Burnham: Speak up with words

You may think you have nothing to offer.

Don’t overlook God in the daily shuffle

God is our refuge and strength, a help always near in times of great trouble. That's why we won't be afraid when the world falls apart, when the mountains crumble into the center of the sea, when its waters roar and rage, when the mountains shake because of its surging waves.

Scharf: The gift of the spirit

This Sunday was Pentecost in the Church year - the day we mark what happened in Acts 2. If you aren't familiar - open up your Bible and read the story. Pentecost was really the kick-start to the New Testament Church - with miracles all over the place - the sound that filled the city, the flames of fire, the speaking in all those languages! Can you imagine being there? And it wasn't just the ...

McCoy: Trinity Sunday celebrates good things in threes

Now faith, hope and love remain - these three things - and the greatest of these is love.

Scharf: That the world may know

Have you ever heard someone pray for you?

The wind is blowing!

When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

Just a thought: your work matters

Do you know your work matters to God? Yes, and it matters to your employer and your co-workers.

Holy Spirit transforms

Do you show evidence of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in your daily life? A look back at the disciples before and after photos gives us some things to look for in our own personal lives.

Thanks again, Mom!

How can I describe the emotions of parents who love their children? We stamp a remarkable similarity in heart and in appearance on the character of small children. This is especially true of mothers, who have even more sympathy than fathers toward the feelings of their children because they gave birth to them in great pain.

An ounce of mother

There's an old Spanish proverb: "An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest." So, on this Mother's Day weekend, let's thank God for many ounces of godly mothers.

McCoy: Always follow the true leader

Do you remember playing games when you were younger? I love to watch children play Simon Says or Follow the Leader.

Scharf: Listen to the shepherd’s voice

McCOY: Don't get tired of doing good

I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day, Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God.

Scharf: Peace in everything

Peace be with you. That's one of those things churchgoers hear all the time. So how is it working for you? Is there peace in your world?

Love speaks with urgency

You: cute brunette with green eyes shopping with your sister at the mall. Me: the guy in the brown shirt you bumped into in front of Cinnabon. Are you familiar with Craigslist "Missed Connections?" I don't know if they've ever worked, but to me, they seem like just about the most hopeless thing ever. The premise is the hope of a second chance when someone didn't get a chance to connect with someone they saw. ...

The four S’s of fasting

In the evangelical world, fasting is the most misunderstood of all of the spiritual disciplines. People don't understanding this discipline and therefore don't practice it. It is however, one of the greatest tools that the church has to know and pursue Godliness. When we fast, the physical pain of hunger drives us to a deeper spiritual hunger or longing for God. You can fast about anything that is on your heart: a big decision, a ...

Scharf: Love speaks with a focused heart

"The church is all about money." You've heard that said, right? How sad when it's true, when good well-meaning Christians start worrying about the budget more than the Bible, when churches show that lack of focus. More accurately, it's when we focus on the wrong thing. So Paul, in 1 Timothy 6, snaps us back with the very first word of verse 6: "But." You see, just before our text, Paul was warning young Pastor ...

Dees: The Bible and same-sex marriage

Politicians, pundits and even pastors have all joined the debate on same-sex marriage. Since 2004, six states have recognized same sex marriages in their state, but the Defense of Marriage Act, signed by then-president Bill Clinton, prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages and allows each U.S. state to refuse recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states. In recent years however, public opinion of same-sex marriage has been growing and DOMA will likely ...

Burnham: Just a thought, crying out

Many are deeply impressed and moved by the prayer of Jabez. His story and prayer led to a bestselling book. And it's a great book. His prayer has inspired many to be bold and ask God for great things, and it should. His courageous faith lifts us up. Here is a man who starts his life with the name "Pain" and in Bible times a man's name is what he was known for. So he ...

McCoy: Someone’s watching

They rushed at [Stephen] and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Part of the celebration

Everybody loves a party, right? I write this article a few days after being on a college campus on game day, about an hour before kickoff. And as I walked, people were mingling and mixing, drinking and dancing, eating, smiling and just having a good time. One guy took it upon himself to run from party to party and start shouting team cheers - and people were happy to join in. It was a celebration.

The scenic route

When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, "If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.

Spiritual songs get us through

The great black mark on American history is slavery. From the beginning of our nation's settlement until Jan. 1, 1963, Americans owned, sold and purchased other human beings. Beyond this, many slave owners were incredibly cruel to their slaves treating them with no regard of human dignity.

McCoy: Be Prepared

Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

Burnham: How much do you love God?

How much do you love God and why? The psalmist cannot hold back from expressing his love to God and we should not be able to either. His reasons for loving God should be ours: Because when I pray, God hears me and in his time and perfect way he answers me. He rescues me from deep despair and he keeps me safe. He comforts me in my times of sorrow. He forgives me when ...

Scharf: Love speaks sacrificially

He was one of my childhood heroes. He had won just about any award baseball could give. I didn't see it myself and don't really want to believe it, so I won't use the guy's name, but I'm told that when this Hall of Famer moved out of his home in my friend's subdivision, he left it all behind. Boxes of trophies, including an MVP award, out by the curb. Why? His life had taken ...

Dees: The voice of truth

For more than a century the most famous trademark in the music industry has been "His Master's Voice," which is an adapted picture of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone.

The voice of truth

For more than a century the most famous trademark in the music industry has been "His Master's Voice," which is an adapted picture of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone.

"Just a Thought"

Just a Thought: Who will experience eternity? Some think this is a topic only for Christians, but it is not. All of us will experience eternal life. Life is like a hand in a glove. The glove is the outer shell (a temporary dwelling) and takes on the form and functions of the hand inside. The hand is like our soul and spirit - and one day it will withdraw from the outer shell leaving ...