Lydia came to faith in Jesus Christ when she heard the Gospel preached by Paul, and the Lord opened her heart. She did not come to believe by doubling down on doubt. Zaccheus came to faith in Jesus Christ when the Nazarene invited the vertically-challenged tax collector to clamber down the sycamore and let the … Continue reading Faith, not doubt, opens hearts and homes
Tag: father
I don’t even remember what Cindy and I were fighting about now. But I remember what happened to end the fight. It was 11 years ago, in the fall of the year. Jesse was 9 then, and he had already had three “febrile seizures,” where his fever spiked and he went into convulsions. His first … Continue reading God has two dwelling places
Every year I look back at the lessons the Lord taught me the year before. I offer six today for your encouragement. If you want to hear the sermon where I explained each in more detail, you can go to http://www.sermonaudio.com Friendship is a sheltering tree . That’s from a poem by Coleridge, but the … Continue reading Take some time to look back
As we are just four days into our journey through 2014, I would like to offer a little nudge or two, if I may. First, this is the time of year when many make — and then promptly fail to keep — New Year’s resolutions. Sports psychologist Michael Gervais says it’s because we focus on … Continue reading Random thoughts just inside the door
If you ask Howard Thompson why he wears cowboy boots with his suit, he’ll tell you about growing up in Stigler, Okla. But if you ask him about his passion in life, he will tell you about being a pastor. On Jan. 26, Howard Thompson will preach his last sermon as pastor of Burlington Assembly, … Continue reading Thank you, Pastor Thompson
Have you ever wondered about the particulars of Christ’s birth, and why God did it this way? I have. Caesar Augustus decreed that the world should be registered, so every household had to travel to the city of his ancestry. That meant Joseph had to leave Nazareth with his betrothed, Mary, who was pregnant, and … Continue reading This, this is Christ the King
J. Mark Fox 