Paid In Full!
The newspaper article reported that a Utah businessman had filed for bankruptcy and declared his debts to be $613 billion. It seemed ridiculous! What's more, the man claimed assets of only $7,310. In other words, if all debts were honored, his creditors would receive about one-millionth of a cent on the dollar. There was no way he could begin to pay his debts.
Spiritual Barrenness
Abraham had the faith to leave his homeland and settle in an unfamiliar land (Heb. 11:8-9). But even though God had given him a promise that He would make of him "a great nation" by giving him offspring as numerous as the sand on the seashore (Gen. 12:1-2), his wife Sarah remained barren for many years (16:1).
Proclaiming The Truth
Have you noticed that lies are being paraded before us in an endless, morals-destroying stream? Daniel Webster (1782-1852) predicted this when he stated, "If truth be not diffused, error will be. If God and His Word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendancy. If the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will. If the power of the gospel is not felt throughout the length and breadth of the land, . . . corruption and darkness will reign."
Good Grief
Family members grieved deeply when 32-year-old Cindy died, but they also experienced great comfort. They knew that Cindy had a strong personal faith in Jesus. They also were confident that she left this world knowing she was greatly loved. And when she died, they had no regrets because they had enjoyed a good relationship with her.
A Kitten For The Asking
A kitten belonging to a Romanian pastor became stranded in a tree. To get it down, the pastor threw a rope over the branch and tied it to his car's bumper. Driving slowly forward, he pulled the branch down to within reach. Just then the rope snapped and the frightened feline went flying through the air and was nowhere to be found.
Divine Concentrate
An experienced parent said, "Before I got married, I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories!"
Hold Your Tongue
When Bernard Baruch was an ambitious young businessman, he asked the wealthy J. P. Morgan to partner with him in a Texas sulfur mining venture. Geologists had given the project a favorable report, but there was still some risk. Morgan was interested until Baruch said, "You've taken bigger gambles than this."
A Faith That Works
No one can be saved by doing good works. On the other hand, the apostle James taught that faith without works is useless (2:20). To illustrate, he pointed out that faith alone won't feed a hungry person. Only faith that takes action will (vv.15-16).
The Passover Picture
The day of Israel's first Passover was full of excitement and mystery for the Hebrew boys and girls. They saw their fathers roast lambs over an open fire. They watched them sprinkle blood from the lambs on the sides and tops of the doorframes of their houses. They listened with wide-eyed wonder as their fathers told them that an angel of death would kill the firstborn in every house that was not marked by the blood.
