life and love
Life can be difficult. At times, burdens, disappointments, and uncertainties can seem too difficult to bear. Poet Annie Johnson Flint poignantly captured the struggles of life in her poem “One Day at a Time”:
the day
Recently, our family took a trip to visit my parents in a distant state. Our two boys love their “Grams” and “Pa,” so they were excited to see their grandparents. They were also excited to miss a week of school, to travel by aircraft, and because we had tickets for all of the guys in the family to attend a local university football game. As you can imagine, my boys counted the days leading up to the trip, something that was both excruciating and immensely exciting for them.
you choose Q: after judgment will we go to heaven or the new earth? Also, will aborted babies be judged?
Q: After judgment, will we go to heaven or the new earth? Also, will the aborted babies be judged? —Daniel
A: The Bible speaks of a final judgment where every human person will stand before God’s “great white throne” (Revelation 20:11-12). Those who do not know Jesus, “anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life” will be…
Jesus changes everything
If Jesus hadn’t entered our world, two things would be true. First, those with the most _________ win. (Fill in the blank with whatever you or your culture happen to value most.) In ancient times, it was those with the most camels, wives, or gold. Today it includes those with the most cash, toys, or Facebook friends. Either way the goal is the same: Get all you can while you can.
roadside theology
Traveling south on a highway, I passed a billboard that presented this ominous message: HELL IS REAL. I agreed with the words, but for some reason that roadside theology lesson didn’t linger in my mind. However, returning north on the same route I was jolted out of highway hypnosis by the words on the flipside of the billboard: JESUS IS REAL. These two truths posted back-to-back made me ask myself, Why doesn’t the reality of hell drive me to share Christ more frequently?
confronting the darkness
“Crazy demons!” Hitting “send” before proofreading, I quickly realized the text my husband received would leave him confused. I had attempted to type out “crazy carline!” to explain my delay in meeting him, but must have hit a few errant letters. Autocorrect on my cell phone took it from there! I have no idea how the text ended up reading “demons” instead of “carline.”
imagine
In 1971, John Lennon wrote a song about heaven and hell. The British public voted ”Imagine” their nation’s favorite song in 1999, and it earned Lennon a Grammy Hall of Fame Award that same year. The song also ranked number 3 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2004). Lennon wrote: “Imagine there’s no heaven. It’s easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us only sky. Imagine all the people. Living for today . . .”
narrow road, eternal life
One of the most prevalent of modern myths is the idea that boundary-less living leads to freedom. A permissive lifestyle may feel free for a time, but it will soon trap us. In ludicrous manner we shout, “I’m free! I’m free!” as we back into a cage and lock the door.
you choose Q: "where do people go after they die?"
Q: Where do people go after death? —Hussein
A: What happens to a person after he dies depends on whether that person is a born-again Christian or not.
The Bible tells us that those who have not believed in Jesus Christ as Savior will suffer eternal condemnation and unending punishment and unspeakable torment in hell forever (2 Thessalonians 1:8-10; Hebrews 10:26-27).…
don’t be cruel
Have you noticed how difficult it is for elected officials to break bad news to their citizens? Numerous countries are drowning in debt, yet most leaders refuse to raise taxes or cut benefits. Figuring that bankruptcy will be the next government’s problem, they happily kick the crisis down the road.
These leaders act like the false prophets in Jerusalem. God…
a friend in dark places
The Gap, a towering, jagged cliff near Australia’s Sydney Harbor, has the notorious distinction of being the spot where many people have gone to commit suicide. A simple invitation from a kindly stranger (“Why don’t you come and have a cup of tea?”), however, has thwarted numerous attempts. For 50 years, Don Ritchie has lived across the street from The…
message from hell
Lately, many voices have arisen trying to discredit, distort, and pervert the truth contained in God's Word about a place called hell. Don't you find it strange that suddenly so many voices are coming out with their argument against the Bible concerning this subject? These "instructors" seem convinced that their personal belief is correct in the face of truth that…
love and hell
"There were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be…
lambs on the lam
Last year, two convicts broke out of a maximum-security prison in Argentina, only to find that they could be easily spotted in the spacious sheep pastures surrounding the penitentiary. So what to do? The duo sneaked into a local ranch and stole some wooly hides that included sheep heads. The fake lambs remained on the lam by hiding among the…
