Topic > Christian Beliefs
Keep walking
The Bible is filled with analogies that use “walking” as a word picture. Whether it’s walking in wisdom, walking in the spirit, or walking in the light, it seems like that kind of movement is key. Because faith is never static! Today on Discover the Word, we reveal how a spiritually healthy Christian keeps walking! That’s […]
Better By Far
A siren wailed outside a little boy’s house. Unfamiliar with the sound, he asked his mother what it was. She explained that it was meant to alert people of a dangerous storm. She said that if people did not take cover, they might die as a result of the tornado. The boy replied, “Mommy, why is that a bad thing? If we die, don’t we meet Jesus?”
Little children don’t always understand what it means to die. But Paul, who had a lifetime of experience, wrote something similar: “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by…
Relationship is central to being rooted in Christ
Most of us have heard the statement that “Christianity is not a religion, it’s a relationship.” Well, today on Discover the Word, we will continue the series of conversations this week by talking about why we place such a high value in life on our relationships, and why relationship is at the center of this discussion of […]
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…
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 […]
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…
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”!
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!
Not a Simple Story
Life seems straightforward in the laws of the Old Testament. Obey God and get blessed. Disobey Him and expect trouble. It’s a satisfying theology. But is it that simple?
King Asa’s story seems to fit the pattern. He led his people away from false gods and his kingdom thrived (2 Chron. 15:1-19). Then late in his reign, he depended on himself instead of God (16:2-7) and the rest of his life was marked by war and illness (v. 12).
It’s easy to look at that story and draw a simple conclusion. But when the prophet Hanani warned Asa, he said that…
“Our sufficiency is from God”
On July 4, the U.S. will celebrate Independence Day. But today on “Discover the Word,” the group will talk about how, as individual believers in Christ, we can celebrate Dependence Day. And that’s every day when we sincerely say, “Our sufficiency is from God.” Today on “Discover the Word,” we will discuss the essence of prayer, complete dependence on God. Tune in today to “Discover the Word”!
Knowing and Doing
Chinese philosopher Han Feizi made this observation about life: “Knowing the facts is easy. Knowing how to act based on the facts is difficult.”
A rich man with that problem once came to Jesus. He knew the law of Moses and believed he had kept the commandments since his youth (Mark 10:20). But he seems to be wondering what additional facts he might hear from Jesus. “ ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ” (v. 17).
Jesus’ answer disappointed the rich man. He told him to sell his possessions, give the money to the…
“The Essence of Prayer”
What drives you to your knees in prayer? For many of us, it’s worry. This week on “Discover the Word,” we are going to talk about “The Essence of Prayer.” When we’re desperate for relief from our anxieties, we often treat God like Mr. Fix It. But is a quick solution what God promises to give us? Join the group today on “Discover the Word”!
Praise from Pure Hearts
During my friend Myrna’s travels to another country, she visited a church for worship. She noticed that as people entered the sanctuary they immediately knelt and prayed, facing away from the front of the church. My friend learned that people in that church confessed their sin to God before they began the worship service.
This act of humility is a picture to me of what David said in Psalm 51: “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise” (v. 17). David was describing his own remorse and repentance for his…
He Walked in Our Shoes
To help his staff of young architects understand the needs of those for whom they design housing, David Dillard sends them on “sleepovers.” They put on pajamas and spend 24 hours in a senior living center in the same conditions as people in their 80s and 90s. They wear earplugs to simulate hearing loss, tape their fingers together to limit manual dexterity, and exchange eyeglasses to replicate vision problems. Dillard says, “The biggest benefit is [that] when I send 27-year-olds out, they come back with a heart 10 times as big. They meet people and understand their plights” (Rodney Brooks,…
