Weighing Philippians 1:21 “To Live Is Christ”

by Kevin Burton    When people think of you, what comes first to their mind? Or asked another way, what should  go into the first paragraph of your obituary?    I’m asking these questions today in the context of devotion to Christ, and Phil. 1:21 where the Apostle Paul writes “For to me to live …

Lessons In Life, Death And A Glorious Hope

by Kevin Burton    In a nursing home there is life and there is death. Both are palpable, as ever before. But in all our salad days, we didn’t notice.    We were young, we were strong, energetic and smart. We were even hip, and sophisticated – well not quite sophisticated – but surely driving …

Jesus Can Heal Your Hurt, Even Church Hurt

by Kevin Burton    I have a friend, more of a Facebook friend really, who I wish would read these words. Chances are, you know someone is her position.    The person I am thinking of could not be any more dynamic, energetic, positive, intelligent. Some people just have that charisma that makes them stand …

Be Thankful To God, Stop Complaining

by Kevin Burton    I caught myself in a lie last week. Christmas music, in a manner of speaking, revealed it to me.    Stay with me here.    I have heard people talk about when it was OK to begin playing Christmas music each year, after Thanksgiving, end of November, whatever. But I haven’t …

Love To You Who Are Grieving On Christmas

by Kevin Burton    It’s deeply upsetting to me that my mother was in a hospital, alone on Christmas Eve, in what could easily be her last Christmas season.    There isn’t a phone in her room and I don’t believe she grabbed her cell phone for an emergency trip to ER Monday night. So …

Christmas “Reax”: Go Now, With Haste

by Kevin Burton    Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, the long-awaited Savior of the world. We wrap it in things that don’t matter a whit. But Jesus is the whole story.    He’s the whole story all the time by the way, not just at Christmas.     The story of the birth …

More Quiz Questions About The Birth Of Jesus

by Kevin Burton    Thanks to my friend Tracy for sending the quiz questions about the birth of Jesus we ran on Page 7 yesterday and are completing today.    There are popular Christmas traditions and carols that play fast and loose with the actual truth of the birth of the Savior. It’s important to …

Test Your Knowledge Of The Birth of Jesus

by David LangerfeldThe Daily Encourager    How well do you know the Biblical story of Jesus’ birth? Do you know what’s really in the scriptures, or have you assumed some things about the story from all the Christmas stories you’ve read and Christmas plays you’ve seen?    Take the following IQ Quiz. See how well …

The Spiritual Danger Of Procrastination

by Kevin Burton    Twice on Page 7 I have taken a light-hearted look at procrastination, in essence winking at the practice.    No real harm if all we’re talking about is cleaning out the garage.    In the spiritual realm however, putting off important decisions can go from the comedic to the tragic. And …

The Apostle Paul Says “Dress For Success”

by Kevin Burton    Some of us, as high school seniors, went to classes called “College Prep.,” and what an honor that was. Somebody thought we were “college material.”     One of my teachers, can’t remember which one, clued me in on what might be coming just around the corner by getting creative with my …