“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” — Matthew 5:4 (NIV) At first glance, Jesus’ second beatitude seems like a contradiction. How can mourning—grief, sorrow, lament—be a blessing? In a world that avoids pain and idolizes happiness, Jesus’ words are radically countercultural. Yet within this paradox lies one of the most profound […]
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:3 To be poor in spirit is not about financial poverty or low self-esteem. It’s a spiritual posture—an honest recognition of our deep need for God. The Greek word used for “poor” here, ptōchos, refers to absolute destitution. Jesus is […]
All of Christianity hinges on the answer to this question. If there was no resurrection, there would be no Christianity. So what transformed 11 scared and dejected disciples into fearless ambassadors? It was Jesus’ return from the dead and subsequent ascension into heaven. There were over 500 witnesses to Jesus’ return to life after being […]
Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week in the Christian Calendar and marks the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey as crowds of people cheered and waved palm branches. Almost 600 years had passed since a king in the line of David sat on a Jewish throne in Jerusalem and many […]
At a time when failed marriages, broken homes, spousal abuse, and neglect affect way too many households, the fifth commandment, “Honor your father and your mother,” presents a real challenge for millions of children. That wasn’t as big an issue when I was growing up, as all of my friends and neighbors lived in two-parent […]
This question seems to arise more frequently now as global culture and morality continues to deteriorate. Most Bible scholars note that the last significant prophetic event needed to be in place before the Rapture was the founding again of Israel as a nation after its 1900 years of dispersion. Christians do not agree on every […]
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines belief as “to accept something as true, genuine, or real.” Another of its definitions is “to have a firm or wholehearted religious conviction or persuasion: to regard the existence of God as a fact.” When we, as Christians, use the word believe, we think of the second definition, the idea that we […]
According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was born in a manger because there was no room available in the inn. In the story, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem for a census. They almost certainly traveled in a caravan with others, including members of their extended family. Travel on foot from Nazareth to Bethelem […]
In a world where daily headlines shout bad news 24/7, there remains one story that is not just good news, but the best news for all of mankind… for all time. That good news of Christmas dates back to the creation of the world by God and the creation of man, the only creature who […]
If this question stumps you, maybe you haven’t stopped to think about the many blessings you enjoy. You don’t need to have a great job, or perfect family, or new car or a big turkey dinner on Thanksgiving to realize that you probably have many reasons to be thankful. You might start by being thankful […]
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