I’m blown away by this passage every Easter. The suffering servant passage, as it’s called, is one of the reasons I believe the Bible is God’s Word – written by humans who were inspired by God. This prophesy by Isaiah was written 700 years before Jesus’ birth! There’s no way Isaiah, on his own, imagined…

When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory died; My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ, my God; All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His…

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NLT) He is risen! He is risen, indeed!   During Holy Week, we remembered the crucifixion and burial. On Easter Sunday we celebrated the empty tomb, hunted eggs, and joined around…

Seven Stanzas at Easter by John Updike Make no mistake; if he rose at all It was as His body; If the cell’s dissolution did not reverse, the molecule reknit, The amino acids rekindle, The Church will fall. It was not as the flowers, Each soft spring recurrent; It was not as His Spirit in…

Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. Matthew 26:56 (NIV)   I would have run too.   When the soldiers arrested Jesus, I would have saved my own skin. Not only am I conflict averse, I would have panicked in fear and confusion. In hindsight I’d regret my cowardice, but flee I would.  …

Jesus was misunderstood. His entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was a military hero’s homecoming – a ticker tape parade. Jesus was the long anticipated Savior! But the crowd missed the signs. Jesus rode a humble donkey, not a battle horse. He taught servanthood over status and love for one’s enemies.   Jesus wasn’t the…

The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 (NIV)   According to the creation story, God spoke all things into being. The story repeats “God said” and out of nothing, it came into…

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace…a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Romans 3:23-24,28 (NIV)   Phew! Today’s scripture is jam packed with churchy words! Sin. Glory. Justified. Grace. We’ve been looking at the meaning…

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of heaven is near.” – Jesus Matthew 4:17 (NLT) So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”  – Jesus Luke 22:32 (NLT) Does it sometimes feel like the Bible, hymns and prayers…

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace. Ephesians 3:7 (NLT)   The preacher called her selfish.   Jolayne requested a Biblical funeral. No life story. No funny anecdotes. Just the preacher’s godly words which seems the opposite of selfish.   But it was. Jolayne selfishly wanted every person attending…