Dating: Are we getting it right?
We’ve all heard about the “right” way in which we should go about dating, and have been taught what is right and wrong. And we teach the same lessons to others, or judge others by the same standards.
Always Pray and Don’t Give Up
Are you going through one of those times when it seems every attempt to resolve a problem is met with a new difficulty? You thank the Lord at night that it’s taken care of but awake to find that something else has gone wrong and the problem remains.
During an experience like that, I was reading the gospel of Luke and was astounded by the opening words of chapter 18: “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (v. 1). I had read the story of the persistent widow many…
He Came for You
In his novels The Trial and The Castle, Franz Kafka (1883–1924) portrays life as a dehumanizing existence that turns people into a sea of empty faces without identity or worth. Kafka said, “The conveyer belt of life carries you on, no one knows where. One is more of an object, a thing, than a living creature.”
Early in His ministry, Jesus went to a synagogue in Nazareth, stood up in front of the crowd, and read from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to…
I was driving in my car and listening to the radio when an unfamiliar song started to play. In my head I thought the next words I would hear were going to be ‘Finder’s Keeper’s’. They weren’t but the phrase stuck in my head. I started thinking about how they apply to our relationship with God. It raised the question, do we find God or does God find us and keep us? I know it is not a new theme but I felt that God’s Holy Spirit wanted me to investigate it.
When I have something important to think about I pray for God to lead me through His word. I always search for a reference in the Old and New Testaments. I say a little prayer and let my fingers do the walking by opening up the page my hand touches, trusting God to lead me where He wants me to go. On this day I was lead to Deuteronomy 22:1-4 in the Old Testament and Acts 9: 3-18 in the New Testament.
The first passage speaks of if we find an animal or anything that does not belong to us, return it, or keep it safe until it can be returned to the rightful owner. As Christians it is important to follow God’s Laws and set a good example. This is important but is this all God wanted me to know?
Then I read in the New Testament, the Book of Acts 9: 3- 18 about Jesus finding Saul on the road to Damascus. Saul was as unlikely a candidate to become a Christian as anyone. He felt his mission in life was to find any followers of Jesus and arrest them or murder them.
But God had another plan. He chose Saul, who after his conversion, also became known as Paul. This speaks to me of the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Do you know people whom you pray for but who keep rejecting God and his love? Don’t give up! If God was able to find a hater like Saul and make him one of His most powerful Apostles , God’s promise holds true when you pray for someone.
I have hope for my many family members or acquaintances that I pray will find God; that once God finds us, He keeps us.
The Mention of His Name
When the soloist began to sing during our Sunday service, the congregation gave him full, hushed attention. His mellow bass-baritone voice brought them the soul-touching words of an old song by Gordon Jensen. The song’s title expresses a truth that grows more precious the older we become: “He’s as Close as the Mention of His Name.”
We’ve all experienced times of separation from our loved ones. A child marries and moves far away. Parents are separated from us because of career or health. A child goes off to school in another state or country. True, we have texting and Skype. But…
Help us get to know you!
Deanna was over the moon when the pregnancy test was positive. But when genetic testing indicated the little girl growing inside her had Down syndrome, Deanna was certain that God had gotten it all wrong. “There was a storm inside me. I felt like all my dreams were gone,” Deanna said. “My mind went to a very dark place wondering, ‘Why me?’” But God knows what we need, and He gave Deanna the perfect gift to understand the depths of His love.
How do we best pray for others
Today, we’ll pose the question, “How do we pray for others when we don’t know what’s best for them?” In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul gives us a model on how to do that, so we can pray, even when we don’t know what to pray for. That’s today on “Discover the Word.”
3 Lessons I’ve Learned From Writing a Letter to Myself
On the last day of 2014, while my church friends and I were gorging on a humongous meal, my dear husband gave us the idea of “writing a letter to your future self”. It intrigued me so much that I decided to give it a go.
Her Father’s Zoo
June Williams was only 4 when her father bought 7 acres of land to build a zoo without bars or cages. Growing up she remembers how creative her father was in trying to help wild animals feel free in confinement. Today Chester Zoo is one of England’s most popular wildlife attractions. Home to 11,000 animals on 110 acres of land, the zoo reflects her father’s concern for animal welfare, education, and conservation.
Solomon had a similar interest in all creatures great and small. In addition to studying the wildlife of the Middle East, he imported exotic animals like apes and monkeys…
Praying for others is risky business
The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, “I have you in my heart.” As a model for how we are to pray for others, those words may be the most powerful ever spoken. Today on “Discover the Word,” we’ll talk about how just as faith takes risk so does love. Find out why loving others and praying for them is risky business on “Discover the Word”!
Do You Know Who You Really Are?
Are you an ENTP*? What are your top strengths? What does your sleeping position say about you? Did you know that your favorite color says something about who you are?
Before the Phone
As a mom of young children I’m sometimes susceptible to panic. My first reaction is to call my mom on the phone and ask her what to do with my son’s allergy or my daughter’s sudden cough.
Mom is a great resource, but when I read the Psalms, I’m reminded of how often we need the kind of help that no mortal can give. In Psalm 18 David was in great danger. Afraid, close to death, and in anguish, he called on the Lord.
David could say, “I love you, Lord” because he understood God was a fortress, a rock, and a…
