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In Mark 8:15, Jesus warned His disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod!” The leaven of the Pharisees is directly described as religious hypocrisy, but what is the leaven of Herod? In the Gospels we read of a sect called the Herodians who joined forces with the Pharisees to destroy Jesus (Mark 3:6). They seem to have been a political party, named for its support of Herod’s dynasty which reined over Judea as Roman vassals. In speaking of leaven, no doubt ...

Can you believe the audacity of our President to say that our country was founded not only upon Judeo-Christian principles, but also on the words of the Muslim Koran?! In his nationally televised speech, the President declared that “[American] character is... sustained in our national life by the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the Koran, and the varied faiths of our people.” As if unilaterally revising our country's history wasn't enough, he went on to identify the...

What is the Church coming to these days? For the Dove World Outreach Center, a self-described charasmatic, non-denominational congregation in Gainsville, Florida, the Church has come to sending kids to school with T-shirts emblazened with hate speech like, "Islam is of the Devil". Perhaps the Dove World Outreach Center should have got the hint when they were forced to custom order the controversial shirts over the internet, because no local screenprinter would take their business. According t...

I have been greatly challenged over the past week by our dear and suffering Hannah. She has been such a sweet and wonderful blessing to my family, especially my kids. Yet, as I went to visit her in the hospital I felt so unprepared to minister to her and her family. Indeed, I am young and inexperienced as a pastor beyond teaching the Bible. While I am confident in my teaching gifts, I am suddenly aware of my inadequacy as a minister to those who are suffering. What am I supposed to say? What ...

Isaiah 52:7-10 (NKJV)
How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,"Your God reigns!"...
  Break forth into joy, sing together...
For the LORD has comforted His people,
He has redeemed [them].
  The LORD has made bare His holy arm
In the eyes of all the nations;
And all the ends of the earth shall see
The salvation of our God.

That fall day, as he penned his last writt...