You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about.

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the home of her husband's employer.

My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

Read more: Makes you think about a Penny!

I want to speak about a topic that was introduced a few weeks back by a couple of different callers who were contesting the deity of Jesus and whether or not the New Testament actually taught that. One of the arguments that I raised in favor of Jesus' deity was that He was worshipped. We'll get to that in just a moment.
 
I was actually paid a very nice compliment last week. One of my students from an ethics class I taught came up to me and said that he had recently been in a debate with a man who was in favor of capital punishment. This former student went into the debate armed with some material that he'd learned from the class and actually did a very credible job. In fact, after the debate his opponent said something to the effect, "I was surprised at how well you argued and how clearly you thought and how effectively you debated this issue. I didn't expect it." Apparently he didn't expect a good clear argument from someone taking a more conservative Christian position.
 
what I'm about to show you are fair and reasonable conclusions to a textual problem of the alleged worship of Jesus Christ. You don't need to consult a bunch of experts. You can be an expert by consulting the text in a reasoned fashion

I was really glad to hear that for his sake. But this student made the comment that he had just parroted my material. I took exception with that because you cannot go into . . .

Read more: Was Jesus Worshipped?

Do you believe in angels?

I believe I have a guardian angel--several, perhaps. I also believe angels have visited this planet, repeatedly.

Two millennia ago, the largest known visitation of angels to earth announced the very first Christmas.

That we are a visited planet is what Christmas is all about. History is divided before and after this singularly profound event-the birth of Jesus Christ.

Who is Jesus? A heavenly messenger? In a sense, yes. Yet He's much, much more.

How radical is the idea behind Christmas? The religious leaders at that time scoffed at the shepherds' report of the angelic announcement of Jesus' birth. They no longer believed in angels. They certainly couldn't imagine God Almighty-creator and governor of the vast universe-humbling Himself to visit planet earth.

Yet the Scriptures clearly foretold this. Among other things, the prophet Isaiah foretold that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, would be born of a virgin and called "Immanuel" (literally, "God with us," Isaiah 7:14) and "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6b).

Furthermore, an angel of the Lord told Joseph, the Messiah's adoptive father: "`Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins'" (Matthew 1:20b-21).

So profound was the incarnation of Jesus Christ that . . .

Read more: More Than An Angel

I love sports. One of the mementos I've saved from my childhood is a faded, slightly out of focus black and white photo of me on my first soccer team. As a boy, I dreamed of winning the championship game with a spectacular last-second goal, and of becoming an instant hero to my teammates and everyone else watching.

In sports-crazy America, so many of our heroes are athletes. We identify with successful athletes because we, too, want to be winners. I will never be a gold-medal athlete, except in my imagination. When I watch an Olympic contest or professional game on TV, like everyone else I sometimes get mad and vent my feelings after a particularly lousy play. My wife says, "Why are you shouting? You certainly couldn't do as well!" But in my mind I can play with the best of them. I'm a winner. Doesn't everybody want to be winner? The only other options are mediocrity or failure.

In sports, however, not everybody can be a winner. Only one person or team in each competition will go home with the gold medal this summer. Many others will feel like national failures, constantly reminded by sports writers and fans how they let down their country.

I'm reminded of figure skater Tonya Harding and runner Ben Johnson whose win at all costs behavior brought them . . .

Read more: You Can Be A Winner