The Robot Redeemer
today
A man has the perfect high-performance sports car. He's got a perfect, widescreen, theater-sound plasma TV stretching from one wall to the other. He's got the perfect country estate with five thousand square feet of elegant living at his fingertips.
That Perfect Season
Wed, Aug 20
How old were you when you first sinned? Do you remember your first sin? Do little babies sin there in their bassinet in the hospital? Can a human being go a year, or a month, or even an hour and a half without sinning?
A Sting Against the Savior
Tue, Aug 19
Have you ever heard of a fake faith healer? We get a mental picture of the TV evangelist with a white linen suit and lots of hairspray on, and also a little wireless earpiece, where a hidden studio technician whispers hints to him while he's on stage. There's a guy in row eight, red shirt, who's got crutches. We gave him fifty bucks and he's ready to come up on stage and be 'healed' if you give him the word, boss. That kind of thing.
The God With Training Wheels
Mon, Aug 18
In math they call it the transitive property. You remember it well, of course: if a = b, and if b = c, then a = c. Remembering the transitive property from high school algebra might make you want to transit yourself to another state, or -- hopefully not -- to another radio station where they're not talking about math! But it's a common idea that in working with equations and formulas, you can substitute one equal thing in for another equal thing.
"I'm Acting President Now!"
Fri, Aug 15
Sometimes it's called overreaching. Or over-stepping yourself. Getting too big for your britches. One of the classic stories here in the United States happened when President Ronald Reagan was shot, and his Secretary of State, Alexander Haig, infamously said to everyone listening: I'm in charge here. Well, check your Constitution, Al, because you aren't either in charge, said all the reporters. Vice President Bush -- at the time -- was second in line in case the chief executive was...
The Psychic Savior
Thu, Aug 14
If I could announce to you right now, ahead of time, here on this Thursday, August 14, 2008, what the final score will be when the Giants host the L.A. Dodgers this evening up in the Bay Area, what would you think? You might be very interested in being my best friend around World Series time, especially if you live near Las Vegas. But if I had the ability, here on a Thursday, to know ahead of time what tomorrow's headlines are going to be when you log onto the Internet, or if I had...
Is He the Great Pretender?
Wed, Aug 13
It was a dark, heart-shattering Friday afternoon, and two desperate men were walking the confusing maze of hallways of a 13-story Texas hospital. They were looking for someone in particular, and finally Mac Kilduff spotted him. Mr. Johnson had his back to the two approaching men, and the big Texan was surrounded by busy people: aides, attendants, assistants. Doctors and nurses were all around; it was a tense and anxious time. Kilduff walked up to that big man in the dark suit and cleared his...
The Invisible Man Arrives
Tue, Aug 12
It gives you goose bumps when it happens -- and what fun it is to talk about it later and drop a big name. You're on a golf course, and what do you know . . . Steve Garvey is on the next hole over. Or Tiger Woods. A friend of mine was out on a course in Bangkok, Thailand, back in 1968 -- just a 13-year-old kid -- when his drive whizzed in the wrong direction and almost hit a man. Ambling over a few minutes later, the American visitor smirked: Hey, kid, was that a hook or a slice? You almost...
Don't Just Thank the Lamb; Follow Him!
Mon, Aug 11
Political junkies still refer to it as the Saturday night massacre. I remember hearing about it on TV way back when I was a much younger man than I am now -- on October 20, 1973. Richard Nixon was being rather aggressively confronted by one Archibald Cox, the former Harvard professor who had agreed to serve the nation as the special prosecutor for Watergate. Naturally, when the news came out that the White House had a secret tape recording system and that many of the President's germane...
Whatever You Say, Mr. President
Fri, Aug 8
In his autobiography, Just As I Am, Billy Graham has a number of cute anecdotes about his personal friendships with a whole row of American Presidents. We certainly don't have time to relate all of them, but by all means, get a copy of the book and enjoy it for yourself. One of Graham's more fascinating relationships was with a colorful Texan we all remember as LBJ. Even though Graham tended to lean toward the Republican agenda in his personal convictions, he was still extremely close to both...
Me Bossing the President
Thu, Aug 7
Have you ever been in a social situation that you felt was completely upside-down? The lowest person at the party seemed to be running things, while the king was checking people's coats at the door?
Send Mikey to Do the Job
Wed, Aug 6
Have you ever heard the story about the rebellious sharecroppers? It's one of Jesus' own parables, and you can find it in Matthew 21. There seem to be a lot of stories in Jesus' bag of anecdotes about someone who gets things going, and then is away on a long journey; this is one of those. But a wealthy landowner put some tenants in charge of looking after his vineyard.
When Is Jesus' Real Birthday?
Tue, Aug 5
There's a fascinating expression in the recent bestseller, The Bounty, written by Caroline Alexander. In telling the story of this most famous of mutinies, the author has done impeccable research about Lieutenant Bligh, Fletcher Christian, and all of the other colorful characters who were on board that ill-fated voyage in the year 1789. But one of the able-bodied seamen in the crew, Edward Young, was hard to track. He was a homely kid, standing about five foot eight, rotten teeth -- several...
