Main Point and Overview:  Sometimes in life we lose all hope. We get discouraged. We get afraid. We get “worn down,” leading to depression and anxiety. The disciples had just experienced the most traumatic moment of their lives. Their Rabbi was murdered right in front of their eyes. The one who they chose to abandon everything for was gone. How could this be? He was supposed to be the Messiah. He ...  Read More

Let’s take a mental walk. The distance and the destination is up to you; it could be a quick stroll or a painful and grueling trudge. Now think back to a time whether it was 50 years ago, 5 years ago, or 5 minutes ago to an incident in which you were wronged and you felt that extending forgiveness to that person or situation was completely unfathomable. Curious, did you quickly forgive or are you ...  Read More

Pressure: “attempt to persuade or coerce (someone) into doing something.” Pressure is something that none of us can escape. It's something every single one of us faces daily. Pressures from work, friends, and even family. Pressure to do make decisions on the fly, or to make a hard decision in a short amount of time. Long story short, no one likes it. We see in today's scripture reading that Pilate...  Read More

Being one of four siblings, and being the youngest, I got quite adept at playing the “It wasn’t me” game. I remember one time I was having a fight with my oldest brother (which I often did). I had saved my allowance money to buy a really cool accessory for my G.I. Joe (the 12” size). It was a paraglider that actually flew like a kite. I was having trouble assembling it, so I asked my brother to he...  Read More

The pain would have been unfathomable, beyond excruciating.   The Garden: Before He even gets to the cross, and even before Pilate, He was in torment—all the way back to the garden He was sweating blood as He cried out to God. Do you understand what your body has to go through to sweat blood? It is called hematidrosis, which is caused by EXTREME emotional stress. Agony, and no one had even laid a ...  Read More

“Your plane”  “My Plane”“Your plane”“My Plane” This was the communication and series of commands traded back and forth as I took control of the planes rear controls before performing maneuvers under the supervision of the pilot. I had never flown a plane before, nor had any interest to… But Doug, a youth group leader/mentor, and retired Airforce pilot took me up in his stunt plane! This was one of...  Read More