Does Honesty Really Pay?
I'll always remember the day when as a child I found two coins on the school playground. I brought them home, thinking they wouldn't be missed. But Mother made me take them to my teacher. "They belong to someone else," Mother told me. Since then, God has often reminded me of this early lesson in honesty.
Weak And Wise
Bible scholars have difficulty identifying the "badger" mentioned in Proverbs 30. Many believe it is the same animal as the Syrian hyrax. If this is so, then God is calling our attention to an unusual little creature.
Test The Teachers
Revelation. To some people, it's more than just the name of the last book of the Bible. To some self-promoting preachers, revelation is something God personally gives to them. In most cases, however, what they say God has given them contradicts His teachings in the Bible.
Helping Hand
An 89-year-old man who enjoys creating new words to describe old problems calls a person who finds fault with everything an againstovist. "Whatever you suggest," he says, "that person is against it, and will find something wrong with everything you do."
Trust . . . And Prepare
In the early years after I began working with others in fulltime Christian ministry, sometimes there was no money for our salaries. But looking back, I see that I have lacked nothing.
A Mysterious Fragrance
Most of us can think of someone—perhaps a relative or a friend—who is known for a particular perfume she wears. Even without seeing her, we know when she's nearby. Wordlessly, her fragrance welcomes us into her company.
Praying And Working
While driving through a small town in Pennsylvania, I saw these words on a church sign: Pray for a good harvest, but keep on hoeing.
The Fine Art Of Slander
God hates slanderers. They are scoundrels and villains with hidden hatred in their hearts and deceit in their mouths.
God Is Faithful
At the end of every year, I set aside some time to review the previous 12 months and record God's faithfulness to me and my family. I may leaf through a calendar, my appointment book, or prayer diary to jog my memory. Then, on a piece of paper labeled "God's Faithfulness" I'll write everything that comes to mind as evidence of God's love and care. It's a wonderful way to look back at the year and look forward to a fresh beginning.
