Month: February 2016

The 4 dimensional love of God

What did the apostle Paul mean when he said that he prayed we would grasp the “height” of God’s love? Today on “Discover the Word,” we dig further into Paul’s profound description of the 4 dimensional—“The 4-D love of God.” Are you afraid of heights? Well, you won’t be in this conversation today on “Discover the Word”!

3 Unexpected Benefits of Being the Third Wheel

Are you a third wheel (or light bulb, as it is known in some cultures)? For those clueless about what this is, a third wheel is a person who hangs out with a couple—and who can become an awkward addition to a romantic date.

Go Fever

On January 28, 1986, after five weather-related delays, the space shuttle Challenger lumbered heavenward amid a thunderous overture of noise and flame. A mere 73 seconds later, system failure tore the shuttle apart, and all seven crewmembers perished.

The disaster was attributed to an O-ring seal known to have vulnerabilities. Insiders referred to the fatal mistake as “go fever”—the tendency to ignore vital precautions in the rush to a grand goal.

Our ambitious human nature relentlessly tempts us to make ill-advised choices. Yet we are also prone to a fear that can make us overly cautious. The ancient Israelites demonstrated both traits.…

Let’s take the long view of God’s love

When people say, “Take the long view,” it means getting a sense of perspective about the present by also considering both the past and the future. Well, today on “Discover the Word,” we’ll discuss how there are several different ways to look at the phrase “the length of God’s love.” Be part of the discussion as we “take the long view” of God’s love, today on “Discover the Word”!

Why Did We Break Up?

My boyfriend and I had marriage in mind when we first started dating. Hence, the possibility of us breaking up one day never crossed my mind.

The Forward Look

When the great Dutch painter Rembrandt died unexpectedly at age 63, an unfinished painting was found on his easel. It focuses on Simeon’s emotion in holding the baby Jesus when He was brought to the temple in Jerusalem, 40 days after His birth. Yet the background and normal detail remain unfinished. Some art experts believe that Rembrandt knew the end of his life was near and—like Simeon—was ready to “be dismissed” (Luke 2:29).

The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon (v. 25), so it was no coincidence that he was in the temple when Mary and Joseph presented their firstborn son to…

When Marrying A Christian is Not Good Enough

I had always thought that marrying a Christian would surely secure happiness in my life.

How wide is God’s love for us?

What do you think of when you hear the term, “wide open spaces”? Does it give you a feeling of freedom? Today on “Discover the Word,” we will discuss what the apostle Paul meant when he talked about how wide God’s love for us is. How is it possible that God’s love is wide enough to embrace the whole world?

A Better View

As a child, I loved to climb trees. The higher I climbed, the more I could see. Occasionally, in search of a better view, I might inch out along a branch until I felt it bend under my weight. Not surprisingly, my tree-climbing days are over. I suppose it isn’t very safe—or dignified.

Zacchaeus, a wealthy man, set aside his dignity (and perhaps ignored his safety) when he climbed a tree one day in Jericho. Jesus was traveling through the city, and Zacchaeus wanted to get a look at Him. However, “because he was short he could not see over the…

Understanding how much God loves you

How much does God love you? Today on “Discover the Word,” we begin our study on “The 4D Love of God.” Interestingly, when the apostle Paul described “the height, the depth, the width and the length” of God’s love for us, he himself was under house arrest. How can understanding Paul’s circumstances change our own perspective about how much we’re loved by God? Join the group today on “Discover the Word”!

What If She’s Not The One?

In a recent episode of American sitcom The Big Bang Theory, Raj, one of the main characters, is drawn and attracted to a girl he meets. However, he has been dating his girlfriend for a while, and now wonders if he should break up with her and pursue a new relationship.

Be Still

Years ago I responded to letters within a couple of weeks and kept my correspondents happy. Then came the fax machine, and they seemed content with receiving a response within a couple of days. Today, with email, instant messaging, and mobile phones, a response is expected the same day!

“Be still, and know that I am God.” In this familiar verse from Psalm 46 I read two commands of equal importance. First, we must be still, something that modern life conspires against. In this hectic, buzzing world, even a few moments of quiet do not come naturally to us. And stillness…

The View from the Mountain

Our valley in Idaho can be very cold in the winter. Clouds and fog roll in and blanket the ground, trapping frigid air under warmer layers above. But you can get above the valley. There’s a road nearby that winds up the flank of Shafer Butte, a 7,500-foot mountain that rises out of our valley. A few minutes of driving and you break out of the fog and emerge into the warmth and brilliance of a sunlit day. You can look down on the clouds that shroud the valley below and see it from a different point of view.

Life is…

Poem: Light Everywhere

Running miles and miles
Yet it seems like I’m headed nowhere
Looking back, regrets are chasing me
Lying ahead, a sea of uncertainties.

Four Ways to Look

Joan was struggling with some difficult issues with her children when she sat down for a worship service. Exhausted, she wanted to “resign” from motherhood. Then the speaker began to share encouragement for those who feel like quitting. These four thoughts that Joan heard that morning helped her to keep going:

Look up and pray. Asaph prayed all night long and even expressed feelings that God had forgotten and rejected him (Ps. 77:9-10). We can tell God everything and be honest about our feelings. We can ask Him anything. His answer may not come right away or in the form we…