Sermons and Biblical Studies

Quote Between the great things that we cannot do and the small things we will not do, the danger is that we shall do nothing. – Adolph Monod Source unknown

Resource •      The Integrity Crisis, W. Wiersbe, Nelson, 1988, pp. 121ff

Parables in the Gospels It is easy to identify parables in the Gospels by looking for these five characteristics: 1. It is a story with a plot. 2. The story is not historical. 3. The story is true-to-life in the author’s day. 4. The story is given to teach a truth, not to entertain. 5. … Continue reading “Parable”

Identification of the Universe with God This is an identification of the universe with God. With this view there is a blurring of the distinction between the Creator and the creation as well as an attack upon the personality and nature of God. Pantheism tends to equate God with the process of the universe and … Continue reading “Pantheism”

Only a Donkey The donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. “I’ll show myself to them,” he thought. But they didn’t … Continue reading “Palm Sunday”

More Love to Thee, O Christ Elizabeth Prentiss, the wife of a Presbyterian minister, spent most of her adult life as an invalid, seldom knowing a day without constant pain throughout her body. Yet she was described by her friends as a bright-eyed, cheery woman with a keen sense of humor. Elizabeth was always strong … Continue reading “Pain”

Quote I have held many things in my hand, and have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands that I still possess. – Martin Luther Source unknown

100 Nails Shortly after I moved from Alaska to California, one of my studded snow tires went flat. The service-station attendant took a long look and the said, “Mister, I don’t know how to tell you this, but you’ve got over a hundred nails in your tire!” Reader’s Digest, Contributed by Ray Longhenry

Library Book The most overdue book in the history of library services was a copy of Febrile Diseases. It was checked out of the University of Cincinnati Medical Library in 1823 by Mr. M. Dodd and returned on December 7, 1968 by his great-grandson. It had accrued a fine estimated at $2,646. Sept. 1980, Campus … Continue reading “Overdue”

Illusion of Control Money magazine reported in its January 1997 issue that a group of people were asked which is longer, the Panama Canal or the Suez Canal, and then asked how certain they were that their answer was correct. Among those who were 60% certain, 50% of them got the answer right–meaning that this … Continue reading “Overconfidence”