“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). As many of you know, I am at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte this week to take my last class for the Doctor of Ministry program…

“He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord” (Psalm 112:7). We have all sung or heard those familiar strains of “Auld Lang Syne” as we ring in the new year. Of course, we have songs aplenty during the Christmas season, but on New Year’s Eve there is only…

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which…

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of his peace there will be no end, on the throne of…

“Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” (John 4:13-14)      Well (no pun…

“A voice says, ‘Cry!’ And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’ All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our…

“So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:9-10).      Well, I’m back from a very relaxing and restorative vacation. There is something very therapeutic about a Caribbean cruise vacation. The sun is…

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).      In the comic strip “Baby Blues” today, the young brother is sitting at a table grumbling to his sister. “I have to write a stupid report on Thanksgiving. It just gets in the way of real holidays.” He then begins his…

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6).      One of the things I enjoy doing is scaling a peak and taking in the breath-taking scenery. I was able to do this many times while living in Maine.…

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in…