Mixed Emotions
For Marlene and me, “mixed emotions” precisely describes our wedding. Don’t take that the wrong way. It was a wonderful event that we continue to celebrate more than 35 years later. The wedding celebration, however, was dampened because Marlene’s mom died of cancer just weeks before. Marlene’s aunt was a wonderful stand-in as the “mother of the bride,” but, in the midst of our happiness, something clearly wasn’t right. Mom was missing, and that affected everything.
Letter To A Child
Even at the end of his life, C. S. Lewis showed an interest in the spiritual nurture of younger believers. Although in ill health, he took time to respond to the letter of a child named Philip. Complimenting the boy’s fine written expression, Lewis said he was delighted that Philip understood that in the Narnia Chronicles the lion Aslan represented Jesus Christ. The next day, Lewis died at his home in the Kilns, Oxford, England, one week before his 65th birthday.
The Presentation
My wife, Martie, is a great cook. After a long day I often look forward to the smell of spicy aromas that promise a tasty feast. Not only does she know how to prepare a meal, but she is also a master at the presentation. The colors of the food on the plate, beautifully arranged in a harmony of meat, white puffy rice, and vegetables welcome me to pull up my chair and enjoy her handiwork. But the food was not so attractive before she got her hands on it. The meat was raw and squishy, the rice was hard and brittle, and the vegetables needed to be scrubbed and trimmed.
Walk The Walk
The preacher was speaking tongue-in-cheek when he complained, “My wife is absolutely unreasonable. She actually expects me to live everything I preach!” It’s so much easier to tell someone what is right than to practice it personally.
When my son and I play golf together, I can tell him exactly how to play the hole and hit the shots. But my own ability to hit those shots is sadly limited. I suppose this is what is meant when we refer to athletes who “talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.” Anyone can talk a good game, but actually performing well is far more difficult.
Caring For Those Who Teach And Preach The Word Of God
“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches” (Galatians 6:1-6).
IDEA: Another expression of the fruit of the Spirit is how we support those who teach us the Scriptures.
A "Well" Church
Pastor and author Greg Laurie says that churches are “well” when they practice these activities:
W-orship
E-vangelize
L-earn
L-ove
Like the early church, we should be active in these ways today.
Worship. We must meet together for fellowship, communion, prayer, and praise (Acts 2:42,47). God is to be the focus of all we do in His church.
Evangelize. As we share the Word, the Lord will add new believers to the church (v.47). We can all take part in spreading God’s Word by developing a friendship, by giving someone an article about the gospel, or by sharing some Scripture verses with a stranger.
Who Qualifies To Be A Church Leader?
Looking for and selecting qualified church leaders can sometimes be a challenge; however, a clear set of guidelines can help you choose the best person for the job. In this study of 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9, co-authors Dan Vander Lugt and Kurt De Haan present the biblical standards for church leadership. Discover how you can make wise decisions in selecting leaders who will bring glory and honor to God.
The Angel Of Music
In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, a young chorus girl named Christine Daae receives voice training from a mysterious musician she calls the “Angel of Music.” Christine believes this is the angel her dying father had promised to send to complete her musical training.
As the plot thickens, we find that her mysterious mentor is really a demented man who wants to carry her away into a bizarre underworld beneath the opera house.
Know the Enemy: Revealing Truths About Satan
“When a person means to do you harm, understanding that person’s identity, appearance, whereabouts, modus operandi, intentions, and skills are things you must know,” writes Greg Dutcher.
This excerpt from Dutcher’s book Living in Enemy Territory helps prepare us to battle the ultimate Enemy of all believers. We are reminded that Satan is not free to do as he pleases, that we are not battling alone, and most importantly, that Christ has already defeated him at the cross.
Our Unseen Helpers
At one point in Martin Luther’s stormy career, he received some discouraging news. But he responded by saying, “Recently I have been looking up at the night sky, spangled and studded with stars, and I found no pillars to hold them up. Yet they did not fall.” Luther was encouraged as he reminded himself that the same unseen God who was upholding the universe was caring for him.
Trust
By Cindy Tan, Malaysia In the song God of Ages by Hillsong, the bridge goes like this: “I’ll trust in You, I’ll trust in You, I’ll trust in You with all my heart.” We have sung this song or similar ones in our church. Yet, I wonder how many of us mean what we sing. […]
The Challenge Of Confinement
At the age of 86, Ken Deal concluded more than 3 decades of volunteer jail and prison ministry with a final Sunday sermon. His message to the inmates was about serving the Lord while incarcerated. Many of the examples he used came from prisoners, some serving life sentences. In a place everyone wants to leave, he encouraged them to grow and to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.
A conversation about God’s plan for women
What is God’s vision for women? Does He have a special purpose for them in the kingdom? Carolyn Custis James explored these pressing questions, and the result is a thoughtful book titled, "Half the Church." Let's sit down with Carolyn James to discuss this.
Trust
By Cindy Tan, Malaysia In the song God of Ages by Hillsong, the bridge goes like this: “I’ll trust in You, I’ll trust in You, I’ll trust in You with all my heart.” We have sung this song or similar ones in our church. Yet, I wonder how many of us mean what we sing. […]
Does God Perform Miracles Today?
” . . . the prophets who through faith . . . escaped the edge of the sword” (Hebrews 11:32b-34).
- Sometimes when we trust God, He works for us in ordinary ways.
- To help listeners see that not all of God’s dealings have to be miraculous.
Do you think God works miracles today?
Do you think there is a possibility that we overwork the term “miraculous”?
Do you think that God often works in what seems to be the ordinary?
