Topic > Christian Beliefs
Exploring a well-known psalm
Today, we’ll pose the question, “How could David go from praising His Creator to asking God to kill those who hated Him?” What tripped David’s switch? Was this a sentiment that God shared or was there another reason why it might be included in Psalm 139? Explore a confusing shift in a part of this well-known psalm we often ignore.
God has planned our days
Does God make mistakes? In times of crisis and confusion it’s easy to doubt, because it’s hard for us to see the big picture. Today on “Discover the Word,” we discuss how God has planned our days in a way that goes beyond time and space, so that even our mistakes can be turned around for His redemptive purposes. Join the discussion today on “Discover the Word”!
“Fearfully and wonderfully made”
Psalm 139 isn’t just an account of how David’s heart had been searched by God, it also invites God to continue searching. And the deeper God searched, the more David developed a sense of awe and wonder that he was “fearfully and wonderfully made.” And so are we. Don’t miss this important conversation today on “Discover the Word”!
God knows us and loves us anyway
Are there certain friends in your past who you would rather not get in touch with today because they knew you when you weren’t at your best stage of life? Today on “Discover the Word,” we’ll talk about how God knows everything about us, our full story, yet loves us anyway. Don’t miss the discussion today on “Discover the Word”!
Search me and know me
King David messed up royally, yet he was not afraid to have his heart searched by God. Today on “Discover the Word,” we begin the discussion called “Search Me.” For some, the words, “You have searched me and known me” in Psalm 139 produce fear and foreboding, making them want to hide. For others it brings comfort. But why the disparity?
He Came for You
In his novels The Trial and The Castle, Franz Kafka (1883–1924) portrays life as a dehumanizing existence that turns people into a sea of empty faces without identity or worth. Kafka said, “The conveyer belt of life carries you on, no one knows where. One is more of an object, a thing, than a living creature.”
Early in His ministry, Jesus went to a synagogue in Nazareth, stood up in front of the crowd, and read from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to…
The Mention of His Name
When the soloist began to sing during our Sunday service, the congregation gave him full, hushed attention. His mellow bass-baritone voice brought them the soul-touching words of an old song by Gordon Jensen. The song’s title expresses a truth that grows more precious the older we become: “He’s as Close as the Mention of His Name.”
We’ve all experienced times of separation from our loved ones. A child marries and moves far away. Parents are separated from us because of career or health. A child goes off to school in another state or country. True, we have texting and Skype. But…
Her Father’s Zoo
June Williams was only 4 when her father bought 7 acres of land to build a zoo without bars or cages. Growing up she remembers how creative her father was in trying to help wild animals feel free in confinement. Today Chester Zoo is one of England’s most popular wildlife attractions. Home to 11,000 animals on 110 acres of land, the zoo reflects her father’s concern for animal welfare, education, and conservation.
Solomon had a similar interest in all creatures great and small. In addition to studying the wildlife of the Middle East, he imported exotic animals like apes and monkeys…
Do You Know Who You Really Are?
Are you an ENTP*? What are your top strengths? What does your sleeping position say about you? Did you know that your favorite color says something about who you are?
True confidence comes in Christ alone
In the film, “The Sound of Music,” Maria von Trapp sings, “I have confidence in sunshine, I have confidence in rain.” But nature can’t help you when you need answers to prayer. The apostle Paul modeled true confidence. His trust was in Christ alone and the power of prayer to transform people into His image. Don’t miss this important conversation today on “Discover the Word”!
How Do I Live Without Him?
Have you heard the story of the little eagle which was raised as a chicken? Every day, he ate and played with the other chickens, so much so that he believed that he was one of them. One day, he saw an eagle flying high above, and gazed at the magnificent bird in awe.
What Is It?
My mother taught Sunday school for decades. One week she wanted to explain how God supplied food for the Israelites in the wilderness. To make the story come alive, she created something to represent “manna” for the kids in her class. She cut bread into small pieces and topped them with honey. Her recipe was inspired by the Bible’s description of manna that says it “tasted like wafers made with honey” (Ex. 16:31).
When the Israelites first encountered God’s bread from heaven, it appeared on the ground outside their tents like frost. “When [they] saw it, they said to each other,…
Good Samaritan gets killed while helping another
A man offers help to another, but in the process, gets shot by the latter and dies. Talk about injustice. But that’s exactly what happened last Friday (22 January) in Catawba County, North Carolina, U.S.
Are You Satisfied With Your Life?
My growing up years were tough. When my parents got divorced, my brothers and I stayed with my dad, and we had to share a bedroom in a friend’s house for some time.
When Questions Remain
On October 31, 2014, an experimental spacecraft broke apart during a test flight and crashed into the Mojave Desert. The copilot died while the pilot miraculously survived. Investigators soon determined what had happened, but not why. The title of a newspaper article about the crash began with the words “Questions remain.”
Throughout life we may experience sorrows for which there are no adequate explanation. Some are catastrophic events with far-reaching effects while others are personal, private tragedies that alter our individual lives and families. We want to know why, but we seem to find more questions than answers. Yet even as…
