Think About It

I wish I could eat as much ice cream as I would like and never gain weight. I wish I could wake up tomorrow morning and be able to run a marathon without doing a day’s worth of training. I wish I was 6 feet tall and had a head full of healthy wavy hair. I wish … . We can all wish, but just because we’d like something doesn’t mean that it will happen. In fact, often, we find ourselves wishing because we know that it will never happen. As I look around at the world today, I see a lot of wishing. I see people wishing that they can live a hedonistic lifestyle and not have to worry about negative consequences. I see people wishing they could rewrite history in a way that they could choose their own heroes and morals. I see people wishing they could do as little as possible, but gain great advances. The problem with this type of wishing is similar to what I have learned in my own life – wishing doesn’t make it so. Truth and reality supersede a wishful existence. Let’s be willing ...

Can you imagine what that Monday was like? I would imagine that a lot of people where packing up and heading home from observing the feasts and festivals in Jerusalem. Others probably sat around debating the disruptions that had come to that year’s Passover season. There were some that may have awakened wondering if what they had just experienced had really happened. Yet, for a particular band of believers, this truly was the first day of the rest of their lives. The risen Savior meant that they were on the right path, but as they gathered together I wonder if they were filled with joy or overwhelmed with the reality of their ministry – or both? Jesus’ disciples had just gone through a whirlwind of events and emotions, now it was time to get to work! Many modern Christians wake up on the Monday after Easter filled with a sense of joy for what has just happened. A lot of them are coming off of a great worship experience and spending time with friends and family. Yet, what will M...

For much of the world, this Sunday represents one of the greatest feats in the history of mankind. Some call it Easter, others call it Resurrection Sunday – simply, it is best day in the history of the world. Just a few days before, all looked lost, “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” (Luke 24:1-3). We cannot tell the story of Jesus without including the darkest day – the day on which the Lamb of God was slain – but the true gospel must include “the rest of the story”, the resurrection! There are a lot of celebrations and traditions associated with Easter Sunday – some of which have their roots in a spiritual observance and others that are strictly secular – but no matter how you celebrate it (or even if you don’t celebrate it as a holiday) let’s all take the time to thank God for w...

Do we believe we are ever going to win the battle between good and evil? Okay, let me add a clarifying comment, will Christians ever win the battle between good and evil here on earth? Unfortunately, the answer is no – but maybe not for the reason we might believe. I hadn’t really thought much about is until I read an old proverb, “No sooner is a temple built to God but that the devil builds a chapel hard by.” You see it isn’t that we don’t have the “power” to succeed, it’s that satan doesn’t have any intention of giving up! The devil is committed to his cause and will not give in. He will keep fighting the bad fight and trying to seduce good souls. You can’t say much good about satan, but one thing for sure is that he will go down swinging! Do we have as much drive as satan? Are we committed to understanding that our battle with him is a never ending chore? Whether it is controlling our lives or evangelizing the world, we must have the commitment to keep going because he wil...

Jesus was riding the wave of popularity. He had been welcomed into the city of Jerusalem with, “Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: ‘Hosanna!’ Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord; blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!’” (Mark 11:9-10). It doesn’t seem like it could get any better than this – and from a human perspective, it didn’t. Within a week, some of those who had been praising Him were condemning Him with shouts of “Crucify Him!”. Popularity is fickle. It is built on an unstable foundation constructed by people who can be changed by the shifting winds of public opinion. About the only thing consistent about popularity is that it will eventually fade. While this is something most of us realize, I think it is important for us to remember it when we, as Christians, seek to gain fame and good favor in society. Sure, it is nice to be highly regarded, but we cannot rely on public opinion to keep us on top...

I like spring – I do not like pollen! For those of you who do not live along the eastern seaboard, you may think you have seen pollen, but the stuff here is second to none! When I lived out west, I feared cottonwood season, now it is that icky yellow stuff that layers over everything. Now that I have gotten that out of my system, one thing that I do like about the coming of the yellow film is that I don’t have to worry about another white layer of snow. Sure, maybe we could have another snow this late in the year, but it won’t last long! I hate to say it but the presence of the pollen reminds me that warm weather is just around the corner. The reason I am writing about allergy season is as a reminder of the grandeur of God as seen through His creation. Yes, we have to deal with pollen every spring, but that is what produces the greens of summer and the powerful foliage of autumn. When God created the world, He did so with a perpetual plan that not only keeps the earth alive, but...

For you college basketball fans, today is bitter-sweet. LSU just won the women’s finals in Portland and San Diego State takes on UConn in finals of the men’s basketball tournament is being held in Houston … but, then, the long drought begins. Being a baseball fan, I have something to keep me occupied, but those of you who are die-hard NCAA basketball fans, about all you can do is follow the recruiting news and wait for fall practice to begin. In a few hours, there will only be one men’s and one women’s champions, but come November there will be hundreds of teams with great expectations. One of the things I like about college basketball is that size is not as much of a factor as it is in other major sports. Unlike football, where you need dozens of top tier athletes to advance, a good basketball team can include just a handful of blue chip players and a few others who have the drive to keep the hope alive. When it comes to college hoops, commitment and dedication still count for so...