Sermons and Biblical Studies

Topics: Attitudes; Circumstances and Faith; Joy; Pain; Perspective; Suffering; Thanksgiving; Worship References: Psalm 30; Ephesians 5:20; Philippians 4:4–6; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; 1 Peter 1:3–9 I had a severe cervical spinal injury. The pain was so excruciating that the hospital staff couldn’t do an MRI until I was significantly sedated. The MRI showed significant damage at … Continue reading “LEARNING
FROM A BIRD”

Topics: Anger; Emotions; Feelings; Forgiveness; Healing; Memories; Pain; Suffering Reference: Philippians 1:6 When my mother-in-law first married, she was in a serious car accident that threw her into the windshield (it was in the days before mandatory seat belts). Long after glass had been removed from her face and the scars healed, she would periodically … Continue reading “BROKEN
GLASS RESURFACES”

Topics: Circumstances and Faith; Community; Discouragement; Experiencing God; Memories; Prayer; Providence; Relationships; Truth Reference: Romans 8:28 Senator Max Cleland, who lost both of his legs and his right hand in Vietnam, came to the senators’ Bible study withdrawn and tired. Another senator said, “Max, are you all right?” “Not really,” he said. “I’ve been having … Continue reading “GETTING
THE STORY RIGHT”

Topics: Calling; Devotion; Discouragement; Doubt; Experiencing God; Faith; God’s Faithfulness; God’s Sovereignty; Temptation; Trials References: Psalm 27:13–14; Jeremiah 14:19–22; Hebrews 2:18 At times in her life, Mother Teresa felt abandoned by God. One day she had been walking the streets of Calcutta, searching for a house where she could start her work. At the end … Continue reading “FEELING
ABANDONED”

Topics: Belief; Courage; Dedication; Faith; Fear; Integrity; Persecution; Persistence; Protection; Security in God References: Psalm 9; Matthew 5:10–12; Luke 11:49; 21:12; John 15:20; 1 Corinthians 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:12 Chinese officials from the Public Security Bureau invaded a Sunday school room at a church in early 2005. They found thirty children inside and herded them … Continue reading “SINGING
THROUGH INTERROGATION”

Topics: Determination; Endurance; Healing; Hope; Overcoming; Patience; Perseverance; Persistence; Resilience; Strength; Testing; Trials; Victory References: Genesis 9:12–17; Exodus 15:26; Hosea 6:1; Romans 5:3–5; James 1:2–4; 1 Peter 1:3; 5:10 A sprawling, shade-bearing, eighty-year-old American elm in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a huge tourist attraction. People pose for pictures beneath her. Arborists carefully protect her. She … Continue reading “RESURRECTION
TREE”

Topics: Christian Life; Comfort; Crisis; Faith; Mourning References: Psalm 23:4; Romans 8:35–39; 2 Corinthians 1:3–7; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 Katie Couric lost her husband, forty-two, to colon cancer in 1998. Her sister died about four years later. “I’m very interested in exploring a more spiritual side of me, and I’m in the process of doing that, … Continue reading “WISHING
FOR FAITH”

Topics: Adam and Eve; Fall of Humanity; Human Condition; Salvation; Sin; Sinful Nature; Woundedness References: Genesis 3; Romans 3:10; 5:12; 8:22 I have on my desktop a picture of Sasha, five, who was born in Chernobyl after the meltdown and explosions at the Russian nuclear facility in 1986. Sasha’s tiny arm grips the side of … Continue reading “OUR
CHERNOBYL”

Topics: Arrogance; Caring; Compassion; Hypocrisy; Indifference; Judging Others; Popular Culture; Postmodernism; Salvation References: Matthew 9:36; Luke 15; 19:10 When we look at modern art or listen to modern music and are tempted to write it off (or find it amusing), we do well to remember the words of Francis Schaeffer: These paintings, these poems, and … Continue reading “ART
OF THE HOPELESS”

Topics: Church; Culture; Despair; Discouragement; Emptiness; Hope; Human Condition; Limitations; Lostness; Ministry References: Matthew 16:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:25 The nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima prompted Kurt Vonnegut to write Cat’s Cradle to explore the technological ability of the human race combined with its stupidity. The main character, John, wants to write … Continue reading “HOPING
IN A SENSELESS WORLD”