How to put our possessions in their proper place
Most of us would deny ever making a conscious decision to serve money. But the choice to place our possessions over Christ is subtle, and common! Let's look at Jesus'…
Topic > Christianity & Culture > Philosophy & Religions > Idolatry >
Do You Believe In Magic? Interacting With The Spirit World
Interest in magic and a fascination with supernatural knowledge and power have become a part of today’s culture. This fascination raises questions in the minds of many. Find out what…
Find Freedom From Carrying The Load Yourself
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image — any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in…
A Biblical Warning Against Idolatry Put Into Context For Us Today
When I learned the Ten Commandments, I felt that there was one that definitely did not apply to me—the second commandment. I had never made a graven image (whatever that…
Kossi’s Courage
As he awaited his baptism in Togo’s Mono River, Kossi stooped to pick up a worn wooden carving. His family had worshiped the object for generations. Now they watched as he tossed the grotesque figure into a fire prepared for the occasion. No longer would their choicest chickens be sacrificed to this god.
In the West, most Christians think of idols as metaphors for what they put in place of God. In Togo, West Africa, idols represent literal gods that must be appeased with sacrifice. Idol burning and baptism make a courageous statement about a new believer’s allegiance to the one…
Are there any urban legends in the Bible?
From Bigfoot to the Loch Ness Monster, urban legends abound! But what about in the Bible? Are there any myths or urban legends included in the Scriptures? Tune in today to Discover the Word as we talk about a remarkable story of bones healing someone. It’s the final chapter in “The Miraculous Life of Elisha,” […]
Demolition or opportunity
It’s all a matter of perspective. Demolition can be seen as destruction or it can be seen as an opportunity. And as we’ll see today on Discover the Word, God will demolish anything that stands between Him and His people. But is demolition the end goal? An encouraging truth the group can’t wait to share […]
The Money
Early in my career while doing work that I saw as more like a mission than a job, another company offered me a position that offered a significant increase in pay. Our family could surely have benefited financially from such a move. There was one problem. I hadn’t been looking for another job because I loved my current role, which was growing into a calling.
But the money . . .
I called my father, then in his seventies, and explained the situation. Though his once-sharp mind had been slowed by strokes and the strain of years, his answer was crisp and…
Living life at 96 miles per hour
When Major League Baseball Pitcher Dan Naulty’s team won the World Series, he wasn’t thinking of celebrating with his teammates—he was thinking of jumping off a bridge. That’s how empty he felt inside. Find out how Dan’s fluctuating morality led him to a crisis point and how God met him in the midst of his […]
Why I’m Fasting for the First Time
“Do you love God more than you love sugar?” A small voice in my head asked. I wavered, and was struck by the fact that I actually hesitated. We all have our coping mechanisms in times of stress and pressure.
Starting Points & End Results
In the movie Castaway, a man was stranded on a desert island for 4 years following a plane crash. After his rescue, the authorities told him that their initial efforts following the crash had failed because they had searched in the wrong area—thinking that the plane had gone down 400 miles from where it crashed. Since their starting point was completely wrong, they had little chance of success even though their efforts were admirable.
Can We be Rich and Godly at the Same Time?
My youth group had just begun a study on the Beatitudes. As we were trying to make sense of the first beatitude in Luke 6:20, one youth asked, “Does it mean that Christians can’t be rich?” The question was to be expected, since Jesus’ statement seemed to suggest this line of thinking.
So Many Choices
Author Nancy Leigh DeMoss writes, “It’s bad enough for me to make choices that hurt my own relationship with God. How much more serious is it to be the cause of someone else deciding to sin? . . . I choose the pathway of holiness for God’s sake and for my own sake.”
Our Culture’s Idol
The story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue always puzzled me. How was it possible for a king to erect a statue and then demand that everyone bow down to it? (Daniel 3:1,5). The whole story seemed silly. And that was before the Veggie Tales video version, which substituted the statue with a chocolate bunny. Have you heard the “Bunny Song”? “The bunny, the bunny, yeah, I love the bunny. I gave everything that I had for the bunny!”
motivated
My husband and I recently saw a friend we hadn’t seen in a while. Standing outside the gym where he worked out, he highlighted the facility’s offerings. His words revealed his sense of ownership of the exercise facility. Though he wasn’t a financial stockholder, he had found identity, purpose, and a place to belong amid the mats lined with barbells and other strength-training equipment. This place had become his community and a big part of his life.
Truth with Love
Find out how you can tell others about Jesus, be knowledgeable and respectful of differences, and stand firm in your own beliefs.
God in a box
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could fit God into a box? When we want to do or say something that’s not Christlike, we could simply place Him in it and shut the lid. Perhaps we’d like to do so just before cursing during a bad traffic jam or when we’re checking something out on Youtube, Facebook, or Twitter that isn’t appropriate. After our dalliance with sin, we could simply bring God back out.
when gods die
France Nouvelle, the newspaper of the French Communist party, stated this after Stalin died: “The heart of Stalin . . . has ceased beating. But Stalinism lives on, and is immortal. . . . To Stalin we shall remain faithful for evermore. Communists everywhere will endeavor to deserve, by their untiring devotion to the sacred cause of the working class . . . the honorary title of Stalinists. Eternal glory to the great Stalin.”
Stray Hearts
Last fall, an expressway in my city was shut down for several hours because a cattle truck had overturned. The cattle had escaped and were roaming across the highway. Seeing this news story about stray cattle made me think of something I had recently studied in Exodus 32 about the people of God who strayed from Him.
