don't give up
Are you feeling weary, discouraged, weak, or disillusioned in serving God? Well, you’re not alone. That’s where Timothy is when we read 2 Timothy:1-4 and that’s where all of us are some of the time and where some of us are most of the time. When one is involved in the noble fight for the souls of men—going up against…
delight
So constant, faithful, reliable, and unceasing! Your mighty hands uphold me FOREVER! Your strength is unmistakable; it's perfection always uncovered in my devastating weaknesses. Though I wish I could show You the strong person that others see at times; You see past it all! No masks, facade, or coverings. And even still, there You are; my constant, faithful, reliable, and…
gator aid
When Alexis Dunbar returned home, she received a huge surprise. A living, breathing alligator was lurking in her guest bedroom! The 6-foot gator had crawled out of a pond in her backyard and somehow squeezed through a small, swinging door used by Alexis’ cats. Wildlife crews trapped the wounded reptile in a bathroom and subsequently released it back into the…
you choose Q: how can I know the Bible is true?
Q: How do I explain to people who ask me how I know the Holy Bible is true when its been wrote and re-wrote so many times. And it’s the only true message from God? I've told them that it was inspired by God and He's the Almighty protecting His Word. Please help me to help them understand. God Bless…
sweet speech
"She said, ‘I hope you won’t be in my class next year.’ ” One evening during dinner with my kids, I was surprised when my 9-year-old randomly shared an incident that had taken place at school. Being a curious child, he had been playing with a door lock while waiting in line for lunch when a teacher—in an attempt to…
prayer for the sheep
The Psalms are diverse prayers. The Psalter (the name for all the Psalms collected together) is a prayer and song book. Whatever we learn from a psalm, whatever questions raised or answers given—we must never forget that it is first a prayer. It contains intimate words spoken to God.
Psalms have been prayed to God for thousands of years. Israel prayed…
you choose Q: is the KJV version of the Bible the only true one?
Q: With all the new versions the Bible, is it true that the Kings James Version (KJV) is the real one? Just found out that the New International Version (NIV) omits and changes a lot of the original version—the way God first had it written. It’s scary how subtle the devil works in deceiving us . . . but why…
monday to friday
The words must have sounded naïve. I wonder if Peter even stifled a snicker. After a long, exhausting—and ultimately unsuccessful—night’s work, he was thinking of a hot breakfast and a comfortable bed. The last thing he needed was some rabbi telling him how to do his job.
It was early morning. Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, and others had just…
loving through prayer
How many of you have experienced trying to care for someone but not truly being able to do it? I have, and it’s taken place over the past few days. I’m in Australia studying while my girlfriend in Singapore is running a high temperature and feeling badly. It’s like when you’re in the hospital, standing beside your loved one and…
March 26, 2012
Movie director James Cameron fulfilled a dream of his last weekend—journeying seven miles below the surface of the sea to the Mariana Trench, the earth's deepest point. What’s a dream of yours that you’re praying will come to fruition one day?
wasted brainwaves
I chatted with a close friend while standing in line at a local coffeehouse. But then a sliver of worry pierced the moment. It had been several hours since I left home. I wondered if I had been away too long. I pictured my kids wailing and unhappy. The “what ifs” started rolling. Seconds later, I spotted a sign above…
unaware
Chuck Colson tells the story of Ron Greer, an ex-convict who was rehabilitated through Colson’s Prison Fellowship ministry. Greer, who became a pastor after serving his time, was once interrupted by a group of gay activists as he was conducting a church service. The activists were disrespectful and disruptive. They shouted obscenities and urinated on the restroom floors. They even went…
reversal
The Erie County Correctional Facility recently experienced a role reversal in guard-inmate relations. It took place when an inmate broke up a fight between two correctional officers who were fighting over a bag of potato chips!
For many years, storytellers and audiences have enjoyed stories that include reversals—tales that follow characters from one extreme to the other. The Bible is…
waiting to adopt
Few things are as beautiful as witnessing an orphaned child’s transformation when he or she is adopted into a loving and nurturing home. Each time I see a parentless boy or girl move from a state of starvation to good nutrition, from despair to hope, from abandonment to community, I hear the truth of Psalm 68:6 ring out, “God places…
you choose Q: what does the Bible say about the roles of the pastor and the congregation?
Q: What does the Bible say about the roles of the pastor and the congregation in the church? —Freddie
A: The clearest explanation is found in Ephesians 4:11-16, where Paul says that Jesus has gifted his church with various leaders—including “pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body…
