In Luke 12:16-23, Jesus told a parable about a rich farmer whose fields yielded a bumper crop. The man was concerned about what he would do with all his grain. Did he think to tithe from it to the ministries of God? Did he consider giving a portion...

Amidst the backdrop of Roman subjugation, pharisaical religiosity, and in general a culture with its back toward God, Jesus Christ and his disciples ventured into the racially charged region of Samaria. Matthew 15 records the Lord’s encounter with a...

Decades ago I heard this quip from a fellow Christian: "The nature you nurture is the one that will grow." Two verses that paraphrase this quote are Rom. 8:13 "for if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the...

The Prophet Isaiah answers the question raised by the favorite Christmas Carol, “What Child is This?” He is “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” (Isaiah 9.6). Each name unlocks aspects of our Messiah’s character...

Philippians 2:7 says that Jesus made himself of no reputation. He emptied himself of self. As some theologians explain it, Jesus voluntarily and temporarily laid aside some of his rights and privileges as God the Son when he came to Earth. Think...

Reflecting on my teen years, I recalled a spiritual decision I had made to offer my life to God in Christian vocation. I had never forgotten that. In fact, I was lately thinking on that decision and was considering a career in Christian counseling...

Unable to find a remedy, I let go of the steering wheel — both hands. I grabbed the door handle with my left hand and the safety belt clasp with my right. I had every intent of jumping. A nanosecond of doubt flashed a vision of me slipping when I j...

When I got back to our apartment two weeks later, Cynthia was gone. Her father and a friend of his retrieved Cynthia, our son, and our daughter to-be. I returned to a mostly empty apartment. Once again, what I thought would bring a sense of freedom...

Springtime in the Rocky Mountains brings brilliant sunshine, cool air, and melting snow. A certain spring day in 1986 found me crossing Wolf Creek Pass in the San Juan Mountains which adjoin the Rockies. At almost 11,000 feet above sea level, the...

“Sully” is one of my favorite movies. It recounts USAirways flight 1549 that ditched into New York’s Hudson River January 2009 after colliding with a flock of Canada geese that essentially destroyed both jet engines and rendered the Airbus A320...

The letter to the Church in Ephesus is one of the richest in the New Testament. And for many Christians, Eph. 2:8-9 are two favorite verses. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, l...

Sometimes feelings of isolation and insignificance produce a synergy that squelches our outlook. And that can cause a spiritual introspection that evolves into unwarranted self-criticism leading to feelings of futility. Reading about the...

I cannot unspeak. I cannot unhear. I cannot unsee. I cannot unfeel. I cannot unthink. I cannot undo my past. The memories of my sin sometimes clutter my mind like charred logs of a forest fire. Tripping me. Trapping me. Trying to transport me to...

The inspired and inerrant Word of God says a lot about words. Words can convey images and intense emotions. Words can injure and leave lasting scars. From Proverbs we read that word can destroy one’s friends and crushes their spirit. But gentle w...

Montana Christian College adds to its leadership team by employing Joe Wooddell as Vice President of Advancement and Professor of Philosophy. He leaves an 18-year tenure at Criswell College in Dallas. “Dr. Wooddell fills a strategic function for Mont...

When considering all the notables in the Bible who served God’s purposes, names like Moses, Joshua, David, Isaiah, Jonah, and Paul rank highly on that list. But how often is Rahab included? Sometimes described as an inn-keeper, the overwhelming b...

Clapping. Crying, Praying. Praising. These are some of the reactions movie-goers had to “Sound of Freedom,” a film based on the true story of Tim Ballard – former US Homeland Security Special Agent – who quit his job to pursue child traffic...

Part of my career included writing for an evangelical missions magazine about churches that volunteered to assist missionaries overseas. Whether the task was to share the gospel on the street, preach in churches, work in orphanages, conduct...

Matthew 15 records our Lord’s first trip outside of Judea with his disciples into the region of Samaria. This was not friendly territory. Jews hated Samaritans and considered them half-breeds since their family tree had roots both inside and o...

“As a dog returns to his own vomit, a fool repeats his folly,” Prov. 26:11. Well, if that’s not a slap in the face! A significant portion of the Bible is just that. Like a rude awakening, this Proverb jolts the senses and the soul. Whereas so many...

Matthew 15 records our Lord’s first trip outside of Judea with his disciples into the region of Samaria. This was not friendly territory. Jews hated Samaritans and considered them half-breeds since their family tree had roots both inside and o...

The black edge of night gave way to dark blue as I drove south on a rural road in Nebraska. Having driven through the night, I welcomed the faintest glimmer of sunshine that soon would spread across my path and force night’s retreat. A rightward g...

Mackenzie Stutzman lives a full life. An entrepreneurial furrier, she enjoys riding and training horses, snowmobiling, hiking, hunting, and fishing. Among all these interests, one sport rises above the rest: volleyball. Although she played...