On Palm Sunday, the followers of Christ cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” The word, hosanna, is a command that means “cause us to be saved now.” Those who cast the palm branches along the road as Jesus traveled to Jerusalem desired Jesus to save them now. Specifically, they wanted the Son of David, the rightful heir to the throne of David, to save them immediately. The salvation that they ...  Read More

One year ago, most of us were just beginning to hear about the COVID-19 virus. And for the last twelve months staying safe from the virus has dominated the news. Varying strategies attempting to keep us safe have been debated and employed, from lockdowns, to masks, to herd immunity, to vaccinations. Today, we are aware of unintended consequences that have arisen from some of these strategies as th...  Read More

Have you ever been at a place where the pressures of life, the anxieties of your mind, or the burdens on your heart become overwhelming? For the Psalmist it wasn’t a matter of “if” he had been there or will be there, but “when” he would be there. Psalm 61:2b states, “when my heart is overwhelmed.” David, the human author of this God-inspired psalm rightly recognizes that as we live life in this fa...  Read More

What do you believe about God? It has been said that what a person believes about God is the most important thing about a person. Now, if God never revealed Himself to us we would all be in trouble. But the good news is God has made Himself known to us. And a primary way to know what to believe about God is through His Word. The most times the term, “God,” is used in a chapter of Scripture or in a...  Read More

What happens when our expectations are high, but then they are not realized? Consider a child who has high hopes to receive a certain gift, only to be disappointed when the gift is opened. When you look at the prophecies of the Old Testament regarding the coming of Jesus Christ, one would rightfully expect a King who would rule the nations. For example, Isaiah 9:6-7 declares, “For unto us a Child ...  Read More

As the Israelites were rebuilding Jerusalem, they needed a place for the entire congregation to gather to hear the Word of the Lord. Now, unlike Western New York, the climate in Jerusalem did not necessitate an enclosed building for their meeting, but it did require a large space and the building of a platform. Nehemiah 8:4 describes this occasion, “So Ezra, the scribe, stood on a platform of wood...  Read More