[325 words] Having been convicted of murdering Botham Jean, a member of the Dallas West church of Christ, the last thing Amber Guyger probably expected to hear at her sentencing were the words “I forgive you” from a member of the victim’s family. After reading a statement which expressed forgiveness and even a wish that...
[320 words] The apostle Peter, in the early part of his second letter, gives emphasis to the importance of Christians being diligent in the development of spiritual qualities. How diligent did he want them to be? He urges, “…giving all diligence…” (2 Pet. 1:5). Later, he adds, “…be even more diligent…” (2 Pet. 1:12). Since...
[310 words] Over the years, many great phrases and hand gestures have been adopted by anti-Christian people as terms of derision and hate. The most recent has been a gesture I’ve used all my life: the “OK hand gesture.” It’s a simple gesture, you make an “O” with the forefinger and the thumb and the...
[316 words] In your Bible reading, do you ever come across something that doesn’t fit into your theology? The margins of my daily reading Bible are full of my comments, references, and a few question marks. The question marks mean that I don’t know God as well as I need to. They say, “Your theology...
[307 words] Peace can be defined as “tranquility, harmony, or security.” Depending on the situation, it could also mean “prosperity” or “well-being.” The different forms of the word peace are found 429 times in the King James Version of the Bible. There are also different types of peace: false peace, inner peace, peace with God,...
[347 words] I am thankful each day to rise and participate in life. However, I am seeing more and more of my family, friends, and those who have meant so much to me pass away. We know grief and death are part of life (Hebrews 9:27), but I think we all yearn to spend more...
[318 words] We’ve all probably heard the adage that the majority of communication is nonverbal. This notion is from Dr. Albert Mehrabian, author of the book Silent Messages. In his research, he found that only 7 percent of any message is conveyed through words, the rest (38 percent through certain vocal elements and 55 percent...
[333 words] The phenomenon is called “shikadamari“ in Japanese. A loose translation would be, “deer gathering spot.” A large population of free-roaming deer live in and around the Japanese city of Nara, spending most of their time in the city park. Every summer evening at around 6:30, over 600 deer gather in the same spot...
[329 words] Do you know what you look like when you dress like the world? The world. Do you know what you sound like when you speak like the world? The world. Do you know what you “smell” like when you commune with the world? The world. Do you know what you become like when...
[341 words] God created fish and all the things that live in the water on the fifth day. “And God said, ‘Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.’ So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with...
[334 words] Today, there are some who would label the first several chapters of the Bible as “myth.” They do not want to believe that God created the universe, the earth or mankind. They do not believe in the worldwide flood. Interestingly, our Lord Jesus Christ and the beloved Apostle Paul believed that these events...
[338 words] When we sing songs that we’ve sung for years, we often have a temptation to “shift our brains into neutral” and cease thinking about the words and messages; about the benefits and recipients of those messages we sing! God wants singing to be a part of His worship (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Heb....
[371 words] “And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes. 54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire” (Mark 14:53-54)....
[371 words] Working hard all day at a physical activity leads to a tiredness we can all relate to. We all know the relief of being able to finally sit down and rest. The great thing about physical tiredness is that usually after a time of rest we feel better and are able to return...
[306 words] Yesterday, I ate my first apricot off of our tree. My wife and I have an apricot tree on the side of our house. The previous owners planted it, but we’ve tried to nurture it. Despite the windstorms and a tornado, we still have a nice crop of the fruit (which I love)....
[353 words] One blade of grass at a time. That’s how the last remaining Inca rope bridge is rebuilt every year. The Q’eswachaka bridge spans the Apurimac river in the Cusco region of Peru. For 600 years, communities from both sides of the bridge have been assembling to cut down the old bridge and rebuild...
[351 words] VBS is here! It is one of my favorite times of year. It’s exciting to see really creative and talented minds that shine in making a great experience for our kids. It is an opportunity to really “think outside the box” and to make a lasting impression on these kids about Jesus. Even...
[326 words] Not an hour fades from the clock that doesn’t find us thinking about, missing, or longing to be with our friends, neighbors, family members, or spouse that has already passed away. We know the void we have is a result of the deep love we shared. We are confident in the expectation of...
[353 words] More knocking on doors and less knocking on each other. The great commission demands that we busy ourselves in taking the gospel to others (Mark 16:15). The Bible says, “speak not evil of one another” (James 4:11). It is so much better to be busy doing good rather than evil. More sound heads...
[313 words] It is hard to say you love discipline when in the middle of it. Young and old people alike find it hard to appreciate discipline, yet we yearn for knowledge. How do you react when someone critiques your work, when a friend calls you out on something wrong you have done, when a...
