Today is Black Friday! It’s often assumed that the name “Black Friday,” originated with the profit that stores make as a result of all the shopping which takes place annually on this date. The thought is that businesses, working with tight margins throughout the year and operating at financial loss, or “in the red,” now begin to see things turn around. With massive sales on the day after Thanksgiving, stores finally begin to show a profit which puts them “in the black.” As nice as that sounds, i...
Nov 29, 2024•5 min
Notes go hereHappy Thanksgiving tomorrow! I want to get that greeting in before the holiday itself vanishes. In recent years, Thanksgiving has become somewhat of a speed bump on the way to Christmas. However, speed bumps can be quite handy.
Nov 27, 2024•5 min
Have you ever looked up and noticed a pair of worn-out running shoes, with laces tied together, an hanging on the telephone wire or the power line above? Have you ever wondered why they’re there? When it comes to answering that question there doesn't appear to be a consensus. In Isaiah, the prophet tells us to "Lift your eyes to the heavens." And he reminds us that "the earth will wear out like a garment." When it comes to the pairs of shabby sneakers and flung footwear here's a way that they ca...
Nov 25, 2024•5 min
It's football season. It’s that time of the year that we tend to wring our hands and wish there were more people in worship. But take a listen to the writer of Hebrews. Instead of wringing our hands, he points out something that the sports industry remembered and that Christians seemed to have forgotten.
Nov 22, 2024•5 min
You can almost imagine wide-eyed disciples exclaiming to the Lord, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” So, it must have come as a shock to hear Him tell them, “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” That must have been difficult for the disciples to hear. And even today it brings sadness to some Christians who don’t fully understood why it stood in the first place. But wait until you hear what our Savior says has replaced it!
Nov 20, 2024•5 min
Have you ever heard of a “haboob”? They’re described as a large walls of dust that are created by strong winds from a collapsing thunderstorm. The thing about a haboob is that they are at one time both amazing and terrifying. It all depends on where you’re standing in the storm. The day of our Savior’s return will be much like that. As Daniel explains, it will be both amazing for some but unwelcome for others. In fact, it almost sounds like a storm. But the dust being moved that day won’t be the...
Nov 18, 2024•5 min
You and I are surrounded by promises that are made to us regularly from people we know and products we purchase. After a while, we simply tune out and hardly even notice them. And that might also be true of one particular phrase we hear in Scripture. But as we sing in Psalm 146, you can be sure that God's promises are promises that last.
Nov 15, 2024•5 min
If I could put in my two cents, I’d like to share with you my thoughts on the account we hear in Mark, which we often refer to as “The Widow’s Mites.” It’s about a widow and her offering of two copper coins. While it’s often used as a stewardship text it’s really not a prescription for giving. It shows us something much more.
Nov 13, 2024•5 min
According to recent statistics, chances are pretty good that someone you know, may have had what's referred to as a "Near Death Experience." These individuals, having been resuscitated, gave descriptions of leaving their bodies, journeying through a tunnel, and seeing a bright light or being. Some have said that it provided them with assurance of God's love. So, what are we to make of these reports? Did you know that God has already given us certain proof and a far greater comfort and assurance ...
Nov 11, 2024•5 min
“Will this be on the test?” It's the question that teachers rarely want to hear. It often means, "What's the minimum requirement I must do to past the test. It's not too different than a question which was asked of Jesus here in Mark. In fact, it's one that still gets asked today.
Nov 08, 2024•5 min
Architectural models are remarkable. They’re often used to communicate different design aspects of the a and the purpose of its features. They help people visualize the actual structure and get a glimpse of what’s coming in the future. Well, it may surprise you to know that God did something like that for us. It's even better when you realize that the work has been completed!
Nov 06, 2024•5 min
Last July, the Pew Research Center revealed what topics Americans talk about with family and friends. Guess where faith made it on the list of topics? However, with these words in Deuteronomy we're reminded how matters of faith and our relationship with God can become a regular part of comfortable conversation – at the dinner table, on vacation, car trips and so much more.
Nov 04, 2024•5 min
Many of the troubles we face are the same. We live in a world which is hostile to Christ but which also desperately needs to hear the Gospel. However, God reminds us that we’re not alone. And on November 1, otherwise known as All Saints’ Day, we’re reminded of just how big Christ’s Church is!
Nov 01, 2024•5 min
It’s been called one of the saddest words in dictionary: alone. In fact, the first definition listed for it by the folks at Merriam-Webster is “separated from others.” However on this day, and as we get ready to celebrate the events of the Reformation tomorrow on October 31, it just may be one of the happiest words you’ll ever hear! Episode art from just one of our Reformation Day cards you can download free and share with your family and friends. It's available at https://www.lifethissideofheav...
