dying to live
"How’s your dad?” a colleague asked me.
“Struggling to die,” I replied. My 84-year-old dad has endured the painful debilitating effects of liver cancer for 2 years. Doctors have told me and my family to be prepared for his inevitable demise. So as he lies on that hospital bed, I feel his pain. In a weak voice, he recently said,…
behind the scenes
One of the things I appreciate about the Old Testament book of Esther is that God’s name isn’t mentioned in it—not even once. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not losing my belief in God! For me, the book’s omission of God’s name is a great reminder that even though He might appear to be absent, God is still present, quietly…
the law of faith
John 11:23-26: Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never ever die. Do you believe…
always true
Walking past me with a noticeable lump in his shirt, my son tried to act nonchalant as he hurried through the room. Not realizing how obvious he looked, he dropped his head and pulled out a pair of scissors when I asked him what he was hiding. Because he had taken to “redesigning” things in his room, we had banned…
June 20, 2011
How do you feel modern psychology and biblical theology function together and how should they not intersect?
rude and racist?
Jesus could be harsh at times. He called Pharisees “whitewashed tombs” (that is, nice on the outside, disgusting within); He called Herod a “fox”; He even called Peter “Satan” (Matthew 23:27; Luke 13:32; Mark 8:33). Yes, Jesus could be forthright—but rude and racist? Some think today’s story proves so. Jesus was hiding in a home in the region of Tyre…
passion for people
A woman in her 70s has become a local celebrity in China due to her energetic efforts as a volunteer traffic cop. Granny Cai, as she is affectionately known, risks her life on a daily basis to make sure that both drivers and pedestrians obey the traffic rules on a busy road close to her home. She says, “I am…
remembering fathers - father's day 2011
Born as Ewe Haw with a quaint curl,
at Penang Free School, he studied;
baptized at marriage as Michael,
excel in insurance he did.
When at seventy four, dad died,
it was Friday, almost midnight,
twenty eleven, April fifteenth—
linked to three machines, he was seen.
For three days and two nights, the wake lasted,
at Batu Gantong, dad was cremated.
His remains emptied from the boat into the sea,
near…
the judgment seat of Christ
Matthew 7:21-23: Not everyone who calls out to Me, “Lord! Lord!” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to Me, “Lord! Lord! We prophesied in Your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name.”…
treasure
Several years ago, I discovered our son Seth sitting in our comfy khaki chair with a theology book in hand. He held the book in front of him, staring at the pages. He would not be distracted. It was quite serious; he was reading. Mind you, Seth was 2 years old.
I can’t imagine what Seth believed he was “reading.”…
value patience
Hebrews 10:36: Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.
When a woman conceives, typically she must wait forty weeks for her baby to develop, and then she can deliver her child. The writer of Hebrews touches on this principle in his letter to…
let it run
One truly thrilling moment in sports is the last quarter mile of a horse race, when “down the stretch they come!” Spectators are mildly interested in the initial legs of the race, as the horses jockey for position and conserve their energy for the home stretch. But their roar is deafening when the horses turn the final corner and break…
tears
Frankie Valli is known for a song back in the 1960’s titled “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Remember? Can you hear his whining cry, “yii, yii, yii?” If you’re too young, you might not know this one. You can check it out on YouTube: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. It might be a catchy tune, but I’m here to tell…
incomparable glory
1 Peter 4:1-2: So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude He had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will…
touch
Kiley had ventured outside her home country only once in her 18 years. So when she had the chance to go to Kenya to help with a medical mission, she was thrilled—and a little uneasy. After all, she didn’t have any real medical experience.
As she provided basic medical care in a remote village, she met a woman with elephantiasis.…
