Prodigal Child
By Debra Ayis, Nigeria I return to you As a prodigal child Tired and famished I find my way home I pray earnestly That you will receive me I honestly need your help I look to the ground Like a guilty child I look at my feet Tears flow freely down my face In my [...]
Unanswered
One of my biggest struggles is unanswered prayer. Maybe you can relate. You ask God to rescue a friend from addiction, to grant salvation to a loved one, to heal a sick child, to mend a relationship. All these things you think must be God’s will. For years you pray. But you hear nothing back from Him and you see no results.
The Way To An “Easy” Life
A re parents trying too hard to make their kids happy? And is that having the opposite effect? These questions introduce an interview with Lori Gottlieb, author of an article on the subject of unhappy young adults. Her conclusion: Yes. Parents who refuse to let their children experience failure or sadness give them a false view of the world and do not prepare them for the harsh realities of adult life. They’re left feeling empty and anxious.
Getting To Heaven
While working with third- and fourth-graders at our church’s Vacation Bible School, I decided to give all 25 of the children a gift on the last day. But I told them that in order to receive it, they would each have to tell me how a person can get to heaven.
Practical advice on how to accurately interpret the Scriptures
Friday, June 8, 2012
“You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law: you have fallen from grace” (1 Corinthians 15:29).
“What will they do who are baptized for the dead if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?” (Galatians 5:4).
IDEA: Misinterpreted or misapplied passages of Scripture have different degrees of consequences.
PURPOSE: To help listeners appreciate the dangers of reading a meaning into a passage rather than getting the meaning out of a passage.
Just how long can you wait?
By Shade Enoch, Nigeria Few of us like to wait. In fact, most people hate it. Worse still is when one has to wait indefinitely. Personally, I try to avoid as much waiting as possible, such as waiting at a bus park, standing in a queue at the bank, waiting to see someone in an [...]
Uncontrollable Unexpected
Life is full of surprises—some of which take life in unwelcome directions. I still remember the shockwave that hit our family several decades ago when my father lost his job through no fault of his own. With a house full of kids to feed, it was a jarring blow. But as certainly as Dad’s job loss was beyond his control and unexpected, he still knew he could trust God for his future.
Discussion on the delicate issue of reconciliation
Thursday, June 7, 2012, Part 2
“Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or more witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:15-20).
IDEA: To understand the passage we have to give credit to the author for being as reasonable as we are as we read it.
PURPOSE: To help listeners see that the flow of thought often helps us as we study the Bible.
A Better Place
When my friend Marci’s father- in-law passed away, she stopped making his favorite dessert: pineapple salad. One day, her little boy asked why she no longer served it. She replied, “It reminds me of Papa, and it makes me sad; Papa really liked that dessert.” Her son replied in a chipper tone, “Not better than heaven!”
Discover practical tools for restoring relationships
Broken relationships aren’t easy to repair. Perhaps there’s someone in your life who’s hurt you, and trust has been shattered.
Psalm
By Debra Ayis, Nigeria Oh Lord my God Who will comfort me? If not you Who shall I turn to? If not you If you do not come to my aid What shall become of me? For I trust in you only I rely on you alone Therefore if you leave me Who shall I [...]
Confronting someone who’s in the wrong
Tuesday, June 5, 2012, Part 3
“Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or more witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:15-20).
IDEA: When we decide what a passage does not mean, it’s important to establish what it does mean.
PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that there is little value in being critical unless we can also be helpful.
Just This Once
As a boy, I used to ride a go-cart that was steered with a rope. On one occasion, as I propelled my way down the driveway, my parents’ warning came to mind: “Always look up and down the street for cars.” But I rationalized: It’s okay not to do that just this once. Then I heard the sound of screeching tires as a car came to an abrupt stop to avoid hitting me. Thinking I could break my parents’ rule nearly cost me my life.
Getting It Right On The Inside
Ilove the story of Jonah! It’s full of drama and important life lessons. After stubbornly refusing to do God’s will, Jonah finally preached a revival service in Nineveh that would have made him one of the most successful missionaries of his time. When the people repented and turned from their wicked ways—and when God relented and turned from His anger against them—you would have expected Jonah to rejoice. Instead, he was angry that God was merciful. Why? Although he was finally obeying God by doing the right thing in the right place, he was deeply flawed on the inside.
Practical ways to repair a broken relationship
Monday, June 4, 2012, Part 2
“Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or more witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:15-20).
IDEA: When we decide what a passage does not mean, it’s important to establish what it does mean.
PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that there is little value in being critical unless we can also be helpful.
