2 Samuel 19:16-40 During the American Civil War, President AbrahamLincoln appointed Edwin Stanton as his Secretaryof War. What makes this remarkable is thatStanton had once publicly ridiculed Lincoln—callinghim a “fool, ” a “buffoon,” and unfit for leadership.Lincoln knew all of this.Yet Lincoln still chose Stanton, not because ofpersonal affection, but because he believed Stantonwas the…

2 Samuel 19:1-15 A fire department responded to a massiveovernight blaze in a downtown apartment building.The fire was dangerous, fast‐moving, and deadly.Firefighters charged into smoke‐filled hallways,carried people down stairwells, and risked theirlives again and again.By morning, the fire was out. Every resident wasalive. By every measure, it was a heroic success.But the fire chief arrived…

2 Samuel 18:19-33 Picture a small-town high school football stadium on aFriday night.The home team wins a huge playoff game. Thescoreboard lights up: HOME 28 – VISITORS 14. Thecrowd erupts. The band plays. Players lift the coach ontheir shoulders.But in the stands, one man doesn’t cheer.He’s staring at the field, searching every group of playerscoming…

2 Samuel 18:1-18 During the American Civil War, in the border region of WestVirginia, two brothers grew up in the same home, prayed atthe same table, and learned the same Scriptures. But whenthe nation split, so did their loyalties. One enlisted in theUnion Army. The other joined the Confederacy.Years after the war, a photograph was…

Luke 23-24, Acts 1:6-11 I heard a story about a woman who was sexually abused as asmall child by her father. She grew up, overcame theemotional damage that had been done, and eventuallymarried a missionary. Years later, after her children were fullygrown, she received a letter from her father telling her hehad become a Christian…

Luke 19:28-46 Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the homeof a wealthy family! The family was rude and refused to letthe angels stay in the mansion’s guest room. Instead theangels were given a small space in the cold basement. Asthey made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw ahole…

Luke 18:31-34 A mother was concerned about her kindergarten son,Timmy, walking to school. He didn’t want his motherto walk with him. She wanted to give him the feelingthat he had some independence, but yet know that hewas safe. Her neighbor learned about the mother’s dilemma andoffered to follow the young boy to school in themornings,…

Hebrews 1:1-4 This week I had the privilege of attending Meghan’scommissioning service conducted by the IMB – ourSouthern Baptist International Missionary sendingagency.Over 100 people were being sent out to the ends ofthe earth to preach the gospel to the lost. In one of the buildings there is a wall with the namesof those who have…

2 Samuel 16:1-14 Will Rogers was known for his laughter, but he also knewhow to weep. One day he was entertaining at the MiltonH. Berry Institute in Los Angeles, a hospital thatspecialized in rehabilitating polio victims and people withbroken backs and other extreme physical handicaps. Ofcourse, Rogers had everybody laughing, even patients inreally bad condition;…

2 Samuel 15:1-37 William Booth was greatly stirred by the needs of thepoor of London, and realized that most churches weredoing nothing to reach the “undesirables”—drunkards,morphine addicts, prostitutes, and the poor. He set out toreach them with what he called the 3 S’s: soup, soap andsalvation.Thousands were saved among those that most churcheshad no interest…