Much More Than Words
At a dedication ceremony during which a Bible translated into a local African language was presented, the area chief was presented with his own copy. In appreciation, he lifted the Bible to the skies and exclaimed, “Now we know God understands our language! We can read the Bible in our own native mother-tongue.”
No matter our language, our heavenly Father understands it. But often we feel unable to express our deepest longings to Him. The apostle Paul encourages us to pray regardless. Paul speaks of our suffering world and our own pain: “The whole creation has been groaning as in the…
Comforting Others With Joy
When troubles start to close in around us and worry, fear, and doubt invade our hearts, God has given us a powerful tool to fight back. Today on Discover the Word, the team, and special guest Margaret Feinberg discover an unlikely weapon in our daily struggles. Hear about Margaret’s decision during her battle with cancer to “Fight […]
Coming to Jesus
Come to Me . . . —Matthew 11:28
Isn’t it humiliating to be told that we must come to Jesus! Think of the things about which we will not come to Jesus Christ. …
My Fears Held Me Back From Serving God
“I will dedicate my life to serve Jesus.”
I made this promise to God and myself after overcoming my addiction to pornography. I had been struggling with pornography addition for some time. But by God’s grace, He opened my eyes and delivered me from it. So I decided to serve Him with my life.
Our Singing Father
No one told me before my wife and I had children how important singing would be. My children are now six, eight, and ten. But all three had problems sleeping early on. Each night, my wife and I took turns rocking our little ones, praying they’d nod off quickly. I spent hundreds of hours rocking them, desperately crooning lullabies to (hopefully!) speed up the process. But as I sang over our children night after night, something amazing happened: It deepened my bond of love and delight for them in ways I had never dreamed.
Did you know Scripture describes our heavenly…
The Nature of Reconciliation
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him —2 Corinthians 5:21
Sin is a fundamental relationship— it is not wrong doing, but wrong being— it is deliberate and determined independence from God. The Christian faith bases …
A Warm Welcome for All
During a recent vacation, my wife and I visited a famous athletic complex. The gates were wide open, and it appeared that we were welcome to visit. We enjoyed touring the grounds and admiring the well-manicured sports fields. As we were about to leave, someone stopped us and coldly told us we were not supposed to be there. Suddenly, we were reminded that we were outsiders—and it felt uncomfortable.
On that vacation we also visited a church. Again, the doors were open, so we walked in. What a difference! Many people greeted us warmly and made us feel right at home.…
The Nature of Regeneration
When it pleased God…to reveal His Son in me… —Galatians 1:15-16
If Jesus Christ is going to regenerate me, what is the problem He faces? It is simply this— I have a heredity in which I had no say or decision; I am not holy, nor am I likely to be; and if all Jesus Christ can do is tell me…
Twinkle
“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” is an English lullaby. Its lyrics, originally a poem by Jane Taylor, capture the wonder of God’s universe where stars hang “up above the world so high.” In the rarely published later stanzas, the star acts as a guide: “As your bright and tiny spark lights the traveler in the dark.”
In Philippians, Paul challenges believers in Philippi to be blameless and pure as they “shine . . . like stars in the sky” while offering the good news of the gospel to all around them (2:15–16). We wonder how we can shine like stars. We often…
God As Both Redeemer And Restorer
The Bible teaches that God can take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it around for good. But when we’re in the depths of despair, that truth can be hard to believe. Today on Discover the Word, the team, and special guest Vivian Mabuni urge us to surround ourselves with hope and support in […]
The Nature of Degeneration
Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned . . . —Romans 5:12
The Bible does not say that God punished the human race for one man’s sin, but that the nature of sin, namely, my claim to …
A Pastor’s Letter to the Church: It’s Not All About You
Dear Church,
I’m writing to you to express, what is for me, one of the greatest challenges of ministry: I want to please you.
All throughout the Gospel, Jesus tells us to love our neighbors, our enemies, and each other. You can’t be a true minister of the Gospel without loving people. And when you love people, there is a strange internal desire to please them, to make them happy.
Better Than Ever
The story is told of a group of salmon fishermen who gathered in a Scottish inn after a long day of fishing. As one was describing a catch to his friends, his arm swept across the table and knocked a glass against the wall, shattering it and leaving a stain on the white plaster surface. The man apologized to the innkeeper and offered to pay for the damage, but there was nothing he could do; the wall was ruined. A man seated nearby said, “Don’t worry.” Rising, he took a painting implement from his pocket and began to sketch around…
The Hope That Doesn’t Disappoint
No one likes to suffer. But suffering can actually be productive if we let it. Today on Discover the Word, the team, and special guest Vivian Mabuni discuss how pain produces perseverance that refines our character and results in hope. Join us for another uplifting look at Vivian’s courageous fight with cancer and her perspective on productive […]
The Vision and The Reality
. . . to those who are . . . called to be saints . . . —1 Corinthians 1:2
Thank God for being able to see all that you have not yet been. You have had the vision, but you are not yet to …
