Discover Malchus’ small role in a grand story
We can learn a lot from the prominent characters in the Bible, people like David, Esther, and Peter. But sometimes the minor personalities in Scripture can have just as much impact!
radical recovery
Attempting a quadruple toe loop, Olympic skater Jeremy Abbott swiveled into the air and fell. He careened into the rink’s wall and lay clutching his side. Amazingly, Jeremy then stood up and resumed skating. The rest of his routine included two extremely difficult, yet well-executed maneuvers. In the end, his perseverance after a serious mistake won the crowd’s heart.
How to Make Decisions That Please God [Part Two]
“Many, through wishing to be great, have failed to be good.” —Charles Spurgeon Ambition, goal setting, and practical use of our time are good things, but we shouldn’t develop tunnel vision and lose sight of others in the process. There’s a well-known story of a seminary that secretly conducted a […]
Standing On The Edge
My little girl stood apprehensively at the pool’s edge. As a nonswimmer, she was just learning to become comfortable in the water. Her instructor waited in the pool with outstretched arms. As my daughter hesitated, I saw the questions in her eyes: Will you catch me? What will happen if my head goes under?
How our very brokenness is what makes us candidates for serving the Lord!
Ever feel like all the flaws in your family history make you ineligible for God’s work? Maybe you’ve heard God’s call for your life, but don’t feel qualified to accept. A “best of” conversation coming up.
the best will come
This week I bought $30 worth of toilet paper in order to qualify for a mail-in rebate. The rebate form told me to address my envelope to “Road to Glory.” Really? I hadn’t slain a dragon or won a championship. I had merely purchased TP. So I laughed at the ridiculous title as I wrote it on the envelope.
How to Make Decisions that Please God [Part One]
We should always seek God’s will, wisdom, and guidance. Yet when He seems to be silent for the sake of letting us grow, there are some practical tips I’ve learned that help us not only to make good choices, but also enable us to be at peace with them instead […]
He Leads Me
In Istanbul, Turkey, in 2005, one sheep jumped off a cliff and then nearly 1,500 others followed! In the end, about one-third of them died. Not knowing which way to go, sheep mindlessly follow other members of the flock.
balancing seasons
As we pause and reflect on another 12 months gone by, we’re often quick to aim for greater balance in all areas during the new year. Author and pastor Andy Stanley suggests that we aim to find a rhythm in the changing seasons of life. Instead of trying to carve out equal amounts of time for each activity in order to attain and maintain a balanced lifestyle, there are seasons which require us to work longer or shorter hours, spend less or exercise more, cut out or add certain foods to our diet, and so on.
Why God’s Will Isn’t Always Obvious to Us
Written By Jeremy Larson, USA The biggest source of stress for many Christians is probably the will of God. Right? We feel the pressure to know His will for our lives, to make right decisions, and have things all figured out. What makes this even more stressful is how silent God usually is, many times causing us […]
Delay May Not Mean Denial
My sons’ birthdays are in December. When they were small, Angus quickly learned that if he didn’t receive a longed-for toy for his birthday at the beginning of the month, it might be in his Christmas stocking. And if David didn’t receive his gift for Christmas, it might appear for his birthday 4 days later. Delay didn’t necessarily mean denial.
audience of One
As a preacher, I’m rightly concerned with the content of each of my Sunday sermons. I must confess, however, that I can fall into the trap of being overly concerned with what people think of my message—not whether or not the message is clearly understood or whether the people and the Lord Himself are blessed by what I say. I can become more concerned with the goal of having church members like what I say and approve of my message. Sometimes a furrowed brow in the congregation, especially from someone I know and respect spiritually, can seriously interrupt my flow and cause…
Is Jesus Still Here?
Ted Robertson’s home in Colorado was one of more than 500 destroyed by the Black Forest Fire in June 2013. When he was allowed to return and sift through the ash and rubble, he was hoping to find a precious family heirloom made by his wife—a tiny ceramic figurine of baby Jesus about the size of a postage stamp. As he searched the charred remains of their home, he kept wondering, “Is the baby Jesus still here?”
hospitality to strangers
In 2011, marine biologists around the globe were fixated on a pod of sperm whales in the North Atlantic Ocean; they had adopted a bottlenose dolphin calf. Jens Krause, a German behavioral ecologist, told one news source that sperm whales have “never been known to mingle this closely with another species.” Apparently the young dolphin had a spinal defect and couldn’t swim fast enough to keep up with other dolphins. But surprisingly, the sperm whales gathered the struggling dolphin into their fold.
