Tell It!
The year was 1975 and something significant had just happened to me. I needed to find my friend Francis, with whom I shared a lot of personal matters, and tell him about it. I found him in his apartment hurriedly preparing to go out, but I slowed him down. The way he stared at me, he must have sensed that I had something important to tell him. “What is it?” he asked. So I told him simply, “Yesterday I surrendered my life to Jesus!”
Francis looked at me, sighed heavily, and said, “I’ve felt like doing the same for a long…
“Rooted in Christ”
Who doesn’t like trees? They offer both beauty and shade and are a critical part of the environment. And it’s striking how often the Bible uses trees as a metaphor in communicating spiritual truth. This week on Discover the Word, we will begin a study called “Rooted in Christ.” With trees, healthy roots are essential […]
Broken to Be Made New
During World War II my dad served with the US Army in the South Pacific. During that time Dad rejected any idea of religion, saying, “I don’t need a crutch.” Yet the day came when his attitude toward spiritual things would change forever. Mom had gone into labor with their third child, and my brother and I went to bed with the excitement of soon seeing our new brother or sister. When I got out of bed the next morning, I excitedly asked Dad, “Is it a boy or a girl?” He replied, “It was a little girl but she…
In December of 2014 my wonderful wife of 29 years received the shocking news that she had been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. As time went on and the disease progressed, Teresa began to lose her speech and after many choking incidences, the doctor was left with no choice but to order her to have surgery for a feeding tube. As I sat there with tears in my eyes after receiving the news, I looked at Teresa and said, " You are so brave and so strong. I don't know how you do it." Teresa looked up at the ceiling and with her weak hand she pointed at a spot up above us. " You see that?" she said. I looked at the ceiling and at things on the wall, thinking perhaps I would find a certain note or phrase written there but saw nothing. Teresa pointed again at the ceiling. Right above our heads the frame of the ceiling tile formed a cross. "THAT is how I do it" she said.
"Wow! I didn't see that." I exclaimed.
" That is because you weren't looking hard enough."
" You have to be able to see Jesus in all things. He is there, but sometimes we just have to look a little harder to find Him. But that is exactly what He wants us to do." Teresa said.
The Beauty of Rome
The glory of the Roman Empire offered an expansive backdrop for the birth of Jesus. In 27 bc Rome’s first emperor, Caesar Augustus, ended 200 years of civil war and began to replace rundown neighborhoods with monuments, temples, arenas, and government complexes. According to Roman historian Pliny the Elder, they were “the most beautiful buildings […]
You Have Purpose
On a hot day in western Texas, my niece Vania saw a woman standing by a stoplight and holding up a sign. As she drove closer, she tried to read what the sign said, assuming it was a request for food or money. Instead, she was surprised to see these three words:
“You Have Purpose”
God has created each of us for a specific purpose. Primarily that purpose is to bring honor to Him, and one way we do that is by meeting the needs of others (1 Peter 4:10-11).
A mother of young children may find purpose in wiping runny noses…
Prayer is a privilege
When we’re not in a good place spiritually, prayer can seem like drudgery. So, do we stop praying? Today on “Discover the Word,” we discuss how our access to God is not based on what we’ve done or how we feel, it’s based on Christ. How understanding that we have an “all-access” pass to God can make prayer a privilege, not a burden, is what we’ll discover today on “Discover the Word”!
Strength for the Weary
On a beautiful, sunny day, I was walking in a park and feeling very weary in spirit. It wasn’t just one thing weighing me down—it seemed to be everything. When I stopped to sit on a bench, I noticed a small plaque placed there in loving memory of a “devoted husband, father, brother, and friend.” Also on the plaque were these words, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isa. 40:31 esv).
Those familiar words came…
Looking at Life
Looking at Life
The Looking at Life series is a collection of ‘conversations starter’ leaflets addressing hot topics, big questions and important issues. Without assuming any knowledge of Jesus or the Bible, these leaflets will use everyday language to introduce readers to the real and relevant hope of the gospel.
Looking at Life can help you have open and honest conversations with your…
Our prayers are powerful
Do you sometimes feel like your prayers hit the ceiling and stop there? Or do you think because God is sovereign and will do what He wants, there’s no point in even trying to pray? Today on “Discover the Word,” the group explores why our prayers are powerful, even though exactly how that works remains a mystery. Join us today on” Discover the Word”!
Lord, Help!
I was so happy for my friend when she told me she was going to be a mum! Together we counted the days until the birth. But when the baby suffered a brain injury during delivery, my heart broke and I didn’t know how to pray. All I knew was who I should pray to—God. He is our Father, and He hears us when we call.
I knew that God was capable of miracles. He brought Jairus’ daughter back to life (Luke 8:49-55) and in so doing also healed the girl of whatever disease had robbed her of life. So I asked…
Lord, Help!
I was so happy for my friend when she told me she was going to be a mum! Together we counted the days until the birth. But when the baby suffered a brain injury during delivery, my heart broke and I didn’t know how to pray. All I knew was who I should pray to—God. He is our Father, and He hears us when we call.
I knew that God was capable of miracles. He brought Jairus’ daughter back to life (Luke 8:49-55) and in so doing also healed the girl of whatever disease had robbed her of life. So I asked…
Finding help in our time of need
Do you ever feel like no one understands or cares about your situation? Or they do care, but they’re powerless to help? Today on Discover the Word, we reveal how Jesus is the one Person we know who both cares and can help. And it’s why we can come boldly to His throne of grace, finding help in time of need. That’s our subject today on Discover the Word!
