Consider this

“While they were still talking about this (the reports of Jesus’ resurrection), Jesus himself stood among them” (Luke 24:36) I wonder if Jesus’ followers were scared when they saw him. I know that the passage goes on to say, “They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost” (verse 37), but I mean, "Were they scared of Jesus himself and what he might do to them?” Put yourself in their position for a moment. Jesus had been arrested three days earlier, put on trial and killed on the cross. When that happened, every one of the people in that dark little room, with the possible except of John and few of the women, ran away and left Jesus alone. In fact, Peter outright denied knowing Jesus three separate times. For all the teaching they had heard and miracles that they had seen, when push came to shove, they deserted the son of God. Now, Jesus has returned from the dead and he is standing right in front of them. What is he going to do? If the disciples were scare...

According to researchers, today (the third Monday in January) is the worst day of the year. Apparently, by this date, winter seems too long, the days are too short, the stress of Christmas has caught up to us and it is usually minus 35 outside. Fortunately, today things do not look that bad. In fact, it is bright and sunny, the temperature is hovering around the freezing mark and we have not had too shovel a lot of snow yet. However, just in case the researchers are right and you are struggling today, here are some thoughts that may lift your spirits. - “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). - “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and...

As the two men walked down the road, they were completely defeated and confused. One week earlier, they could hardly contain their excitement as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. Everyone was shouting and celebrating, because the long awaited “King” had just ridden into town as predicted. The next day, Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers in the temple. He took exposed the deceitful and uncaring hearts of the religious leaders of the day. Everything looked great. Then, this great teacher was arrested. Suddenly he went from being “king” and “liberator of the people”, to being a prisoner. Taken back and forth between the Roman and Jewish authorities, he was tried, convicted and crucified. Now it is Sunday and the men are heading home. As they discuss their crushed hopes and try to make sense of everything that happened, a stranger comes along side of them and asks them what they were discussing. The Bible says, “They stood still, their faces downcast” (Luke 24:17) ...

The week before Christmas, I saw two shooting stars. I saw the first one while driving down Kensington Street. A white streak of light shot from left to right across the southern sky and I asked my youngest daughter, “Did you see that?” Her response was, “Nope! I was looking the other way”. I saw the second one while driving back from a Christmas concert in Regina. It was about 12:30 at night and I was on highway 39, just outside of Weyburn when a bright green streak caught my eye. It was falling straight down and as it got closer to the earth, it seemed to slow down and the path of light behind it got larger and larger. It was only there for a second, but it cast a bright green glow throughout the vehicle. “Did you see that?” I asked the rest of the family. The answer was, “no”. Sara was sort of half sleeping and had her eyes closed. The girls said that they saw the glow, but they missed seeing the shooting star. Now here is the thing: Scientists claim that there...