13; Matthew 20:1–16 When the telegraph was the fastest means of long-distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the address that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a … Continue reading “THE
EARS HAVE IT”

Topics: Healing; Holy Spirit; Miracles; Prayer; Supernatural Occurrences References: Matthew 19:26; Acts 2:22 We believe in miracles. That’s what a recent poll by Newsweek revealed. Here are the percentages: •     Americans who believe in divine miracles: 84 percent •     those who believe in the reality of miracles described in the Bible: 79 percent •     those who have personal … Continue reading “I
BELIEVE”

Topics: Challenges; Despair; Goals; Hope; Loss; Perseverance; Persistence; Perspective Reference: Matthew 6:11 Thomas Carlyle had just spent two years writing a book on the French Revolution. He gave his only copy to a colleague, John Stuart Mill, to read and critique. Then the unthinkable occurred: Mill’s servant used Carlyle’s manuscript as kindling to start a … Continue reading “REWRITING
THE BOOK”

Topics: Cross; Jesus Christ; Love; Purpose; Sacrifice; Unselfishness Reference: Philippians 2:5–11 On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the Potomac. Ice on the wings prevented the plane from having a successful takeoff. Almost all of the passengers perished. The few that survived struggled in the icy river as rescuers tried to reach … Continue reading “PASSING
THE LIFELINE”

Topics: Body of Christ; Community; Ministry; Salvation; Service; Stewardship References: Matthew 7:12; 22:39; Luke 6:38; 10:27; 1 Corinthians 12:12–26; 2 Corinthians 8:14; 9:12–15; Galatians 6:7–8 In 1999, Kevin Stephan of Lancaster, New York, was a batboy for his younger brother’s Little League baseball team. During one game, a player who was warming up accidentally hit … Continue reading “SERENDIPITY
GRACE”

Topics: Desires; Discontent; Longing; Satisfaction; Thirst References: Psalm 42:1; John 4:6–29 Lag Lag and a companion were crossing the desert when their truck broke down. As their bodies dehydrated, they became willing to drink anything to quench their terrible thirst. The sun forced them into the shade under the truck, where they dug a shallow … Continue reading “SURVIVING
THE SAHARA”