[342 words] In a time of great trial and agony for Jesus, He lacked support from his closest disciples. Luke records that in the garden, Jesus prayed earnestly; “And when he rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and He said to them, Why are you sleeping?...
[329 words] “There they crucified Him” (Luke 23:33). At the heart of the gospel is a cross. Three important events took place at the cross. Jesus died there. Matthew says that Jesus “Yielded up His spirit” (27:50). Luke says “He breathed His last” (23:46), John said the soldiers who examined the body of Jesus at...
[375 words] A red flag is a warning signal. Thus, “to plant a red flag,” has become a figure of speech meaning to give a warning. In this article, I would like to “plant a red flag” in all our minds on the subject of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. I realize that this is one...
[336 words] The Sermon on the Mount is the greatest sermon ever preached. We admire it, and quote it. But do we really follow it? I would say most of the time, yes. But there are some difficult things contained in it that challenge us today. In his sermon, Jesus tells his audience, “You have...
[357 words] “Did you do your homework?” I’m very proud of you!” “Do you need anything?” “I love you.” “Can you hold this light for me?” These are just a few of the words I can still hear my father saying to me. Although my father has been gone for 24 years, I can still...
[308 words] Maggie Vasquez, who has cerebral palsy, wasn’t going to get to go on the annual school camping trip as her wheelchair and walker wouldn’t work on the rugged terrain of the forest where the group would be hiking. One of Maggie’s teachers, Helma Wardenaar, was determined that the ten-year-old would go on the...
[386 words] There is more than one way to defeat an army. Head-on clashes with the enemy work – if you’re stronger. A sneakier approach is to cut off the enemy’s supply lines. This tactic has been used for centuries. Soldiers need food, medical supplies, and ammunition. If you can find a way to disrupt...
[380 words] We have all read the horror stories of terrible things that have happened to people. The horrors of war. The horrors of being kidnapped. The horrors of years of abuse. The horrors of dealing with a disease. The horrors of addiction to drugs or alcohol. There things are terrible. We would never discount...
[328 words] We are in a time where the lines of morality are blurred. The Bible is plain when it comes to who is to marry (one man and one woman), how children are to be parented (by both parents), and how children are to respond to their parents (reflecting Godly parenting). We should be...
[391 words] One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about teaching is witnessing the “a-ha!” moment. It is when the student has the lightbulb go on and suddenly a mysterious concept becomes plain to them. The teacher has just opened the door for the student, and the student now has the keys themselves. There is...
[301 words] Man-made religions grow due to entertainment worship and an acceptance of feel-good philosophy. Once faithful Christians have exchanged truth for fiction. The Hebrew writer says, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away (2:1). Ignoring God’s commands will cause the once faithful to...
[304 words] William Jennings Bryan wrote of a visit he made to a restaurant in which he ordered a slice of watermelon. He writes, “I was so pleased with the taste of the melon that I took the seeds home with me to plant in my garden. That night a thought came to my mind....
[338 words] Science says that we need 4 basic things in order for us to survive: 1) Water, 2) Air, 3) Food, 4) Light. Jesus has the perfect water. “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and...
[396 words] Is it wrong to not use an instrument of music in worship service? Is it wrong to not drink alcohol? Is it wrong to attend every church service? Now the opposite of these topics often draw many articles and lesson, as people are curious to find out the limits. But one rarely claims...
[315 words] Come Out and PlayGeorge knocked on the door of his friend’s house. When his friend’s mother answered he asked, “can Albert come out to play?”“No,” said the mother, “it’s too cold.”“Well, then,” said George, “can his football come out to play?” Three Gifts for MomThree sons left home, went out on their own...
[366 words] If I called you a Nimrod, how would you feel? If you are like most people you would probably feel insulted. The popular definition for a nimrod is an inept person, an oaf, a moron, an ignoramus. The original name Nimrod really meant to be a skillful mighty hunter. Its origin is found...
[396 words] Working your way through the major or minor prophets, where God is rebuking His people, it can become tedious to read. However, as one reads along, a reader will invariably come across an “if-then” statement. A good Bible student will note and highlight these if-then statements because they indicate application of God’s word...
[343 words] The practice of desensitization by saturation is very common one. Just take a moment and look back in your life and compare your past to what is allowed and permitted in our culture today. I understand that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1:9) and the sin we deal with today...
[303 words] The people of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. Yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel” (Joshua 17:16). When the land of Canaan was being divided, the descendants of...
[381 words] During a time of David’s kingship, Absalom, his son, plotted a revolt against the throne. In a short time, Absalom gathered quite a force, and David decided to flee Jerusalem. Absalom and his army hotly pursued him. No doubt this was a distressing time for David. There are surely times in which we...
