We’ve all heard the saying: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” I heard it again recently, and wondered, does the Christian faith have a ‘main thing’? Something that could be considered the heart message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Certainly, John 3:16 comes to mind. In one succinct […]
Words that Sting
March 4, 2011 One of the most influential people in my young Christian life, as a new follower of Jesus, was the musician Keith Green. Keith was loved by the Christian masses but not always appreciated by the “formal” church because he was unafraid of sharing God’s truth as he understood it. But no matter […]
God’s Goodness Dissected
February 14, 2011 There is a belief, sometimes unspoken, that God is only good to His faithful. This thinking can lead to a view of God as playing favorites; being uninterested or lacking in compassion; or a cosmic being who engages in mean-spirited punishment. It can also lead to feelings of resentment or shame. A […]
Images from space help us engage with the ‘brotherhood of man’
February 12, 2011 A friend sent me a web link with some images taken from outer space by astronaut Douglas Wheelock. We use the word fantastic often in speech these days, to the point that the true meaning of the word gets lost. Yet it is the perfect word to describe these photos. Fan.tas.tic: [fan-tas-tik]: […]
Devotion, not compulsion
January 18, 2011 “The man that believes will obey; failure to obey is convincing proof that there is no true faith present. God . . . gives faith to the obedient heart only.” —A.W. Tozer Tozer’s remark is reminiscent of James 2: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have […]
Epiphany
January 9, 2011 “Epiphany: A sudden realization of great truth.” I celebrated Epiphany (Jan. 6) by baking a special strudel to commemorate the Magi (Matthew 2) who, astutely recognizing from the change in the night sky that a king had been born, journeyed from the East in search of the Christ child. Simeon and Anna […]
Advent
December 22, 2010 It’s been written throughout the centuries that Advent is a season of hopes fulfilled (albeit misunderstood), and expectant waiting for the ultimate outcome to be manifested. It’s an appropriate time of year to see the fulfillment of my dream to start a website and the beginning of a learning curve as I […]
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.
December 20, 2010 Hope for the Christian is anchored in the Christmas promise, foretold by angels who visited shepherds keeping watch in their fields by night. The result of this heavenly proclamation was that the shepherds went in search of the proclaimed Christ Child on whom peace depends. They went gladly, even though it probably […]
Robot Wars 1997
Most Others Are Tin Cans at Hands of O.C. Robot August 20, 1997 | SPECIAL TO THE LOS ANGELES TIMES Dan Danknick built his robot Alexander for one purpose: destruction. Like its predecessor, Agamemnon, Alexander is literally tough as steel, and with an on-board computer connected to a Sony Playstation controller, as wily as its […]