Topic > Christian Beliefs
Stage by Stage
Numbers 33 is a chapter in the Bible we might pass by without reflection. It appears to be nothing more than a long list of places tracing Israel’s pilgrimage from Ramses in Egypt to their arrival in the plains of Moab. But it must be important because it’s the only section in Numbers that follows with the words: “At the Lord’s command Moses recorded . . .” (v. 2).
Why keep a record of this? Could it be that this list provides a framework upon which the Israelites emerging from the wilderness could retrace that forty-year journey in their thoughts and…
Anger is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you don’t stay there
Have you ever felt angry with God? Well, that’s not necessarily a bad thing as long as you don’t stay angry! Today on Discover the Word, the group and guest Torrey Robinson examine the life of the Old Testament woman Naomi and why she returned to Israel so sorrowful and bitter. Naomi sounded like she […]
This Gift
A number of years ago I wrote an essay about my collection of canes, staffs, and walking sticks and mused that I might someday graduate to a walker. Well, the day has come. A combination of back issues and peripheral neuropathy has left me pushing a three-wheel walker. I can’t hike; I can’t fish; I can’t do many of the things that used to bring me great joy.
I’m trying to learn, however, that my limitation, whatever it may be, is a gift from God, and it is with this gift that I am to serve Him. This gift and not another.…
Boaz, the husband of Ruth and ancestor of Jesus
Ever wished you could sit down with one of your favorite Bible characters to learn what makes them tick? Today on Discover the Word, we welcome Boaz to the table—the husband of Ruth and ancestor of Jesus. Torrey Robinson, son of longtime Discover the Word group member Haddon Robinson, plays the part of Boaz in […]
I Am With You
When I served as an intern for a Christian magazine, I wrote a story about a person who had become a Christian. In a dramatic change, he said goodbye to his former life and embraced his new Master: Jesus. A few days after the magazine hit the street, an anonymous caller threatened, “Be careful, Darmani. We are watching you! Your life is in danger in this country if you write such stories.”
That was not the only time I have been threatened for pointing people to Christ. On one occasion a man told me to vanish with the tract I was…
Wisdom is the fruit of repentance
Hiding our sin leads to inner turmoil, but wisdom is the fruit of repentance. Today on Discover the Word, we will talk about the profound wisdom David learned when he finally came clean about his hidden sins. Find out why we can have joy when we are corrected and taught by God! Listen today to Discover […]
We Are Not the Sum of Our Bad Choices
You might have encountered them on the streets. The lonely, the homeless, and the addicted. They started off just like the rest of us, but somewhere along the line, one wrong choice after another led them on a downward spiral.
Unfailing Love
On a recent airline flight the landing was a little rough, jostling us left and right down the runway. Some of the passengers were visibly nervous, but the tension broke when two little girls sitting behind me cheered, “Yeah! Let’s do that again!”
Children are open to new adventures and see life with humble, wide-eyed wonder. Perhaps this is part of what Jesus had in mind when He said that we have to “receive the kingdom of God like a little child” (Mark 10:15).
Life has its challenges and heartaches. Few knew this better than Jeremiah, who is also called “the weeping…
Trading guilt and shame for rescue and relief
Have you ever practiced “self-protection,” where you hide your failures and try to control how people perceive you? Today on Discover the Word, the group talks about how King David’s attempt to hide his sins put him in a precarious place with God. That is, until he confessed and was able to trade his songs […]
Is God’s Will My Will?
This is the will of God, your sanctification… —1 Thessalonians 4:3
Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me— is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and…
Your Journey
I grew up in the rebellious 1960s and turned my back on religion. I had attended church all my life but didn’t come to faith until my early twenties after a terrible accident. Since that time, I have spent my adult years telling others of Jesus’ love for us. It has been a journey.
Certainly “a journey” fittingly describes life in this broken world. On the way we encounter mountains and valleys, rivers and plains, crowded highways and lonely roads—highs and lows, joys and sorrows, conflict and loss, heartache and solitude. We can’t see the road ahead, so we must take…
David’s “year of hiding and denial”
“I’ll lose control, I’ll lose credibility, I’ll lose face.” That’s what we often fear will happen if we “come clean” about our sins. But we lose a whole lot more when we’re too stubborn to “fess up,” and continue to try and hide things—from God and from others. Today on Discover the Word, we’ll discuss […]
Desert Solitaire
Desert Solitaire is Edward Abbey’s personal history of his summers as a park ranger in what is now called Arches National Park in Utah. The book is worth reading if only for Abbey’s bright language and vivid descriptions of the US Southwest.
But Abbey, for all his artistry, was an atheist who could see nothing beyond the surface of the beauty he enjoyed. How sad! He lived his entire life in praise of beauty and missed the point of it all.
Most ancient peoples had theories of origins enshrouded in legend, myth, and song. But Israel’s story of creation was unique: It told of…
Where Can I Go?
You can travel the extremes this earth has to offer. From the physical heights and depths to the emotional highs and lows . . . God is always with you. He created you, and He knows everything about you. What a comfort to be intimately known and understood.
Forgiveness and correction go hand in hand
Most of us wince a little when someone corrects us. It’s awkward, and sometimes painful. But we love it when someone extends forgiveness! Today on Discover the Word, we will take a look at Psalm 32. It’s a poem that shows how forgiveness and correction go hand in hand . . . and both are a […]
