Discover how to make sense of the metaphors in the Sermon on the Mount
A strong illustration can take a good sermon, and turn it into a truly powerful message! Explore the word pictures Jesus used to enhance His teachings.
Her Worst Day Ever
n May 2011, a young woman took cover in a bathtub during a tornado that devastated her city of Joplin, Missouri. Her husband covered her body with his and took the blows from flying debris. He died, and she survived because of his heroism. She naturally wrestles with the question, “Why?”
Jake DeShazer's Extraordinary Journey from WWII Doolittle Raider to POW, to Missionary to Japan
After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Corporal Jacob DeShazer became a man bent on revenge. As a bombardier in the Army Air Corps, he volunteered for a top secret mission and flew with the legendary Doolittle Raiders in their surprise attack on Japan. After successfully bombing their targets, the Raiders were forced to bail out over occupied China. Jake and seven other airmen were captured by the Japanese and imprisoned. He survived nearly 3 ½ years as a prisoner of war, enduring torture, starvation, and solitary confinement. During that time Jake met God personally and for him, life would never be the same. God changed Jake DeShazer’s direction from vengeance to messenger of God’s mercy and forgiveness as a missionary to those who were once his enemies.
Lands of the Bible Wall Calendar 2014
Offering a visual tour of some of the ancient places where Jesus once walked, the 2014 Lands of the Bible calendar features:
- 24 full-color photographs of significant sites in Israel
- Relevant Scripture, a map, and insightful information about each location
- A 12-month format that includes major religious and national holidays
This beautiful 12" x 12" wall calendar brings to life some of the historical landmarks of the Holy Land.
stop trying
Alcoholics Anonymous, also known as “AA,” is a worldwide movement that attempts to help alcoholics break free from their addiction to drinking. One of the first things AA leaders tell those who “can’t lay off the sauce” is that they have to come to the end of themselves. In order to break free from their addiction, they have to admit that they are powerless to stop—no matter how hard they try.
Do recent earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters indicate the endtimes?
By Dan Vander Lugt There have been some powerful earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and other natural disasters recently, but they aren’t unique to our time. Because population density is much higher today than in past centuries, more people tend to be killed when natural disasters occur. People of Jesus’ day were superstitious and believed that natural [...]
Jesus’ teaching about having a right perspective in our hearts
We say things like, “I’m as hungry as a horse,” or “He’s my knight in shining armor.” These word pictures help get our point across.
unpopular
Chick-fil-A is a popular American fast food chain whose president, Dan Cathy, also happens to be a Christian. Biblical values permeate its 1,600+ restaurants which are always closed on Sunday. Chick-fil-A also started the WinShape Foundation, which provides college scholarships, foster care programs, and marriage enrichment ministries.
A word picture Jesus used in His Sermon on the Mount that may cause confusion for modern-day readers
Have you ever run across a metaphor in the Bible and thought, “Now what does that mean?”
How does Jesus’ sermon to a first-century audience affect us?
Pick up a book written last century, and you’re bound to run across some language that sounds almost foreign! Join us as we put Scripture into context.
Flight Simulator
When airplane pilots are training, they spend many hours in flight simulators. These simulators give the students a chance to experience the challenges and dangers of flying an aircraft—but without the risk. The pilots don’t have to leave the ground, and if they crash in the simulation, they can calmly walk away.
a baby’s cry
Recently, one state in the US instituted a law requiring each pregnant woman considering an abortion to watch a sonogram of her unborn child, receive medically accurate explanations of what she views, and listen to her baby’s heartbeat. Following the law’s passage, a blogger who supports abortion raised money and bought iPods for abortion clinics. Her purpose? To provide each patient with a way to drown out the sound of her baby’s heartbeat. By cranking up the volume, she can stifle the sounds of life within her.
Reflection: When God Isn’t Answering Your Prayer
By Lau Jue Hua, Singapore Most of us have been taught that prayer is the first thing to do when we are in trouble. While it is sound advice, there is a possible pitfall. When we view prayer as a problem-solving technique, we lose sight of God’s intended purpose of it—as an instrument of intimacy [...]
Water Problems
Our church family was excited to see work begin on our new sanctuary. Each Sunday we eagerly looked at the big hole in the ground. But progress seemed slow.
It all came down to water. Too much in one place and not enough in another. An underground spring was one problem.
a lot by a lot
The first 4 years my adopted Ugandan son was with me, I experienced no fears about the future or my ability to support him. Recently, however, as I’ve struggled to pay bills and survive on a small ministry salary that provides us with no buffer, I’ve entered into a worrisome state. My fleshly desires have tilted toward greater financial security rather than the need to trust God’s provision on a seemingly day-to-day basis.
