Sing
The skillful orator Robert Ingersoll devoted his talents to undermining the Christian faith. It is sad that in his dynamic lectures he so effectively employed sarcasm and humor to twist the truth to gain converts to unbelief. When he died, the brochure for his funeral service carried this statement: "There will be no singing." That certainly was appropriate for one who denied the reality of an afterlife.
Friend Or Foe?
Dick Sheppard served as a chaplain in the British army during World War I. One night he was lying in the dense blackness of no man's land when he heard footsteps approaching. Unable to see who it might be, he was tempted to cry out, "Friend or foe?"
You Can Do Something
John Warr, an 18th-century apprentice shoemaker, was determined to be a faithful witness for Christ. Another apprentice was hired, and John repeatedly talked to him about spiritual things. That new worker, however, didn't want to be bothered. Then one day he was caught exchanging a counterfeit shilling for a good one. In his guilty humiliation he asked John for help and prayer. Through the faithful witness of John Warr, that man put his faith in Christ and developed into a committed disciple.
The Book Of Names
Late one afternoon in 19th-century London, two sight-seeing soldiers went to visit the magnificent Westminster Cathedral but found its doors locked. Arthur Stanley, who had become dean of the Cathedral in 1863, was walking outside at the time and noticed them. When he learned that they couldn't return the next day, he unlocked the door and gave them a personal tour.
Deprived Of Joy
A poverty-stricken mother will deprive herself of food to feed her children. A dedicated student will go without sleep to acquire knowledge. And a patriotic soldier will give up home and safety to defend his country. But who for no sensible reason would deprive himself of the most important thing in life? Yet that is precisely what a non-Christian is doing by ignoring his spiritual welfare. He is robbing himself of the joy that only Jesus can give.
The Secret Of Strength
If there's anything we tend to despise, it's weakness. Strength, on the other hand, is regarded as praiseworthy. But the apostle Paul made a puzzling statement: "When I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor. 12:10).
The Difference Love Makes
If an athletic team is to succeed, there must be a bond of unity among its members. In the words of memorable football coach Vince Lombardi, "If you're going to play together as a team, you've got to care for one another. You've got to love each other." He added, "The difference between mediocrity and greatness is the feeling these guys have for one another."
The Promise Of A King
For all his education, Austrian-born psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud couldn't predict how history was going to unfold. When Communist revolutionaries were laying the foundations of Soviet tyranny on the corpses of their own countrymen, Freud wrote, "At a time when great nations are declaring that they expect to find their salvation solely from a steadfast adherence to Christian piety, the upheaval in Russia . . . seems to promise a better future." How mistaken that godless man was!
Heaven's Surprises
Scripture gives us only a glimpse of the glory we will share in heaven with our crucified and risen Savior. Just think—no more sorrow, no more death, no more crying, no more pain, for the former things will have passed away! (Rev. 21:4).
