Month: October 1998

'It's Only Candy'

At first the man was annoyed. But he became angry as groups of teenagers without costumes kept coming to his door shouting, "Trick or treat!"

A Remarkable Life

This is the story of a man with whom I worked. David was a remarkable man. Remarkable in his steady demeanor through 33 years of service with the same ministry. Remarkable in his gentle, caring love for his wife of 30 years. Remarkable in his unwavering dedication to his children—through triumph and trouble. Remarkable in the respect he earned from co-workers and acquaintances. Remarkable in that when he died too suddenly and too soon at age 56, no one had anything bad to say about him. Remarkable!

As Good As His Word

Insurance agent Ken Specht had called on Medicus Robertson at the TV store where he worked. Robertson agreed to purchase a $5,000 life insurance policy, which would double in value in case of his accidental death. Mr. Specht said that his company would cover the client until the formal policy application could be issued.

Fear Or Faith?

You may have never heard the name of Sir Isaiah Berlin. When he died in 1997, Arthur Schlesinger eulogized him in Newsweek as "very likely the most sparkling man of the 20th century." Born in Latvia, Berlin eventually became an Oxford professor and was noted for his extraordinary academic achievements. He was admired by people from every level of society.

More Than Knowledge

Seatbelts save lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, front seat occupants who use their seatbelts reduce their risk of death by 45 percent. Yet only 10 to 15 percent of people buckled up before laws were passed in the 1980s requiring them to do so. Seatbelt use in the US rose to 68 percent in 1996, but 32 percent continued to ignore the laws and defy the odds.

Wholeness Of Life

Social worker Margaret Sangster told her colleagues about seeing a young boy in an urban ghetto who appeared little more than a bit of twisted human flesh. He had been struck by a car several months earlier and had not received proper medical attention.

A Real Savior

Some Christians become deeply troubled when they think about their sinfulness. They long for purity, yet they see only evil within their heart. Guilt torments their minds and they may even doubt their salvation.

Surrender

In the early 1940s, the president of Dallas Seminary, Lewis Sperry Chafer, gave a very brief banquet speech. Introduced after a long program, he announced his subject: "The Reasonableness Of Fully Surrendering Our Lives To God." Then, because of the lateness of the hour, he gave only the three points of his message.

Give Thanks!

At harvesttime it's natural to thank God for the bounty of His blessings. The Feast of Weeks in ancient Israel, established in Leviticus 23, was a week of joyous celebration and feasting in gratitude for the harvest (Dt. 16:9-12). Even today as farmers gather their crops, many give thanks to the Lord for the abundance of their harvest.