He Holds The Keys
For many people, the keys to a car signify independence and freedom. So to be told that they can't drive anymore would be humiliating. Imagine how hard it would be to surrender the cherished privilege of traveling when and where they like.
Unreasonable Omission
The feature article in the December 1999 issue of Life magazine presented a generally accurate picture of the first 2,000 years of Christianity. It portrayed Jesus and His ministry favorably, acknowledged the phenomenal growth of the apostolic church, and dated the Gospels as written between AD 60 and 85. But the article never mentioned the resurrection of Jesus, without which there would have been no Christianity.
God Help Me!
Ever notice how people react to tragedy? Even the nonreligious try to get the attention of God, whom they have previously ignored. Accounts of plane crashes, floods, tornadoes, or hurricanes often tell of someone who calls on the Lord for help.
What's Your Preoccupation?
The Lord's teaching about money in Luke 16 is as up-to-date as today's newspaper. Some Pharisees listened as Jesus told a parable about an unfaithful steward. He said, "You cannot serve God and mammon." The Pharisees scoffed at this, for they loved money. Jesus responded, "What is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God" (v.15).
The Brevity Of Life
As the second millennium was drawing to a close, the publishing industry poured out a flood of books about the end—not just the conclusion of a thousand-year period, but the ending of everything imaginable.
The Cost Of Rebellion
The 1960s are known for the rebellion of thousands of young people. But ever since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden, people of all ages everywhere have rebelled against authority—parental, governmental, and divine.
A Bad Christmas?
Just about the time Americans have devoured the last Thanksgiving turkey leftovers, sad-faced TV newscasters tell them that it "looks like a bad Christmas" this year. What they mean is that sales in retail stores may be down during the upcoming shopping season. And that makes for a "bad" Christmas.
The Ministry Of Suffering
In this self-indulgent age, many believe that people of faith shouldn't suffer. But according to author George MacDonald, "The Son of God suffered unto death, not that men might not suffer, but that their sufferings might be like His."
Magazine Christianity
Are we "Time-magazine Christians"? Pastor Stan Henderson used this phrase to describe how some believers divide their lives into departments, with the religious section given a half-page somewhere near the back. Little if any attempt is made to relate matters of faith to the everyday issues of life.
