When Evil Is Good
In the early 1970s, political cartoonist Wayne Stayskal illustrated an age-old problem. In the first of three pictures, a father and his son are watching a violent television show together. From the tube blares the words: "Bang! Bang! Kill! Stab! Boom! Zap! Rat-a-tat-tat! Murder!"
Being Or Doing
Rev. Don Berns was 33 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1981. Within a few years his voice was too weak to preach, his body trembled uncontrollably, and he faced having to retire from the ministry.
Keep Going
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you started out with faith in Him. After you recognized your sinfulness and need for a Savior, you asked God to forgive your sins. When you trusted in Christ, you received the gift of eternal life. By grace you're a child of God and you are promised an eternal home in heaven with Him.
He Quiets The Storms
In the fall of 2001, a thunderous storm blew across Lake Michigan for 36 hours straight. Sustained winds of 60 miles per hour, with gusts much stronger, whipped up the highest waves in 15 years. One frothing roller after another, some up to 18 feet high, crashed over the breakwaters and pounded the shore with great fury.
While We Sleep
One translation of Psalm 127:2 reads, "He gives to His beloved even in his sleep" (NASB). I believe there's something wonderfully significant in this verse—something easily missed unless we understand that Israel's day began in the evening, not in the morning as it does for us.
The Smile Of Joy
Remember those round, yellow, happy-face stickers that showed up frequently on stationery and postcards? They were often accompanied by the one-word message, "Smile." They implied that you can put a smile on your face as easily as you can put a hat on your head. In a sense, that is true. A good actor can look happy even when his heart is breaking.
Be A Spark
Churchgoing has fallen on difficult times lately. For some Christians it is a weak substitute for a picnic on a rainy Sunday. Excuses are as plentiful as quarters in the collection plate. The fact is, many professing Christians don't think church is all that important. They think they can be perfectly good Christians without being part of a local congregation.
Look Close
Imagine what bowling would be like if you couldn't see the pins. Well, in 1933 Bill Knox bowled just such a game—and had a perfect score!
Defense Systems
A number of years ago, the US Secret Service observed that a high-ranking government official seemed to be the "least protected" of the cabinet members. So four glass security doors were installed in the official's Washington suite, at the cost of $58,000. They were in addition to a pair of huge, thick wooden doors that were impossible to break down.
