The Restoration Promise
Uncle Mark (not his real name) had his big toe removed because his arteries had become blocked after years of smoking 60 cigarettes a day. My husband and I used the traumatic event to talk to our kids about the consequences of destructive habits. We realized just how much Uncle Mark’s story had impacted them when a few days later we heard our son telling another family member to quit smoking or his big toe would need to be cut off!
staying on track
In 2013, a train carrying 218 people derailed in Spain, killing 79 and injuring 66 more. Though the train’s engineer said he couldn’t explain why the accident occurred, video footage provided answers. The train was going as fast as 119 mph before it hit the deadly curve—more than twice the speed limit for that section of track. So it wasn’t just the speed that caused the accident. It was the combination of the speed and the location of the track. The boundary of the speed limit was created for the protection of the passengers, but the seasoned engineer ignored it, and it led to tragedy.
making Jesus angry
My wife rarely gets angry, and in that way she’s my complete opposite. But that also means that when she does get mad, I pay very close attention because only something significant gets her worked up.
a stone’s throw
The teachers of the law stormed into the temple and interrupted Jesus’ teaching by thrusting a woman in front of the crowd. They said to Him, “This woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” (John 8:4-5).
families and pendulums
My middle-aged friend was struggling to value his local church. He was raised in a home that emphasized a personal relationship with God but didn’t care much for organized religion. When his parents were younger, their church had stopped preaching the gospel, so they became suspicious of all churches. They passed their skepticism on to their son. I’m hoping he won’t overcorrect and allow corporate worship to replace his own time in prayer and reading God’s Word.
outdated?
In 2012, Encyclopedia Britannica declared that information has been changing so rapidly that their encyclopedias were quickly outdated. So instead of focusing on physical books, they’ve made the decision to focus on digital editions. “A printed encyclopedia is obsolete the minute that you print it,” said the president of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Whereas our online edition is updated continuously.”
April 15, 2013
How has God helped you overcome legalism in your life?
serve your oppressor
A few years ago some young men stole my car. They crashed it, damaging it beyond repair, and I was never compensated for it. I even had to pay to have the car towed away from the crash site! By rights, those thieves should have replaced what they stole.
laws of love
Driving to work one day, I had a revelation. I realized that speed limits had been set to protect me and those around me, not to hamper my freedom or prove that I was a lawbreaker. If I sped and lost control of my car I could hurt myself, the lady driving toward me, or the man on the sidewalk. The traffic laws are in place because human life is valuable and should be protected.
you choose Q: what can we do on the Lord's Day (Sunday)?
Q: Can we attend interviews or exams on the Lord’s Day? —Samuel
A: The Christian church came into existence during a time when the Gentile world did not recognize a day of rest or worship. Pagans observed holidays and times of religious celebration, but they had no weekly day of rest or worship. Consequently, Christians in the Roman Empire had to…
obedience
Christmas has come and gone. The decorations that decked the shopping malls and churches have been taken down. And the Christmas tree in your living room has probably been dumped outside. The festivities and revelry may be over for us, but after Jesus’ birth Joseph and Mary observed three ceremonies out of obedience to God’s laws (Luke 2:21-24,39).
When he…
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…
trumping tradition
It’s tough when tradition trumps family. Daman Rao knows this bitter reality only too well. Born in a small south Asia village to a family steeped in superstitious tradition, he was despised and mistreated by them for simply being the fifth child and a boy.
Fortunately, as Daman grew into his teens, he was befriended by believers in Jesus and…
ultimate allegiance
Read the first 8 chapters of the gospel of John and you get the distinct impression that inaccurate views of two men—Moses and Abraham—stood in the way of many first-century Jews believing in Jesus. For instance:
• Jesus heals a lame man on the Sabbath (5:8-10). The Pharisees charge Jesus with breaking the Mosaic Law (vv.10,16,18). Moses remained their authority even…
made by faith
What happens when you take 13 non-Christians and get them to live by the Bible's instruction for 3 weeks? The UK reality TV series Make Me a Christian attempted to answer that question last year.
The contestants included an atheist biker and a lesbian schoolteacher. They were mentored by four clergy—an Anglican, a Catholic, an Evangelical, and a Pentecostal. Though this…
