Scripture: Luke 21:34-36 Travel with me, back in time, to Jerusalem. The year is AD 58, about 30 years after Jesus’ death & resurrection. Many people in the holy city came to believe in Jesus in the impulsive days nearly a generation ago, & many of them are still here, older & more puzzled but still waiting & hoping & praying. Things have been difficult, on & off. Once Pontius Pilate stopped being governor people hoped life might improve, but there was then a huge crisis o

Scripture: Hebrews 10:11-18 A neighbor of mine was recently pulled over for speeding in our beautiful mountains. He was driving over the speed limit. As the blue lights from the NCHP car flashed in his rearview mirror, the churning in his stomach was exceeded only by his anger. Putting on his best face & humble demeanor, he gave the officer the requested paperwork & noted the time & location of his court appearance. On the appointed day, he traveled to the county seat in t

Scripture - Mark 12:38-44 What would fall be without the widow’s mite? It would be like Thanksgiving without turkey, Christmas without presents, or Easter without eggs. The story of the widow’s mite is the all-time remarkable story of Christian giving, the story of a poor woman who gave everything she had to the church. What the rich young ruler could not do, she did without even being asked, only there was no crowd to witness the liquidation of her estate. It was as easy