How are we called to express our love for one another in a sexual way? Of course the Romantics insisted that we should act on whatever impulses we might experience, and over the last 100 years, more and more Americans have followed their lead. But as family structures have collapsed,…

It isn’t just backwoods fire-and-brimstone preachers who talk about Hell, you know. Isaiah’s vision of the new heavens and the new earth includes the eternal torment of those who have sinned against God, saying that “their worm does not die and their fire is not quenched.” And of course in…

It’s easy to understand the disciples’ ambitions. After all, it was just in the previous chapter that they had finally realized Who Jesus is – the Messiah. They therefore expected that He would soon set up His kingdom, and that, as His most loyal followers, they would serve as his…

Why couldn’t Jesus’ disciples cast a demon out of this particular boy? Well, Jesus said that their whole generation was “unbelieving,” lacking faith. And that was certainly true of the boy’s father. For when Jesus Himself showed up, the man asked Jesus to help them, “if,” in fact, He could…

So, why did Peter want to build three tents on top of the mountain? In the previous chapter, he had finally realized who Jesus is – the Christ, the promised Messiah (8:20). And now, right before his eyes was the evidence of the coming Kingdom of God the Jewish people…

If we follow Jesus in this life, what should we expect? The prosperity gospel says that we’ll have an unbroken chain of worldly success, all the wealth and health that we could possibly desire – if only our faith is strong enough. In the aftermath of the sexual revolution, and…

How clearly do you see Jesus? The blind man was completely unable to see Him, or anything else at first. But then Jesus performed a miracle. He not only touched the man, but spat on his eyes, making it clear that it is only personal contact with Jesus that brings…

What’s worrying you? In times of political division at home and war abroad, when prices are skyrocketing while wages stagnate, we have no shortage of causes for fear. And Jesus’ disciples lived in a similar world. Their country was occupied by the Roman legions, their religious leaders couldn’t agree on…

“Show us a sign!” That’s what the Pharisees asked of Jesus in verse 11. They were putting Him to the test, trying to see if He really was a prophet, if He really could do the kinds of amazing things that Elijah and Elisha had done in Old Testament times….

Communication has never been easier than it is today. The internet has allowed even a small church in Southwest Mississippi to publish daily devotionals and even to make live video broadcasts available to people all over the country. But with everyone espousing so many different points of view at the…