who sinned?
God has told me why your skin cancer hasn’t been healed,” the woman said to my friend. Really? he thought. Having suffered through two failed operations to remove the cancer from his face, my friend was desperate for a reason why. “God has told me it’s one of three things,” she continued. One of three? my friend thought. Even God doesn’t know for sure? “It’s either a generational curse passed down from your parents . . . ” It’s my parent’s fault? “Or it’s a secret sin in your life . . .” Which one? (My friend can be cheeky.) “Or you lack the faith to be healed.”
you choose Q: how can i handle chronic pain?
Q: How do I handle physical body pain over the years even though I've been praying for help ? —Joseph
A: Chronic pain is a challenge that has a great impact on every aspect of life. There's no simple solution for dealing with it. A person in pain must be ready to acknowledge pain’s effects—including the limitations it imposes—but also strive to live as fully as…
God forbid it!
This world is fallen and full of suffering. The decaying of this earth is evident all around us, even though todays science tries to convince us that the earth started out as decay and has progressed to its current “superiority.” Most of our life’s mission is to remove suffering from mankind. We have decided that with enough education and control…
no offense
I’ve been inspired by the book The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons. One of its most profound messages is that Christians who are serious about restoring the broken are not “offended” by their depraved lifestyles. Rather than condemn and pull away from people whose lives are messed up after years of drug abuse, sexual immorality, or greedy materialism, Lyons says we should meet people where they are. This includes reaching out and offering the hope of restoration found in Jesus.
July 22, 2013
What has been the most difficult thing you’ve faced in life and how did God lead you through it?
bring it on
Australian-born evangelist Nick Vujicic entered the world without arms or legs. Throughout his life, he’s had a deep desire for God to make him whole. Nick has even prayed that he would grow appendages. Once, he and some Christian friends fashioned arms and legs out of clay and prayed for the limbs to become flesh. Although it didn’t happen, Nick still prays, “Please give me arms and legs. But if You don’t . . . I trust You.” He says his commitment to Jesus is simply to “want His plan.”
a psalm for the struggle
It was the kind of eatery where you stand in line, place your order, and then step aside to wait for your food to appear. After I did just that, a young man took my place in front of the cash register. He ordered his food by using gestures and broken words. Paying was difficult for him, because one of his wrists was turned so that his fingers pointed back to his body. And walking to a table meant overcoming the uneven function of his legs. This young man struggled physically, yet courageously.
you choose Q: why do Christians die of cancer, while unbelievers live?
Q: Why does it seem like people who are not Christians have cancer and live, and ones who are Christians get cancer and die? I'm confused. —Patricia
A: Some religions teach that the suffering we experience in this life is retribution for things we did in former lives. A big difference between Christianity and these other religions is that it doesn’t…
every breath you take
I had never given much thought to the value of a single breath until I encountered 2-week-old Nicole in an orphanage in East Africa. The tiny infant, who fit in the palm of my hand, was born prematurely, abandoned by her mother in the hospital delivery room, afflicted with meningitis, and plagued with painful bedsores that reached to her frail hipbones.
the little people
They had gathered on the lush, rolling slopes to hear Him. And He stood there on the hill, looking into the eyes of as many of them as He could.
rejecting the red
The world’s biggest sperm bank is turning away redheads. (No, I’m not advocating the use of sperm banks.) Why is Cryos International rejecting “ginger” donors from its ranks? Because not enough clients want red-haired children. In fact, the only country that has a high demand for redheaded donors is Ireland—a land known for people with lovely red locks. Personally, I…
you choose Q: do our problems always occur for God's glory?
Q: We read of Paul’s thorn-in-the-flesh in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Does the apostle Paul mean that whenever a born-again Christian experiences a problem (e.g sickness), that it is to the glory of God? —Michael
A: We live in a sinful and fallen world. Sickness, suffering, and pain are very much a direct and indirect consequence of sin (Genesis 3:17-19, 4:11-12;…
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…
rejoicing in thorns
Amy McDonaugh, a 34-year-old mother of three who is completely blind in her right eye and has severely impaired vision in her left eye, fought off 1,775 competitors to win the Flying Pig Marathon—a popular and enjoyable race. Participating in only her fourth contest, McDonaugh not only beat her fellow runners, but she also showed that her physical challenge would…
