A Time To Forget
The end of one year and the dawning of a new one provides an excellent opportunity to wipe the slate clean and make a fresh start. The well-known preacher Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) said: "We have passed through one more year. One more long stage in the journey of life, with its ascents and descents and dust and mud and rocks and thorns and burdens that wear the shoulders, is done. The old year is dead. Roll it away. Let it go. God, in His providence, has brought us out of it. It is gone; . . . its evil is gone; its good remains. The evil has perished, and the good survives."
A Ticket To Tarshish
An elderly follower of Christ was talking to me about her personal journey with the Lord. At one point in her life, after a couple of terms of missionary work, she lost her enthusiasm for serving God. Although she continued to fulfill her responsibilities, she tried to flee from God. She bought a "ticket to Tarshish," to use her own words, by burying herself in reading.
Lessons For The Ages
Children love to hear the Bible story of Daniel in the lions' den. But that account has valuable lessons for all of us. Let's look again at the faith of an elderly man named Daniel.
Sunrise In Heaven
"It's unsinkable!" That was the proud boast made by the builders of the Titanic, the magnificent ocean liner that on April 14, 1912, went down during its maiden voyage. Most of the 2,100 passengers were sent to their deaths.
The Christ Of Christmas
A discouraged Christian said to me one Christmas, "Christ's coming to earth has made little difference in my life. I still have so many trials." That made me think about the difference Jesus' life has made. I reflected on these four truths:
'Four-Eyed Living'
A South American minnow-like fish is called "four eyes" because it knows how to make the best of two worlds. The Creator designed its large bulging eyes with an air lens on the upper half and a water lens on the lower half. As it cruises along the surface of the water, it is able to look at the world above and the world below.
The Baby Grew Up
Even Christians can miss the point of the Christmas story if they aren't careful. Halford E. Luccock warned of that danger in a thought-provoking essay. He wrote: "We can become so charmed with the story of a baby that we grow sentimental about it. It does not ask that we do anything about it; it does not demand any vital change in our way of thinking and living.
Into Enemy Territory
The fighting was fierce in the days before Christmas during the first World War. A German soldier emerged from his trench and tried to advance, but he was hit by gunfire and severely wounded. As he tried to crawl back to safety, he became caught in barbed wire. After his screams turned to moans, an American climbed out of his trench and inched his way to the injured man.
Living Victoriously
Julie had been married only a year when she suffered a massive stroke that left her unable to walk or talk. Her parents offered to take the responsibility for her care so that her husband Mark could be free, but he refused. For 25 years now, he has continued to love and care for Julie.
Two Ways To God?
In the marketplace of ideas, all vendors have an equal right to sell what they believe. But that doesn't mean all their ideas are equally right.
Crowd Control
A crowd can wield great control over an individual. I was reminded of this as I read a newspaper article about an old carnival headliner nicknamed "Cannonball." In his younger days he was blasted out of a cannon 1,200 times. When asked why he did this, he replied, "Do you know what it's like to feel the applause of 60,000 people? That's why I did it!"
Private Property
An editorial cartoon depicted the first nativity scene, but with a modern twist. As the shepherds were paying homage to the baby, one said, "This had better be happening on private property or we're in trouble!"
What Does It Really Mean?
A father was telling his son the Bible story about Lot. He said, "God was going to destroy the city of Sodom, so He warned Lot to take his wife and flee. But when Lot's wife looked back, she turned into a pillar of salt." Puzzled, the boy asked, "What happened to the flea?"
Flimsy Reasons
Years ago, an employee in the butcher shop where I worked was caught stealing several hams. He defended himself by saying that he had earned them because he was underpaid. That was a flimsy reason for his sinful behavior.
The Heart Of Giving
When I visited Faith Academy in the Philippines, I was overwhelmed by the hospitality of the staff. My hosts went out of their way to make certain I was comfortable and had everything I needed.
Look Up!
We all have moments in life when we get the "blues"—when we feel down and sadness engulfs us. The psalmist David was no exception. Speaking from his own experience, he cried out, "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God" (42:11). That's good advice for anyone who is facing discouragement.
A Witness At Christmas
During the holiday season, an atheistic organization put a sign alongside the community Christmas display in Madison, Wisconsin. It blatantly declared: "In this season of the winter solstice, may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our material world. Religion is but a myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."
Shared Tears
A story is told about a little boy with a big heart. His next-door neighbor was an older gentleman whose wife had recently died. When the youngster saw the elderly man crying, he climbed up onto his lap and simply sat there.
Walking With Him
One hot summer day my daughter and I were enjoying the slides and tube runs at a waterpark. While waiting in line for one of the rides, I overheard a man ask, "Does anyone know where this line is going?" The person next to him said, "I don't have a clue." I chuckled at their apparent ignorance, but then I realized that I didn't know where the line was going either.
The Name
Companies that compete for consumer dollars know the importance of protecting their name and reputation. Shoddy quality or poor service can cause profits to plummet.
Meeting God In Church
The phone rang in the office of the Washington church where the President of the United States attended. The caller asked, "Do you expect the President to be there Sunday?"
Idols In Disguise
When we hear the word idol, we think of a statue of a person or animal that is the focus of worship. For example, we think of the golden calf the Israelites made soon after they left Egypt (Ex. 32:1-6). We know that God abhors such images, yet is it possible that we worship idols without knowing it?
Unheralded Champions
Pat Fillmore has been a pioneer missionary in Irian Jaya for 40 years. She taught people to read and brought them medications and medical techniques. She maintained airstrips, built septic systems, and repaired generators and appliances. In addition, she established and managed a quality Bible school, and translated parts of the Bible and many study courses into the language of the people to whom she ministered.
A Name Of Honor
When we read through the Bible, we're inclined to skip the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles because they're just lists of names. But here and there we can find interesting nuggets of information. The two verses about Jabez are a case in point (4:9-10).
Check Yourself
Because my job often involves interviewing people, I frequently ask them, "How did you become a Christian?"
What Do You Expect?
Watch your expectations this Christmas season! The holidays can seldom deliver all the happiness and love we've come to expect from them. The advertising images of romantic couples and laughing families may sell a lot of merchandise, but they often mock the heartache felt by so many people at this time of year.
Practice What You Preach
A number of years ago a university was accused of plagiarism (which means, to take the writings of someone else and pass them off as one's own). What made it so unusual was that the school had plagiarized the section on plagiarism from another university's handbook.
Camels And Gnats
Jesus had some harsh things to say about the religious leaders of His day. They focused on the details of their religion and missed God's big picture. They even tithed their household spices! (Mt. 23:23). There was nothing particularly wrong with giving attention to these small matters. The problem was that they ignored the bigger issues that matter to God—justice, mercy, and faith.
The Law In The Heart
Marilyn Laszlo dedicated her life to giving the Hauna people of New Guinea the Bible in their own language. As she worked on the translation, she came to the word for "sin." When Marilyn asked the people what they thought sin was, they told her, "It's when you lie." "It's when you steal." "It's when you kill." "It's when you take another man's wife."
Check The Compass
Two Florida men charted a course and drove their fishing boat out into the Gulf of Mexico. Using the boat's compass, they headed to deep waters 60 miles offshore where they hoped to catch grouper. When they arrived at what they thought was the right place, they turned on their depth finder and realized they were nowhere near their target. They discovered that one of them had laid a flashlight near the ship's compass, and the attached magnet had affected the reading.