Passionate About Pain
Mon, Aug 4
It goes on . . . and on . . . and then on some more. In fact, if you're one of the millions of Christians and interested others who have been to see the runaway hit Mel Gibson film, The Passion of the Christ, you didn't get into that theater unless you were 17 years old, or with an adult guardian. Because this graphic, R-rated portrayal of Jesus' last 12 hours of life contains a beating scene that is violent beyond comprehending. For a good ten minutes, the blood-letting is relentless as the...
Building Jesus a Crystal Cathedral
Fri, Aug 1
Do you ever resent the things Christians are expected to do? Show up at church. Put money into the plate. Feed the hungry. Sacrifice for the missionaries. Give us a break! Then you stop and think about just exactly what Jesus has done for us. Oh. And our protests melt away into embarrassed silence.
How Much "Salary" Is Jesus Worth?
Thu, Jul 31
If you sit in a pew next weekend -- just be there and take part -- do you realize what a gift that is for Jesus? It made Jesus' week -- in fact, His 3? years -- when a repentant sinner anointed His feet with perfume one day. It's within our power to bring joy to the Lord.
Lonely at a Party
Wed, Jul 30
Is God capable of loneliness? Were there times where Jesus felt abandoned and afraid? At parties did He feel the awkward isolation of sensing that He was an outsider, that others were talking behind His back? If so, imagine what it means when Mary poured out her heart and that bottle of rare perfume.
A Focus On Forgiveness
Tue, Jul 29
The happiest people in the world are those who focus on their forgiveness. They celebrate it. Oh, sure, problems do come and go; bad things still happen. But they don't dwell on them. Instead, they just keep thinking about that beautiful blank slate up in heaven -- on the door of their promised home there.
Prevenient Love
Mon, Jul 28
Could a program like Voice of Prophecy get so clever AT prophecy that we become smug in our salvation? If my church has 28 beautifully interlocking pillars of truth, I might become proud of my church and its corporate wisdom. That's a good thing, unless it makes me feel less need of the cross.
Forgiveness First, Love Second
Fri, Jul 25
People say, I'm not good enough to come to Jesus. Maybe when I clean up my act a bit. That's like deciding, I'm just too sick to go to the doctor now. If I can think away these troublesome tumors, I'll go to Him in the fall when my X rays have cleared up.
The Lady Who Completely Stopped Sinning
Thu, Jul 24
Okay - time for us to take stock. How many sins have you committed this week? Less than ten? Fifty? I had a lady write me once -- true story -- and say that she'd completely stopped sinning. She'd worked her way down to zero sins, and wondered what was the matter with the rest of us.
Jesus Giving Joy
Wed, Jul 23
There's nothing like the last day of a prison sentence. Or the day that cop says to you, I had you at 85, but it's Christmas Eve and I'm going to let you off. In this story of Simon and Mary, Jesus LONGS to give both of them the happiness of total and liberating forgiveness.
A Simon Syndrome
Tue, Jul 22
If I'm good because I'm better than Joe or Moe, I can always find someone like that and begin to feel self-satisfied. But salvation-by-comparison is a deadly game. It makes me HOPE to find wickedness in others. And for everyone I'm better than, there are probably ten saints better than I am.
A Promissary Note from Calvary
Mon, Jul 21
What gave Jesus the authority, the street cred, to just walk around forgiving sins? If Calvary washes away our guilt, well, Jesus hadn't been to the cross yet when He did the bulk of His Jerusalem forgiving. Did the indignant Pharisees have a point when the protested the illegality of His Messiah pardons?
The Enough of Forgiveness
Fri, Jul 18
If you face cancer but are a forgiven sinner, that's enough. If you lose your job, but have forgiveness and a heavenly eternity waiting, THAT'S enough. When Jesus offers a person an absolute pardon, that pretty much seals...
A Stunning Boast
Thu, Jul 17
Call right now: I'll send you a coupon forgiving you for cheating on your taxes, or for that affair you had. Friend, if you believe that, you've gone round the bend even more than I have. I seldom agree with the Pharisees, but they were right when they...
The Impossible Mountain
Wed, Jul 16
Lately, a lot of people simply can't pay their mortgage. They'd like to, but when adjustable rates exploded, that was it. They could skip suppers, work two jobs, sell their furniture, and it wouldn't be enough. In terms of sin and THAT debt, you and I are equally unable to service our...
It Can't Be Jesus at that Party!
Tue, Jul 15
It's maybe the dumbest thing anyone ever said about the Prince of Peace. Jesus must not know what kind of woman that is, Simon mused. 'Cause if Christ knew what a sinner she was, He'd put 50 miles of insulating distance between...
From Riches to Rags
Mon, Jul 14
A lady once remarked, It's amazing . . . I'm the only person I know who's right about everything. Frankly, most of us secretly think that's true about the person we see in the mirror. If we were wrong about...
The Secular God
Fri, Jul 11
The modern world offered us a deal. If we wanted a hopeful future, then we had to get rid of God and religion and use logic and reason instead. This was the key to solving all of humanity's problems. How well did it work? The answer, I believe, is obvious...