Topic > Christian Beliefs
Resisting the Trap
A Venus flytrap can digest an insect in about 10 days. The process begins when an unsuspecting bug smells nectar on the leaves that form the trap. When the insect investigates, it crawls into the jaws of the plant. The leaves clamp shut within half a second and digestive juices dissolve the bug.
This meat-eating plant reminds me of the way sin can devour us if we are lured into it. Sin is hungry for us. Genesis 4:7 says, “If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you.” God spoke these…
“The blessed alliance”
What does it mean in the second chapter of Genesis, when God said, “It’s not good for man to be alone”? Today on “Discover the Word,” the group, and author Carolyn Custis James introduce an important concept Carolyn calls “the blessed alliance.” Be part of the group for this key conversation today on “Discover the Word”!
In Transition
People post obituary notices on billboards and concrete block walls in Ghana regularly. Headlines such as Gone Too Soon, Celebration of Life, and What a Shock! announce the passing away of loved ones and the approaching funerals. One I read—In Transition—points to life beyond the grave.
When a close relative or friend dies, we sorrow as Mary and Martha did for their brother Lazarus (John 11:17-27). We miss the departed so much that our hearts break and we weep, as Jesus wept at the passing of His friend (v. 35).
Yet, it was at this sorrowful moment Jesus made a delightful statement on life…
How To Get Over a Breakup
My boyfriend broke up with me in the last week of the last term of journalism school and it was ugly. I received his text message on a Sunday evening, and I spent a better part of the night crying over the phone to my best friend.
God’s purpose for his sons and daughters
We often hear that “It’s a man’s world.” And it’s easy to see why both men and women feel that way. But really, it’s God’s world isn’t it? And so today on “Discover the Word,” the group and guest Carolyn Custis James explore how the creation story helps us understand God’s purpose for His sons and daughters. Discover why “it’s a man’s world” is a distorted way of looking at God’s world, today on “Discover the Word”!
His Plans or Ours?
When my husband was 18 years old, he started a car-cleaning business. He rented a garage, hired helpers, and created advertising brochures. The business prospered. His intention was to sell it and use the proceeds to pay for college, so he was thrilled when a buyer expressed interest. After some negotiations, it seemed that the transaction would happen. But at the last minute, the deal collapsed. It wouldn’t be until several months later that his plan to sell the business would succeed.
It’s normal to be disappointed when God’s timing and design for our lives do not match our expectations. When…
The Creator’s view of both men and women
The Bible’s patriarchal culture may seem to be “heaven-stamped and God approved,” but is it? Today on “Discover the Word,” author Carolyn Custis James and the group talk about how from Genesis on, the Creator’s view of both men and women is often very different from what plays out in the culture, both then and now. Join the discussion today on “Discover the Word”!
3 Life Hacks from Moses’ Life
Have you ever been asked to do something you didn’t want to do? Was it because you were afraid and felt it was beyond your capabilities, or because there were too many restrictions?
The Hollywood Hills Cross
One of the most recognizable images in the US is the “HOLLYWOOD” sign in Southern California. People from all over the globe come to “Tinseltown” to gaze at cement footprints of stars and perhaps catch a glimpse of celebrities who might pass by. It’s hard for these visitors to miss the sign anchored in the foothills nearby.
Less well known in the Hollywood hills is another easily recognized symbol—one with eternal significance. Known as the Hollywood Pilgrimage Memorial Monument, this 32-foot cross looks out over the city. The cross was placed there in memory of Christine Wetherill Stevenson, a wealthy heiress…
A Patriarchal culture of the Bible
When reading the Bible, you can’t escape noticing that men were clearly in charge. A patriarchal world is definitely the setting in which the story of the Bible is told. But today on “Discover the Word,” author Carolyn Custis James and the group discuss how making the patriarchal culture of the Bible the message instead of the backdrop to the message can cause confusion. An enlightening conversation today on “Discover the Word”!
Let’s begin a study called Malestrom
Today on “Discover the Word,” author Carolyn Custis James joins the group to begin a series of conversations about something she calls the m-a-l-e “malestrom.” Just as women are often marginalized in our world, Carolyn feels that in many ways men are in trouble too. So be part of the “Discover the Word” group with special guest Carolyn Custis James as they begin a study called, Malestrom on “Discover the Word”!
Wisdom and Grace
On April 4, 1968, American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated, leaving millions angry and disillusioned. In Indianapolis, a largely African-American crowd had gathered to hear Robert F. Kennedy speak. Many had not yet heard of Dr. King’s death, so Kennedy had to share the tragic news. He appealed for calm by acknowledging not only their pain but his own abiding grief over the murder of his brother, President John F. Kennedy.
Kennedy then quoted a variation of an ancient poem by Aeschylus (526–456 bc):
Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon…
The Prodigal Son’s Father
The story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-31) is a familiar one. Its three main characters could be the stars of a TV series: The rich patriarch, his elder son, and his youngest—the wild child. We know how it goes: The wild child takes off with his plentiful inheritance to enjoy life.
Too Close
I grew up in Oklahoma where severe weather is common from early spring through the end of summer. I recall one evening when the sky boiled with dark clouds, the TV weather forecaster warned of an approaching tornado, and the electricity went out. Very quickly, my parents, my sister, and I climbed down the wooden ladder into the storm cellar behind our house where we stayed until the storm passed by.
Today “storm chasing” has become a hobby for many people and a profitable business for others. The goal is to get as close as possible to a tornado without being…