Oct 30, 2024•5 min
When God recorded the Law for Moses He etched it onto two tablets of stone. It was written on rock and it could not be softened or changed. However, it could be broken – and it was. However, wait until you hear where God has engraved His new covenant and eternal promise of salvation! Episode art courtesy of NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Oct 28, 2024•5 min
Here in Hebrews, the writer reminds us of the rest which God promises. Sadly, it’s a rest which some may miss out on. So, the writer encourages not to make that same mistake. Instead, he invites us to enjoy the eternal rest that God gives – not just as a date at some future point on the calendar, but also right now. It’s closer than you think.
Oct 25, 2024•5 min
God sees everything … well, not everything. Now, wait a minute. You may be thinking right now that I’ve bonked my head with a statement like that, but give me a moment to share why this is actually a remarkable fact.
Oct 23, 2024•5 min
How much money do you need to be wealthy? How much money do you need to be happy? A number of studies have been released this past year which examined these very questions. It may, or may not surprise you to know that they underscore what God revealed to Solomon centuries ago. So, what's the answer? God reveals where real wealth and read happiness are to be found!
Oct 21, 2024•5 min
Mark records an incident in which Jesus encountered a fellow who looked at salvation as a DIY project. He came to Jesus and asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life.” He assumed he had the ability to do it and he was just looking for a few tinkering tips. It may shock you to hear Jesus’ response.
Oct 18, 2024•5 min
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that of all of the wonderful gifts with which God has blessed His Church, the one most often taken for granted is “encouragement.” Those who have often downplay it by telling themselves, “Oh, It’s no big deal.” But it's actually a very big deal!
Oct 16, 2024•5 min
Do you ever feel as though your life has been cut to pieces and left as tiny piece of scrap that's overlooked and tossed aside by this world? Then take heart! We have a God who does great things with scraps.
Oct 14, 2024•5 min
It’s tempting to think that Jesus died for the sins of those who would one day pay Him back. If that were the case, then faith would be a competition to see who brings the most skills, experience, and accomplishments to the table. But, in a very memorable way, Jesus reminds us that the Kingdom of God is about redemption, not a resume.
Oct 11, 2024•5 min
You’ll be relieved to know that there isn’t going to be a test on the Bible when we get to heaven. But you can be absolutely sure that there will be plenty of times that life’s going to test you and me along the way. Difficult times, false teaching and more can lead us to lose sight of the love that God has for us and the incredible salvation that is ours through faith. So here's why the apostle Paul reminds us, "We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do...
Oct 09, 2024•5 min
Throughout the account of creation in Genesis a joyous refrain can be heard. We hear it no less than five times: “And God saw that it was good.” I’ll say! That Hebrew phrase means, “It was perfect!” But now here’s something that may surprise you. There is one point in creation where this was not the case. There was actually a moment in which God said, “it is not good.” What God did next is nothing short of amazing.
Oct 07, 2024•5 min
One request that I received more than any other during my time serving in the Lord’s ministry was this: “Pray for me.” You can be sure that I was always grateful for the request and happy to pray alongside a fellow-brother or sister in Christ. However, every once in a while the request was made with the mistaken assumption that my prayer would count for more before God than theirs. Well, wait until you hear who the one is that this verse is talking about!
Oct 04, 2024•5 min
“Why is it always the same few people who do all the work?” Have you found yourself asking that question at church? On the other hand, have ever run into the situation where many folks show up and you ask, "Hey, who said that they could help?"
Oct 02, 2024•5 min
We live in a world that when it spots trouble, prefers to ignore it and say, “It’s not my business.” And yet, it can’t get enough of that same person’s business when it comes to gossip. But James reminds us what needs to be done if a brother or sister in Christ is in trouble. And he also helps to clear up a common misunderstanding concerning an interesting and wonderful phrase that he uses.
Sep 30, 2024•5 min
Today, many folks, including Christians, are afraid to ask important questions about death – and not about Jesus’ death, but also their own. But thankfully, through faith and God's gift to us in our Baptism, both of these events are connected! And Jesus has set time aside for us to ask those questions. It’s today.
Sep 27, 2024•5 min
Do you remember the promise of flying cars? Wouldn’t that be amazing! It sure would be nice for those times we're stuck in a traffic jam with folks cutting each other off, envying those who were further ahead, and jockeying to see who could get in front of the other. James hints at a similar situation. In our culture where everyone is out for themselves there’s going to be plenty of folks trying to cut each off in their rush to the top. It leads to frayed nerves and frustration. Tempers flare an...
Sep 25, 2024•5 min
Say what? Praying for vengeance? Doesn’t this seems a little bloodthirsty and “out of place” with the Gospel? But here’s the thing: Jeremiah isn’t alone in giving voice this anger. There are many passages just like these in the writings of the prophets and in the Psalms. It's tempting to want to skip passages like this. However, since God's word reminds us that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," let’s do the heavy lifti...
Sep 23, 2024•5 min
