the five solas
On October 31, the US, UK, and many European countries celebrate Halloween. Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic Samhain festival, where it is believed that on this day, the boundary between the living and the dead dissolved. Subsequently, the dead could cause problems such as sickness for the living. Halloween is now a multimillion-dollar industry for retailers.
But…
hectic sluggard
Lazy? Not me. I’m busy. Up early, up late. My schedule is filled from beginning to end. I love what I do and I love getting stuff done. I attack a daily to-do list with the same intensity I play basketball.”
I couldn’t identify more with these words written by Christian blogger C. J. Mahaney. It’s great to keep busy…
writing creed
I’m currently reading Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson, and I was greatly challenged by the author to strive for greater
heights in my writing.
Below is a writing creed that I came up with. Much of the thoughts are borrowed from the book.
My writing creed:
1. Holy Scripture is the source document, the authoritative font. I believe the Bible…
God's grand pursuit
The news story was the kind of breathtaking romance you would expect to see on the big screen. Patrick Moberg spotted a stunningly beautiful woman across the crowded Manhattan subway station, but he wasn’t able to reach her. In desperation, Moberg created a Web site (www.nygirlofmydreams.com) and began a search across New York City, looking for the girl whom he…
October 28, 2009
What's your take on Halloween? Is it okay for a believer in Jesus to enjoy the costumes and candy? Can it be used to glorify God and show His love to others?
what they don't tell you
Here’s what they don’t tell you about having kids. Your three-year-old (bless his heart) will attract every germ in the universe. He will get sick and cough on everything in your house. Before he recovers, your four-month-old daughter will catch his runny nose, sore throat and temperature. Then she will develop a cough that is just too scary for an…
something to last
For years, Greg Mann worked hard to share the good news of Jesus with people in the remote rainforest region of Guyana. He had overseen the building of several churches in areas accessible only by canoe. But Greg began to sense that his churches were stagnant.
Then he started encountering health problems that seriously curtailed his ability to work. So…
sky-high
The scrolling message on the TV screen warned us to take cover immediately, and the shadowy sky confirmed we were in for one whopper of a storm. The power flickered on and off. I grabbed a flashlight and carted my 9-month-old son down into the basement.
When I anxiously called my husband at work, he picked up but quickly asked…
hair
Snipped. Snipped. Off went the long tresses. It took me so long to get it to this length; did I make the right choice in cutting it short?
As I flipped the magazine covers and pored at the beautiful hairdos, I wondered: Oh, it would be lovely to have that crown of glory.
But when I walked on the streets…
rising full moon
One of the most magnificent sights in nature is the rising of a full moon. It’s bright and majestic and it looks absolutely huge as it ascends in the night sky!
As a full moon hovers just above the horizon, it appears much larger than normal. The “moon illusion,” as it’s known, is an optical illusion that tricks our eyes…
loving Jesus
Jesus left earth long before we got here. And despite His alleged appearances over the years, none of us have seen Him. So how can we love someone whom we have never met? Jesus addressed this issue the night before He died.
He promised that He would return in the form of His Spirit to live with us forever. So…
He will meet your needs
A man fell into a ditch and several people responded: The realist said, “That’s a ditch.” “Things will get better,” chirped the optimist. The news reporter offered, “I will pay you for an exclusive about life in the ditch.” “Did you get a permit for that ditch?” inquired the police officer. And the mathematician eagerly uttered, “I can calculate the…
what we wear
I once knew a guy who liked to say, “The clothes make the man.” He dressed impeccably and enjoyed strutting into meetings in his fine-tailored trappings. Sadly, his personal and professional life later unraveled—revealing a very tattered and torn character within.
In Revelation 19, we see two drastically different styles of dress. In preparation for the wedding of the Lamb,…
being satisfied
Biju Thampy, a young man from India, knew poverty. When an unidentified benefactor sent him to England to be trained for the ministry, Thampy was unwilling to rest in comfort. Hungry for the realization of the Great Commission, he asked the school officials to use part of the funds from his meal provisions for missions. For him, eating only one…
October 21, 2009
What passage in the Bible is confusing to you? Why does it leave you wondering?
