Month: January 2014

The Wonder Of The Cross

While visiting Australia, I had the opportunity on a particularly clear night to see the Southern Cross. Located in the Southern Hemisphere, this constellation is one of the most distinctive. Mariners and navigators began relying on it as early as the 15th century for direction and navigation through the seas. Although relatively small, it is visible throughout most of the year. The Southern Cross was so vivid on that dark night that even I could pick it out of the bundle of stars. It was truly a magnificent sight!

How do you put into words the lessons learned over a lifetime of ministry?

Enjoy a special edition of “Discover the Word” as Haddon Robinson, Alice Mathews, and Mart DeHaan reflect on their favorite highlights from twenty-three years of ministry together. Gather around the table with us.

To see the special chapel where Haddon and Alice were honored, click on the "read more" link.

Self-worth

“Self-worth: that’s a key word for you!” This rebuke from my friend followed one of my regular self-deprecating remarks—words that are usually intended to be humorous, but over the years some friends have come to know me well enough to discern when I really do see myself in that particular negative […]

Where Have You Been?

Missionary Egerton Ryerson Young served the Salteaux tribe in Canada in the 1700s. The chief of the tribe thanked Young for bringing the good news of Christ to them, noting that he was hearing it for the first time in his old age. Since he knew that God was Young’s heavenly Father, the chief asked, “Does that mean He is my Father too?” When the missionary answered, “Yes,” the crowd that had gathered around burst into cheers.

An important announcement you’ll want to hear

Whether you’re a new listener, or a regular “Discover the Word” Bible study partner, you won’t want to miss today’s conversation. Make it a point to listen in.

0 Taste and See!

You may not believe this, but I have never tasted sushi in my life! I was once at an Asian restaurant and being the picky eater I was, I ordered my usual fare. My sister, however, had some sushi and encouraged me to try. I immediately refused. There was no way […]

Load Line

In the 19th century, ships were often recklessly overloaded, resulting in those ships going down and the crews being lost at sea. In 1875, to remedy this negligent practice, British politician Samuel Plimsoll led the charge for legislation to create a line on the side of a ship to show if it was carrying too much cargo. That “load line” became known as the Plimsoll Line, and it continues to mark the hulls of ships today.

How to make the good news of God’s grace our own

The gospel of Jesus is good news indeed. But until it becomes your personal story, it remains simply a bold headline!

Bricks Without Straw

Many of us face the challenge of working with limited resources. Equipped with less money, less time, dwindling energy, and fewer helpers, our workload may remain the same. Sometimes, it even increases. There’s a saying that sums up this predicament: “More bricks, less straw.”

Let’s dig deeper into the gospel of Jesus, and the grace and forgiveness we find there

Well, here’s the bad news, we’re all sinners. Everyone has broken God’s law and deserves the appropriate consequences! But hang on, ’cause there’s good news as well!

A Philosophy of Pleasure

I’ve been reading a book recently that has a main character who follows the views of the Greek philosopher Epicurus. Epicurus founded Epicurean thought, which advocates that you should live your life for pleasure and avoid pain as much as possible. When the main character in my book explains this, he […]

In Harmony

I love playing the 5-string banjo. But it has one drawback. The fifth string will harmonize with only a limited number of simple chords. When other musicians want to play more complicated music, the banjoist has to adapt. He can lend marvelous melodic tones to a jam session only by making the right adjustments.

Why we all need the grace and healing of the Savior

If your nose doesn’t run and your throat doesn’t itch, there’s no reason to see a doctor. It’s only when you know that you’re sick that you look for a remedy!

True Greatness

Some people feel like a small pebble lost in the immensity of a canyon. But no matter how insignificant we judge ourselves to be, we can be greatly used by God.

In a sermon early in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. quoted Jesus’ words from Mark 10 about servanthood. Then he said, “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.

Discover the need for a Savior

According to the world’s standards, we may seem like decent people. But if we gauge ourselves according to Jesus’ standards, we’ll find we badly miss the mark! take a hard look at Jesus’ criteria for righteousness in the Sermon on the Mount.