“…the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague [Hebrew meaning: an infliction of disease] shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land…” Exodus 12:13 “I will pass over you.”…
Author: Pangburn Pulpit
Wrestling With the Darkness
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light,…
A House of Prayer or A Den of Thieves? – Part Two
When Jesus came to this planet over two thousand years ago, He encountered a rather mixed environment. Many of the people were open to Him and eager to hear what He had to say. But most of the others, consisting of a mixture of Jewish rulers, lawyers and scribes, despised Him because He taught the…
A House of Prayer or A Den of Thieves? – Part One
The world at the time of Jesus’ birth was a rough place spiritually. There had been no word from God (apart from what was already written in the Old Testament) for over four hundred years. The land of the Jews was under Roman rule and their temple was being rebuilt by King Herod. The Jewish…
The Way to God
Which road of life are you traveling on today? Your life’s journey will end one day, and then you will go into eternity. Is the road you currently are on the right road that God set out for you? Or is it that other, broad road mentioned in the Bible—the one that appears so deceptively…
Take the Slack Out of Your Anchor Line
The shoreline around the bay was littered with all types and sizes of boats, the result of two severe storms that had recently hit the region back to back. As Marco and his friend Lee surveyed the damage, they spotted a sailboat that had slammed up against a large tree not far from them. Marco…
Why Give if You Gripe?
In his much-loved classic, A Christmas Carol, author Charles Dickens portrayed his leading character, Ebenezer Scrooge, as a miserly and uncompassionate old man who focused exclusively on the prosperity of his own business. Permitting his sole employee to add an additional piece of coal for just an ounce of warmth in his office he considered…
First God—Then Ourselves
VS. It is so easy to get our priorities mixed up in this life we live these days. Praying, reading the Bible, and going to church are fine and good—but when we have bills to pay, food to put on the table, and clothes to take care of, then surely God can wait for just…
Do You Ignore the Results of Your Self-Check?
Every time we start a vehicle, either one or a series of tests will run automatically and evaluate its operating condition. We will often see several indicators briefly illuminated on the dashboard, or a central display will give us various information about the status of the engine, electrical system, transmission, etc. Sometimes an indicator will…
He Went Out of His Way
The man was sitting beside a small, recently fallen, tree near the woods at the edge of town. His hand gripped his chest constantly and a grimace showed on his face. He was obviously in great pain. His other hand rose occasionally, feebly waving in an attempt to motion for help. A woman sat nearby,…
