“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) I lost my brother, Carlton, a few weeks ago. He was the finest man I ever knew, and that puts him the company of a lot of other good men, like my dad. At his funeral, I shared a story that I had never told anyone. It was a very special memory for me and speaks to the man he was. My childhood years were very tough for me. […]

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14) My wife told me a story the other day about a young woman who was in need of serious surgery only to see it delayed due to circumstances beyond her control. When I saw her, I was astonished. You would never know that she was facing a life-threatening illness. She had such a peaceful look on her face. I have read about that look. It’s referred to in the Bible as the […]

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) All around the world, children are flocking to malls and shopping centers to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. The truth is the real story of Santa Claus has gotten lost in the commercialization of Christmas, a testament of sorts largely to the genius retailers who wanted to be sure that moms and dads didn’t forget them at Christmas either. The irony behind all this truth is the story of St. […]

“You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” (Luke 1:31) The gospel rests on three giant pillars: Jesus’ virgin birth, his atoning death, and his bodily resurrection. The Easter season celebrates Jesus’ death and resurrection. Christmas focuses solely on the virgin birth. I remember my doubt about it as an unbeliever. I thought it defied one of the most basic laws of nature. So did Blaise Pascal. Pascal was a French scientist who lived in the […]