Christchurch Shootings: Hope Amidst Tragedy
On Friday afternoon, 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant had opened fire in two Christchurch mosques, resulting in the deaths of 51 people, and injuring another 40.
To Hear From God . . . Start With Reading His Word
God wants to speak into our lives, to show us which path in life to take, and which to avoid. But hearing God’s voice starts with reading His Word. Today on Discover the Word, the team, and author Liz Curtis Higgs encourage us to spend time in God’s Word and commit it to memory. Join […]
If Christ Had Not Died
What if Christ had not died on the cross?
The writers of the New Testament answer this question by stating clearly why Jesus had to die on the cross. Yes, it is true that Pontius Pilate sent Jesus to the…
Joy in Hard Places
Whenever she was unable to take my phone call, I’d hear my friend’s voicemail recording inviting me to leave her a message. The recording cheerfully concluded, “Make it a great day!” As I reflected on her words, I realized that while it’s not within our power to make every day “great”—some circumstances truly are devastating—a closer look might reveal something redeeming and beautiful in my day, whether things are going well or poorly.
Habakkuk wasn’t experiencing easy circumstances. As a prophet, God had shown him coming days when none of the crops or livestock—on which God’s people depended—would be fruitful (v.…
Standing with Courage
While most German church leaders gave in to Hitler, theologian and pastor Martin Niemöller was among the brave souls who resisted Nazi evil. I read a story describing how in the 1970s a group of older Germans stood outside a large hotel while what appeared to be a younger man bustled about with the group’s luggage. Someone asked who the group was. “German pastors,” came the answer. “And the younger man?” “That’s Martin Niemöller—he’s eighty. But he has stayed young because he is unafraid.”
Niemöller wasn’t able to resist fear because he possessed some super-human anti-fear gene, but because of God’s…
More than a Symbol
On the verge of making team history, University of Iowa basketball star Jordan Bohannon intentionally missed the free throw that would have broken a twenty-five-year-old school record. Why? In 1993, days after Iowa’s Chris Street had made thirty-four free throws in a row, he lost his life in a car crash. Bohannon chose to honor Street’s memory by not breaking his record.
Bohannon showed a keen awareness of things more important than his own advancement. We see similar values in the life of the young warrior David. Hiding in a cave with his ragtag army, David longed for a drink from…
Discover How Every Page Of Scripture Whispers His Name
Jesus might not appear until the New Testament. But if you read carefully, you can find Him on every page of Scripture. Every story whispers His name. Well, today on Discover the Word, the team shows us how the story of Jonah points us to Jesus, revealing who God loves and wants, and to whom He […]
Keep On Going
Working in the corporate world allowed me to interact with many talented and levelheaded people. However, one project led by an out-of-town supervisor was an exception. Regardless of our team’s progress, this manager harshly criticized our work and demanded more effort during each weekly status phone call. These run-ins left me discouraged and fearful. At times, I wanted to quit.
It’s possible that Moses felt like quitting when he encountered Pharaoh during the plague of darkness. God had hurled eight other epic disasters at Egypt, and Pharaoh finally exploded, “[Moses,] get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear…
Social Media Outage: Can I Survive Without the Internet?
I thought my Facebook account had been hacked when I failed to log on to it this morning.
The disruption was one of Facebook’s most “widespread and persistent system outages”—with the outage stretching beyond 10 hours for some.
Discover God’s Grace Offered Freely To All People
God offers His grace freely to all people, regardless of their past. But sometimes, we feel like certain people shouldn’t get it because they don’t deserve it. Today on Discover the Word, we’ll discuss Jonah’s shocking reaction when God chose to spare the Ninevites. Another surprising twist on how the story of Jonah ends, today on Discover […]
Life Beyond Compare
In a TV program, adults posed as high school students to better understand the lives of young people. They discovered that social media plays a central role in how students measured their self-worth. One participant observed, “[The students’] self-value is attached to social media—it’s dependent on how many ‘likes’ they get on a photo.” This need for being accepted by others can drive young people to extreme behavior online.
Our longing for being accepted by others can be seen throughout the ages. In Genesis 29, Leah understandbly yearns for the love of her husband Jacob. It’s reflected in the name of…
Is It Ever Too Late To Turn To The Lord?
Some people fear that it’s too late to turn their lives over to God, they’ve done too many terrible things. But today on Discover the Word, we look at a time when God extended love and mercy to an entire city. Is it ever too late to turn to the Lord? Another fascinating discussion on the […]
Homeless by Choice
Keith Wasserman has chosen to be homeless for a few days every year since 1989 in order to grow in love and compassion. “I go to live on the streets to expand my perspective and understanding” of people who have no homes to live in, says Keith, executive editor of Good Works.
I’m wondering whether Keith’s approach to become one with those he’s serving might be a small picture of what Jesus did for us. God Himself, the Creator of the universe, chose to confine Himself to the vulnerable state of a baby, to live as a human, to experience what…
Captain Marvel: What’s Shaping Our Identity?
As one of the year’s most anticipated films, Captain Marvel is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)’s first female-led movie, and comes hot off the heels of the much-loved Wonder Woman (2017) by DC Films, which was released two years ago.
