voice of faith
The news was numbing. The tears came so quickly that she couldn’t fight them. Her mind raced with questions, and fear threatened to overwhelm her. Life was going along well, when it was abruptly interrupted and forever changed without warning.
worth the wait
Everybody is waiting for something. What are you waiting for—employment, marriage, family peace? Imagine having to wait centuries for the fulfillment of a promise, but there was no evidence that it would be fulfilled. This was the spiritual and emotional climate during the time Jesus was born. People were waiting for God to fulfill the promise of restoration through the Messiah, but the political, social, and spiritual darkness concealed any evidence that God would keep His promise. Many people became weary of being righteous. Yet, there was a man who continued to wait and trust in God’s promise (Luke 2:25).
on the fence
Picture a car perched atop a metal fence—the front end on one side and the back bumper on the other side. Law enforcement agents discovered this unlikely scene when they foiled an attempt by smugglers to cross the US border from Mexico illegally. Two men had driven up ramps to the top of the 14-foot fence, and hoped to drive the car down the same way to their desired destination. When the border agents arrived on the scene, the men fled.
October 28, 2013
What’s the most challenging issue in your life and why?
saving rahab
The RQ-170 Sentinel is a sophisticated, secretive, unmanned stealth aircraft used to collect intelligence before and during military operations. It’s believed that this spy drone played a critical role in surveilling the compound in Pakistan where Osama bin Laden was hiding in the months before he was killed.
suffering for good
Within the span of just 20 minutes last December, four Pakistani women were shot and killed in the city of Karachi. A fifth woman was shot in the city of Peshawar. To make the situation even more horrific, these women were medical staff, implementing a polio vaccine program organized by the UN. A spokesman for the Karachi police explained to the BBC how “these were pre-planned and coordinated attacks in various localities.”
power of forgiveness
What would you do follow God? Love others? Absolutely. Sell your possessions and give the money to the poor? Done. What about forgiving the person who wronged you? Hmm. That’s a tough one. Are you sure I have to?
you choose Q: should i keep praying?
Q: I pray for people at my church. How long is too long to continue praying for someone? If you constantly feel the need is it okay to continue? —Donna
A: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for,” Jesus promised in Matthew 7:7. Knowing that we lack endurance and can be easily distracted and often discouraged, Jesus…
take a stand
Home-field advantage is no myth. According to Tobias J. Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim, in their book “Scorecasting,” the home team wins more often than the visiting team. Why? The writers state: “Officials’ bias is the most significant contribution to home-field advantage.” The officials respond to the pressure from the fans because they don’t like to get booed. When the contests are close, the officials tend to make calls that favor the home team.
thank you, friends
Albert Lee, former international director of RBC Ministries—the parent ministry of ODJ—was instrumental in helping the organization to establish offices in 32 locations and to distribute resources to more than 150 countries. On his 60th birthday, he penned these words, “As I reflect on the past 60 years of my life, my story could be summarized with these two words: greatly helped.”
drift
Adrian Vasquez frantically waved from his tiny fishing boat. A cruise ship was within eyesight! After their boat’s engine had failed, Adrian and two friends had been adrift for days on the ocean, far from their Panamanian town. Some passengers aboard the cruise ship spotted the three and told crewmembers. But, inexplicably, the ship didn’t stop to help the three fishermen. When Adrian was finally rescued by a different ship 2 weeks later, tragically both of his friends had perished.
fallen
Because we had moved before, I didn’t consider it unusual when my dad decided to find another position and relocate us to a new city. Just 12 years old, I hated leaving the friends and life I knew, but I accepted the idea that God was calling us to something new. I didn’t know the real reason for our departure until years later. With many aware of his infidelity, our lead pastor had been engaged in a long-term adulterous affair. In good conscience, my dad, an associate pastor, could no longer remain.
October 21, 2013
How has God helped you deal with fear?
it’s not about me
Tim Keller asks, “Is the Bible basically about me and what I must do? Or is it basically about Jesus and what He has done?” The pastor and author asks us to consider the familiar account of David and Goliath. We tend to view that story as an example of how God can help us slay the metaphorical giants in our lives. Keller suggests that’s a mistake. A story from the gospel of Luke reveals why.
in the open
Last fall, a professional athlete fatally shot his girlfriend during a domestic dispute at home and then took his own life outside his team’s stadium. Following the tragedy, some tried to pin the murder-suicide on a lack of gun control. Others wondered if the concussion the man had suffered weeks earlier or the medication prescribed for it contributed to his actions. One of his teammates, offered perhaps the most insightful thoughts:
