I often think about the times when Jesus spoke to His disciples which are not recorded in Scripture. He learned things about each disciple and used them to speak into their lives. Let’s face it, He knew each of them better than they knew themselves, all the way down to the smallest detail…

When my father was stationed in Germany serving in the Army, our family was with him. We traveled all over Europe. He often went to bases for temporary assignments. Many times when we traveled with him, we entered German businesses, homes, or places where my dad was expected…

When a paramedic, nurse, or doctor examines a person, they have to touch the person at one time or another. This allows them to verify the symptoms the person is experiencing. Thomas needed the same thing…

I’d like to say, I can kind of relate to Thomas in this passage. I too, from early on in my life watched human behavior. When I said this in the past, often I heard, “Well it is because you were in police work.” I tell them “No, I have always watched people from childhood.”

Often, I have conversations with members of the Catholic Church. After spending a few minutes with the majority I find many do not know the reasons why they believe what they believe. They simply believe what they have been taught without ever opening the Bible to authenticate or refute it…

Context is important in studying God's Word. I remember a college professor who said, “Context is king in studying the Word of God.” Context is about reading the whole passage, not stealing some words and trying to define them…

In the Army, we had guard duty once in a while. A password had to be given to allow another access to a location. If the person could not produce a password, something only known by the two was validated before entry was allowed…

I remember a few years ago I prayed to see my daughter one more time after she graduated to heaven. I had a dream that night I saw her. I was able to speak with her, but her gaze and focus were somewhere else…

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone, and referring to another person and suddenly the person is standing behind you? Did it make you hope you hadn’t said anything bad about them? It can be a little embarrassing if so, to say the least if you do…

In baptism, we often see it as a celebration. The meaning is more significant. The whole process represents something. Although I can’t mention every aspect, there is something important about every part of it…

My mom loves puzzles. She always has; at least she did until she lost most of her sight due to aging. When she had decent vision, I used to see her place pieces together for hours at a time at her kitchen table…

While in seminary, I had the opportunity to take a class on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The course was taught by Dr. Gary Habermas. Dr. Habermas was the foremost expert on the resurrection and the Shroud of Turin. He and other experts from all over the world examined the shroud at one time back in the 1980s…

As I age, cardiovascular workouts get harder. I seem to be more out of breath. I can’t go as hard as I used to. I want to, but can’t. I sometimes look to my right or left in the gym and see the younger ones running or walking harder than I do…

Fear strikes us. When fear sets in, it makes the person freeze, flee, or fight. In Mary Magdelene’s case, she fled. We all react differently. It doesn’t even matter who you are. You can’t gauge it by size or age. We all react differently. Mary just watched the grueling ordeal of watching Jesus die on the cross…

This morning there was fog outside. It obscured my view to a few dozen feet. It looked so peaceful and serene. I couldn’t tell if the world had changed since darkness. When the fog lifted, it was apparent a new day had begun…

In today’s age of burial, many things are similar to the ancients. When a body arrives at the funeral home preparation begins. “The first step in this process is cleaning and dressing the body. Cleaning and dressing the body is an important part of the funeral home's responsibilities in preparing the deceased for a traditional burial or cremation…

Yesterday, we looked at someone unfamiliar. Today, you should recognize Nicodemus. He too was likely another member of the Sanhedrin. In the Talmud (a collection of writings of Jewish law and tradition, compiled between the 3rd and 6th centuries), some have tried to connect him to Nicodemus ben Gorion…

In most movies you see today they often depict Joseph of Arimathea as a bystander while Jesus was being led to His death. He seems to be depicted as the biggest guy in the crowd and therefore used to help Jesus carry His cross to Golgotha. This is farthest from the truth…

There are things in this world that we wouldn’t normally believe, but if we saw it for ourselves, we might be a little more inclined to believe. This is because we witnessed something for ourselves. I remember years ago in our former house my wife was cleaning out the closet to make room for more clothes (again)…

While working as a patrol deputy in the beach area of our county, I investigated over 20 unattended deaths in one winter month. I think it was a record for anyone on my shift. Most were elderly who had moved from out of state, and had no family nearby…