Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit." --Luke 23 :44-47 Ever since I became a Christian 40 years ago, I've often visualized various Scripture ...

The disciples wondered this as well when he died. It wasn't what they had expected the Messiah to do. How had it come to an end so quickly? Jesus had tried to explain to them several times that he had to die. At the last supper, when he took the cup he said "this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." God is a just and holy ...

There isn't a day that goes by now that doesn't have an unthinkable headline hitting the news outlets. Long gone are the days that I remember as a teen when I would spend a summer afternoon lying on the front lawn of my home, along with a friend or two, looking up at the sky and pointing out the animals that we saw in the cloud formations. Life has become increasingly comp...

Does it sound to you like we are owning stuff that no longer belongs to us? Listen to our words: My sorrow My pain My loneliness My lust My addiction My anger My fear My fatigue My confusion My lack My depression My anxiety... We forfeit our peace when we fail to recognize the victory Jesus has won for us on the cross. Once, for all!Romans 6:6 (Message) "Coul...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will direct your paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6 This scripture became real for me when I was in college several years ago. My first year in college was extremely challenging for me. In addition to all the normal "identity crisis" challenges that people face when...

"You are dust, and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:19b These words were spoken by God to Adam when he fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. They remind us of the fragile and fleeting nature of life. The phrase is often read at the graveside during the funeral of a Christian or repeated in Ash Wednesday services in . many different branches of the church. They serve as...

We are going to be fasting on Thursdays for the month of Lent. Here are seven reasons to join us: Fasting fights against food idolatry. Fasting is a way to fight against eating as a source of comfort or escape. It's a way of declaring, "As much as I want food right now, I want YOU, Jesus, even more!" Fasting reminds us we do not belong to this world. Sometimes w...