A Life Worth Living
At a banquet for an academic society, I sat next to a world-renowned scholar. I knew he was admired globally for the books he had written and for his lectures. I also knew that for years he had been struggling with depression. He told me that he was dependent on medication and counseling to keep him going. Then he said, "But Jesus Christ gives me a reason for living." Those words are etched in my memory.
Spiritual Service
Members of the upper level Brahman class in India never stoop to do any menial labor. So how shocked Shriman Naraarayan was when, spending time at Gandhi's ashram (a spiritual retreat center for Hindus), he was assigned a task that he felt was beneath his dignity.
God Is Great!
"Only God is great." That was the solemn and unexpected declaration of Jean-Baptiste Massillon as he began his sermon at the funeral service of King Louis XIV.
Think—Then Thank
What character trait most clearly reveals a person's moral and spiritual health? Is it love? Is it integrity? Is it kindness, cheerfulness, or trust? Opinions differ, to be sure.
Why Worship?
Why bother going to church? Some would tell us that it's better to sleep late on Sunday, eat a leisurely breakfast, and lounge around talking with the family. And then maybe have lunch with friends or enjoy a picnic and games with the children. "Make it a day that's different and even restful," some would say, "but don't waste time by going to church on Sunday!"
Our Savior And King
When Britain's Queen Elizabeth was a child, her parents held a garden party at Buckingham Palace, but a rainstorm forced the party to move indoors. Elizabeth and her younger sister wandered into the room where the guests had gathered and were politely bombarded by questions. During a pause in the conversations, Elizabeth pointed toward a nearby wall and a painting of Jesus on the cross. She remarked, "That's the man my papa says is really king."
What Does God Require?
The mother of four growing children went to a counselor because she felt that she was a failure. She had trained for ministry and had hoped to serve the Lord as a missionary overseas. But instead, she fell in love and married a widower with four children. Barely able to keep her household functioning, she was not able to engage in any formal ministry. She wrongly concluded that God was subjecting her to well-deserved chastisement.
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.
Shine Where You Are
The name of Peter Carter is probably unknown to most people today. He was a 19th-century American Presbyterian pastor. He wasn't as famous a pulpiteer as Charles Haddon Spurgeon. He didn't write great works of theology like his contemporary Charles Hodge. He never achieved the international recognition of Henry Ward Beecher of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. But he lived his faith in such a way that he encouraged hundreds of people to trust and serve Jesus Christ. Carter radiated the Savior's love to children as well as to adults.
