The Promise Of A King
For all his education, Austrian-born psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud couldn't predict how history was going to unfold. When Communist revolutionaries were laying the foundations of Soviet tyranny on the corpses of their own countrymen, Freud wrote, "At a time when great nations are declaring that they expect to find their salvation solely from a steadfast adherence to Christian piety, the upheaval in Russia . . . seems to promise a better future." How mistaken that godless man was!
The Witness Of Suffering
A brilliant philosopher and theologian made this strong statement: "No one was ever saved by apologetics." He wasn't downplaying the importance of being ready to give reasons for our faith. But persuasive arguments aren't enough. People must choose for themselves to believe in Jesus.
Going To The Dentist
Why are so many people afraid of going to the dentist? It may be the result of a bad experience. One woman said of her childhood dentist, "I started getting upset and crying and he said, 'If you don't shut up, I'm going to slap you.'" She now drives 70 miles to The Dental Fears Clinic in Kansas City.
Come As You Are
There's a story about an artist who wanted to paint a picture of the prodigal son (described by Jesus in Luke 15:11-32). He saw an unkempt beggar on the street and asked him to come to his studio and pose.
Lily-Trotters
The jacana is a unique tropical bird. It has spindly legs with long protruding toes, enabling it to skip along on floating weeds or stroll across lily pads. It has been given the nickname "lily-trotter." Even though it is capable of majestic flight, it seems content to move lazily from flower to flower or to drift slowly downstream.
Searching And Finding
God will make Himself known to anyone who sincerely desires to know the truth.
The Nudge Lady
Although Beverly Sklover stands only 4 feet 10 inches tall, she is described as a "towering presence on the telephone." She advertises in a local newspaper as "The Nudge Lady," after the Yiddish word that sounds like "noodge" and stands for a chronic and persistent nag or badgerer.
Part Of The Crew
Have you ever watched a pit crew in action at an auto race? I had the opportunity to be in the pit area during a race, and I was impressed.
Have You Prayed?
Several years ago I moved to England, but I have traveled back to the USA many times, often staying with the same families. One family lived in a farmhouse where a tiny upstairs room always awaited me.
Blessings In Disguise
Early in the springtime, a cardinal chose to build her nest in a hanging basket near an entrance to our house. The mother bird must have thought this was an ideal spot, for she soon began delivering construction materials for her new home. But she didn't realize that it was one of the busiest areas around. By the time Mrs. Cardinal could have laid her eggs and hatched them, she would have been a nervous wreck.
Heaven's Surprises
Scripture gives us only a glimpse of the glory we will share in heaven with our crucified and risen Savior. Just think—no more sorrow, no more death, no more crying, no more pain, for the former things will have passed away! (Rev. 21:4).
Selfish Prayers
Some people see God as a supernatural change-agent who answers their every whim, a kind of divine genie who stands before them to grant their every wish.
Knowing + Obeying = Joy
A woman who had been a staunch church member for years was asked, "Tell me, just what do you believe?" She replied, "I believe what my church believes."
Joshua's Challenge
Call it the Showdown at Shechem. Joshua gathered the people of Israel at this town so he could give them the challenge of their lives.
Keeping On Course
Two men had been out deep-sea fishing when night began to fall. As they headed back toward land, the more experienced seaman got sleepy and turned the helm over to his friend. The veteran sailor pointed out the North Star and said, "Just keep the boat going in that direction."
"I Surrender All"
Pete and I sing in the tenor section of our church choir. I've come to appreciate his gentle spirit, his spirituality, and his love for the music of the church.
There Is No God?
Many years ago a friend sent me an article that included these words: "Some men say, 'There is no God.' All the wonders around you are accidental. No Almighty hand made a thousand billion stars. They made themselves. The surface of our land just happened to have topsoil, without which we would have no vegetables to eat, and no grass for the animals whose meat is our food.
Faith At Work
Christians sometimes sing the following words:
Foundational Praying
It was a sunny, sad day in 1982—the day after my husband's funeral. I had gone alone to Bill's grave, hardly knowing why. As with Mary Magdalene who visited Jesus' tomb, the risen Lord was waiting for me. He impressed the words of Philippians 1:21 on my vacant mind, still numbed by Bill's untimely cancer death. I wove my prayer around the words of that verse:
The World's Hatred
When high school senior Angela Guidry submitted a copy of her valedictory speech to school administrators, the principal demanded that she leave out one part. It was the sentence that read, "To me the most important thing in your life is not whether you have a good education or a good job, but whether or not you have the Lord in your life."
