June 30, 2009
The Bible says, "Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God" ( 1 Peter 2:12). How are you striving to live out this instruction?
marvelous
Last year, the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Summer Olympics were spectacular. The 17 days of competition, full of world-record-shattering performances, were sensational. But were the 2008 Summer Games marvelous?
Before answering, first consider what the word marvelous means. The American Heritage Dictionary defines marvelous as: (1) Causing wonder or astonishment. (2) Miraculous; supernatural. Webster's Dictionary says marvelous means: (1) Exciting wonder or surprise; astonishing;…
15 cents
Back in the day when I played high school sports, I wanted a new baseball glove. I found the glove I wanted in a local sporting goods store and diligently saved up my money. But when the day came for the purchase, I was 15 cents short. I hadn't accounted for the sales tax.
The store owner told me I…
the God who sees
Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) are distress devices built for people involved in land-based outdoor activities. They transmit radio signals that are detected by 12 Earth-orbiting satellites. The satellites relay signals to ground stations that process and determine the beacon location and to whom it belongs. The information is then relayed to search and rescue (SAR).
As useful as this device…
same address
A Japanese man living alone in the city of Fukoka noticed that food was disappearing from his fridge. So he installed a security camera which showed someone moving around inside his house while he was away. When the police investigated, they found a 58-year-old woman that had been living in a tiny storage space in the house for almost a…
June 26, 2009
Michael Jackson was a paradox—an amazing talent on stage and in the studio, while frequently exhibiting bizarre behavior when not performing. What can we learn from his life?
feasting or fasting
Recently, I was asked to teach on the subject of fasting. I knew I was dealing with a subject that is not practiced a whole lot these days. What's more, I live in a country where the national pastime is eating. Let's face it—we all love our edibles. So it's kind of strange to talk about fasting to a group…
grace and gratitude
Martin Luther wanted to quit. His congregation in Wittenberg, having learned that Luther's gospel promised forgiveness for any and all sin, had stopped attending services and giving to the ministry and had started indulging in greed, lust, and booze. A frustrated Luther threatened to go on strike if they didn't change their ways. He declared, "You absolutely unthankful beasts, unworthy…
respectful disobedience?
The ongoing violence in Iran, following the disputed reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is a sad reminder of the importance of godly leadership and governance. We, as believers in Jesus, are called to respect our government and those in authority over us (Romans 13:1-7). This includes honoring the positions of our leaders and obeying laws that are just.
But should we…
because you are here
"Fine. I'll take care of it myself." With a clipped tone, I ended the conversation and snapped my cell phone shut. Realizing I had done the very thing I had not wanted to do, my frustration increased. Not 30 minutes earlier, I had shared with a friend how God was teaching me to trust my husband's heart rather than reacting.…
dying for life
"Some men can't be bullied or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn." —Alfred the Butler
Those words, from last summer's mega-blockbuster movie The Dark Knight speak of motive. Like me, you may wonder what motivates real terrorists to strap on explosives and self-detonate—blowing up others in acts of terrorism that some call martyrdom.
The writer of…
June 22, 2009
As a believer in Jesus, how important is it for you to follow news from around the world?
the foolishness we find
I'm not into Christian T-shirts, but I recently saw one I'd like to own. Walking downtown in our city, I passed an elderly man with this caption across his chest:
Step Back and Let Jesus Do What He Do
Bad grammar aside, that's a pretty good thought. All the evil and sadness and poverty and darkness in our world ought to…
most important?
If you've been a believer in Jesus for a while, you can probably easily answer the following question: "Which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?" (Matthew 22:36). The answer Jesus gave? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind" (v.37).
But is that commandment truly the most important…
June 20, 2009
Many people will celebrate Father's Day this weekend. In what ways does your earthly father remind you of your heavenly Father?
