Signs & Wonders Blog

Today is National Superhero Day. The word superhero might conjure up images of Superman, Batman, and other DC Comics or Marvel characters. While growing up, one TV show I watched on Saturday mornings was “Super Friends”, featuring a team of superheroes fighting for justice. However, my favorite superhero was Underdog. I constantly watched this cartoon canine who almost always spoke in rhyme (“There’s no need to fear/Underdog is here”). A few times as a boy, I played Underdog with other kids. I ran around the yard with a towel tied around my neck simulating a cape and wore a ring pretending it contained an Underdog Super Energy Pill. My sister often played the part of Sweet Polly Purebred, Underdog’s damsel in distress. One of the other boys portrayed the villain Simon Bar Sinister. Movies about superheroes often do well at the box office. This would suggest many people desire to be one. Once while ministering at a parade with some friends, I witnessed to a lady dressed as W...

Today is Easter (or “Resurrection Sunday” as some Christians prefer calling it). According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, Easter is “the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ and held between March 21 and April 25, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.” Some Christians avoid using the term Easter because it’s believed to have originated from the name of a goddess associated with spring. However, Easter is mentioned in the King James Bible. Acts 12:4 (KJV) says, “And when he [Herod] had apprehended him [Peter], he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.” Other translations use “Passover” instead of Easter. Just like with Christmas, Easter has pagan practices associated with it. Probably the most famous of which is children receiving candy from a character kn...

Once I heard a story about a pastor’s son who just got his driver’s permit and asked his father about using the family car. His father answered, “Son, I’ll make a deal with you. You bring your grades up, study your Bible more, and get your hair cut. Then we will talk about it.”  Two months later the boy approached his father again about driving the family car. His father said, “Son, I’m proud of you. You have brought your grades up and studied your Bible diligently, but why haven’t you gotten a haircut?” The young man replied, “Samson had long hair. Even Jesus had long hair.”  His father said, “Yes, son…and they walked everywhere they went.” Technically, the pastor’s claim isn’t 100% accurate. On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. People have used that as an excuse to criticize modern-day preachers who drive expensive cars and fly in private jets . If Jesus riding a donkey is supposed to be a sign of humility, then how come these critics don...

As previously stated in this blog, I don’t go to many movies . Still, I want to be supportive of quality faith-based films being shown nationally. Pure Flix previously released a number of successful motion pictures including the “ God’s Not Dead ” series. Their latest production “Unplanned” came out last weekend and finished fourth at the box office. It grossed $6.1 million from only 1,059 theaters. I went to see it two days ago. “Unplanned” is based on the memoir of Abby Johnson, a young Texas woman who worked at Planned Parenthood for eight years. During her tenure there, Abby went through a divorce and two abortions. Later after remarrying, Abby surprisingly found herself pregnant despite using birth control. Although her supervisor suggested otherwise, Abby went through with the pregnancy and gave birth to a daughter. Often when Abby arrived at work, anti-abortion demonstrators had gathered outside her clinic's fence. A few of them made harassing remarks while holdi...