We’re officially in tradition season. At Thanksgiving and Christmas, our national and personal traditions make our celebrations what they are. Think for a moment of the one thing you wouldn’t be willing to give up. Whether it’s a certain activity or special food, there’s something you do every year
Can you ID this jingle?Hint: Their slogan was The Mark of a Man.It’s Old Spice, from the 1960s. In a TV ad, off-camera the narrator approaches a handsome, debonair gentleman, three piece suit, having a Scotch, smoking a cigarette. In other words, a real man. He asks him, “Dave, what are your reasons
When is the last time you didn’t recognize someone you should’ve known? It’s never a good feeling and often leads to an uncomfortable conversation. But sometimes, once you get past the awkwardness, it can be a fun moment.Recently, a lucky couple had their wedding in New Zealand, on the Shire set fro
What do you do when Hannibal invades your borders with his army? Many in Rome’s government believed the answer was obvious: Meet him head on with aggressive military action. But Quintus Fabius, the man elected as dictator in 217 B.C., had a different plan. Step one: Get right with the gods. Step two
It’s time to take a look at one of the “one another” commands. There are about 60 of them, given directly to Christians so we can know how to properly relate to each other in the Church. Healthy church life doesn’t happen by accident, it doesn’t happen on its own, it happens as we – together – follo
Have you ever had to deal with an 800 pound gorilla in the room? How about a 16,000 pound whale on your beach? In 1970, a dead whale carcass washed up on shore near Florence, Oregon. It had been so long since the last beached whale, no one could remember how to get rid of it.They weighed their optio
In 1975, Steven Sasson was a young engineer working for the Kodak corporation. He spent his time on an unusual project. It wasn’t secret, it’s just that no one really cared about what he was creating.When his prototype was finally ready, he showed it to his bosses and then to their bosses. He made p
On April 15, 1912, Captain Arthur Rostron was steaming across the Atlantic in the RMS Carpathia toward Austria-Hungary. A distress call came in: The Titanic, was sinking. Arthur immediately ordered his crew to turn around and sprint toward the disaster. He and his engineers brought the ship to the l
Have you heard about the scam where Elon Musk contacts you online and offers you a free car, a bunch of money? All you have to do is send him a $200 Apple gift card first.[1] Hopefully no one here would fall such a con, because if you take the bait you’d only be poorer in the end.But, let’s do a tho
Jeopardy Daily Double: This Church was the only one of the seven to have received a previous inspired correspondence:Who was Ephesus?When Paul wrote to the Ephesians (60AD), the Church was vibrant, rich in doctrine, and marked by love. Paul praised their faith in Jesus and their love for all the sai
Jesus said “As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark…” (Matthew 24:37-38).If you have read Genesis, you know that Jesus was desc
It was late at night at a New Jersey train station in 1864. Two men crossed paths while waiting to board. One was a famous actor – regarded as the greatest American thespian of the 19th century. He was also a theatrical manager. He had his own theatre in Manhattan.[1] The other fellow was a young ma
In 1933, a satanic regime was starting to take power in Germany. President Roosevelt needed to appoint a new ambassador to Germany, but everyone he asked turned him down. In a last-minute move, FDR nominated an outsider with no experience in diplomacy – a history professor named William Dodd.[1]Many
The very moment I lifted my head after repeating the ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ with a colleague from work, I saw a cross.It wasn’t a vision. It was the cross that has sat atop Mt. Rubidoux in Riverside since 1907. Still, you’d have to admit that it was pretty cool.Nothing supernatural manifested itself. Ove
Sometimes the news is so much like what the Bible predicts, it sound made up.Story #1 – New digital ID scheme to be rolled out across UKExcerpts: A new digital ID scheme will help combat illegal working while making it easier for the vast majority of people to use vital government services. Digital
It was no easy thing to give a speech if Abraham Lincoln was also on the ticket. Many of you know that when he gave the Gettysburg Address, one of the most famous speeches in history, he wasn’t even the main speaker at the event. Edward Everett was and he spoke for over 2 hours that day.Actually, Li
Would you reject a gift from an emperor? Usually that wouldn’t be a wise decision. On the other hand, if you once had a close relationship with him, perhaps you’d feel freer to spurn his offer.In 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte sent his ex-wife, Josephine 72 custom designed, porcelain plates, along with an
We all know difference between a house and a home. A house may have a proper bed and locking doors, but it’s never as easy to get to sleep in someone else’s house as it is in your own home.I remember staying once with my grandparents and that first night I stayed awake with the lights on for hours.
From time to time we take a look at the “one another” commands in Bible. They given to us so we can know how to properly relate to each other in the church and so we can be built up, others can be built up, and our church can thrive in the love of God. Today’s command is given several places in the
In 400 BC, Aristotle ranked sight as the most importance sense, then hearing, then smell, taste, and touch.[1] Sight, he said, was the most essential to experience and survive in the world.It’s hard to overestimate how much we rely on sight. Did you know that the olfactory bulb, which is like our CP
Some short stories just stick with you. I remember reading The Tell-Tale Heart in seventh grade and haven’t been able to forget it since. The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow, The Most Dangerous Game, The Metamorphosis, 3:10 To Yuma, Rip Van Winkle, they’re short, but they leave a lasting impression.Famous s
In the 1920’s, cattle were mysteriously dying across the prairies of North America. Previously healthy herds began to hemorrhage, seemingly without cause.[1] By 1933, one farmer was desperate enough to drive 200 miles through a blizzard to try to reach the state veterinarian. But, it was Saturday, a
There is a great line of dialog in the feature-film, The Fugitive. It’s Saint Patrick’s Day in Chicago. One of the deputy US Marshalls looks at the Chicago River and comments, “If they can dye the river green today, why can’t they dye it blue the other 364 days of the year?” It’s sarcasm conveying t
There are maybe 500 or so unfulfilled future prophecies in the Bible. There is no reason to think that they will not be fulfilled literally.That being true, we ought to be able to see certain things that the Bible predicts coming together. We call it stage setting: God is setting the stage for these
