Godly Grandmothers
A little boy described grandmothers like this: "A grandmother is a lady who has no children of her own, so she loves everybody else's. Grandmas don't have to do anything but be there. If they take you for a walk, they slow down past leaves and caterpillars. . . . They can answer questions like why dogs hate cats and why God isn't married. When they read to you, they don't skip parts or mind if it's the same story again. Everyone should have a grandmother because they are the only grown-ups who have time for you."
'A Jesus Nut'
A Navy pilot was describing his complex helicopter to his parents one day. He told them that a small hexagonal nut held the main rotor to the mast of the helicopter.
Two Sides Of The Coin
Temptations and trials are two sides of the same coin, for a single Greek word conveys both ideas. In James 1:2 we are told to rejoice when we fall into various "trials." But verse 13 says, "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone."
One Life Is Enough
A mature Christian said longingly, "Oh, that I could turn back the clock 20 years and go on ministering for the Lord!" That's a commendable wish but impossible to fulfill. One life is all we're given. Within God's sovereign purposes, one life, whether long or short, is enough.
The Buzzing Of The Flies
I was listening to the guys at a fishing resort in Canada. "Worst year for flies we've ever seen!" "Man, you need a shotgun to protect yourself, they're so huge." "No bug spray works this year."
Hostile Heart
Beware the hostile heart. That's the warning of Dr. Redford Williams from Duke University's Behavioral Medicine Research Center. He has been saying for years that having a hostile personality can kill us—most often by heart disease but also by injuries and accidents. Anger speeds the heart rate, raises blood pressure, and disrupts the coronary arteries.
A Mind To Work
Some people, like the comic-strip character Beetle Bailey, work hard to avoid working. In real life, we know that work "makes the world go round." God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden "to tend and keep it" (Gen. 2:15), which shows us that work is essential to our well-being.
A Tale Of Two Cities
It was the largest of congregations; it was the smallest of congregations. That's the best way to describe two services I attended within 24 hours. The first was an evangelistic outreach in Washington, DC, attended by nearly 20,000 people. A man preached, and hundreds of people responded to the invitation to put their faith in Christ.
A Clear Testimony
As we listened to the radio on the way to church one Sunday, my wife and I heard a broadcast from a local congregation. The pastor was announcing special meetings with a guest preacher. He mentioned that a question-and-answer period would follow each service. Then he said, "Even if you don't have any questions, come anyway. I'm sure that after you've heard our speaker, you will have some!"
