Sharing More Than Stuff
“But I don’t want to share!” wailed my youngest child, broken-hearted that he would have to part with even one of his many LEGO pieces. I rolled my eyes at his immaturity, but truthfully, this attitude is not limited to children. How much of my own life, and really all of human experience, is marked by a stubborn resistance to freely and generously give to others?
As believers in Jesus, we’re called to share our very lives with one another. Ruth did just that with her mother-in-law, Naomi. As a destitute widow, Naomi had little to offer Ruth. And yet Ruth…
What Were Some Of The Complex Racial Issues Of Ancient Rome?
Slavery was rampant in ancient times. So why didn’t Jesus or the apostles ever speak out against it? Today on Discover the Word, the team sits down with authors Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien to discuss the complex socioeconomic system that existed in ancient Rome. Another fascinating conversation to keep us from “Misreading Paul” today on Discover the […]
What My Failed Blind Date Taught Me About God
I could feel my heart pulsing. Any sense of calm I’d been harboring fled like an outgoing tide. In the Pacific Northwest, I experienced a similar feeling looking over the edge of a cliff hundreds of feet above the wild Pacific Ocean. This time the cause was even more intimidating—I was on a blind date.
A Song in the Night
My father’s life was one of longing. He longed for wholeness, even as Parkinson’s gradually crippled more and more of his mind and body. He longed for peace, but was tormented by the deep pain of depression. He longed to feel loved and cherished, but often felt utterly alone.
He found himself less alone when he read the words of Psalm 42, his favorite psalm. Like him, the psalmist knew a desperate longing, an unquenched thirst for healing (vv. 1–2). Like him, the psalmist knew a sadness that felt like it never went away (v. 3), leaving times of pure joy…
What Were Some Of The Challenges Paul Faced In His Cross-Cultural World?
One of the greatest issues we’re wrestling with in our world today is how to advance racial reconciliation. And today on Discover the Word, we are joined by authors Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien to discuss the challenges Paul faced in his cross-cultural life and ministry. We’re continuing our series called, “Misreading Paul” today on Discover the Word!
Hope’s Sure Foundation
Lessons on faith can come from unexpected places—like the one I learned from my 110-pound, black Labrador retriever, “Bear.” Bear’s large metal water bowl was located in a corner of the kitchen. Whenever it was empty, he wouldn’t bark or paw at it. Instead, he would lie down quietly beside it and wait. Sometimes he would have to wait several minutes, but Bear had learned to trust that I would eventually walk into the room, see him there, and provide what he needed. His simple faith in me reminded me of my need to place more trust in God.
The Bible…
Plight of the Crawdads
When my cousin invited me to join him to fish for crawdads (crayfish), I couldn’t help but be excited. I grinned when he handed me a plastic pail. “No lid?”
“You won’t need one,” he said, picking up the fishing rods and the small bag of chicken chunks we’d use for bait.
Later, as I watched the small crustaceans climbing over one another in a futile attempt to escape the almost-full bucket, I realized why we wouldn’t need a lid. Whenever one crawdad reached the rim, the others would pull it back down.
The plight of the crawdads reminds me how destructive it…
Jesus Is Right Behind You
My daughter was ready for school a little earlier than usual, so she asked if we could stop by the coffee shop on our way. I agreed. As we approached the drive-thru lane, I said, “Do you feel like spreading some joy this morning?” She said, “Sure.”
We placed our order, then pulled up to the window where the barista told us what we owed. I said, “We’d like to pay for the young woman’s order behind us too.” My daughter had a huge smile on her face.
In the grand scheme of things, a cup of coffee may not seem like…
Jesus Is Right Behind You
My daughter was ready for school a little earlier than usual, so she asked if we could stop by the coffee shop on our way. I agreed. As we approached the drive-thru lane, I said, “Do you feel like spreading some joy this morning?” She said, “Sure.”
We placed our order, then pulled up to the window where the barista told us what we owed. I said, “We’d like to pay for the young woman’s order behind us too.” My daughter had a huge smile on her face.
In the grand scheme of things, a cup of coffee may not seem like…
Understanding Context Can Help Keep Us From Misreading The Bible
It’s easy to point fingers at someone’s behavior until you understand the reasons behind it. Today on Discover the Word, we sit down with authors Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien to explore how understanding the context of the apostle Paul’s actions helps us to appreciate what he’s trying to tell us and can keep us from “Misreading […]
Infinite Dimensions
I lay still on the vinyl-covered mat and held my breath on command as the machine whirred and clicked. I knew lots of folks had endured MRI’s, but for claustrophobic me, the experience required focused concentration on something—Someone—much bigger than myself.
In my mind, a phrase from Scripture (“how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,” Ephesians 3:18) moved in rhythm with the machine’s hum. In Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church, he described four dimensions to God’s love in order to stress the unending parameters of God’s love and presence.
My position while lying down for…
The Apostle Paul And Some Of His Shortcomings
We know nobody is perfect, but when you really admire somebody it’s easy to gloss over their flaws. Today on Discover the Word, the team invites authors Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien to the table for another challenging conversation about the apostle Paul and some of his shortcomings. Join us today for Discover the Word!
Is There A Way Out?
Question: Is there a way out of this awful struggle?
Answer: Yes, if we find ultimate hope in the life to come.
When we face troubles and trials, it is sometimes hard to keep from being discouraged. We trust God, but we wonder about the why of all the pain we and others around us must endure. At such times we may not…
Jeopardy: A KeyTo Bible Study
In 1964 Merv Griffin sat in the dining room of his apartment and created a game called Jeopardy. Today his idea has grown into one of the most popular quiz shows in American television history. Over the years since then, show host Alex Trebek has challenged some 5,000 contestants with over 135,000 questions in as many as 2,700 categories of…
I Have Albinism But I’m No Different
My name is Anatasya, and I have a skin condition called albinism.
When I was younger, I didn’t feel any different from everyone else. I only realized that I was different when I looked at other people’s skin and observed that the color of their skin is different from mine.
