Topic > Christian Beliefs
No Simple Recipe
For our grandson’s birthday, my wife baked and decorated a gigantic chocolate chip cookie to serve at his party. She got out her cookbook, gathered the ingredients, and began to follow the simple steps involved in making cookies. She followed a simple recipe and everything turned out well.
Crowned With Glory
The Voyager 1 spacecraft, which was launched in 1977, is on the outer edge of our solar system more than 10 billion miles away. In February 1990, when Voyager 1 was almost 4 billion miles from us, scientists turned its camera toward Earth and took some pictures that revealed our planet as an almost imperceptible blue dot on a vast sea of empty space.
Reflecting on Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan
Let's reflect on Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, and explore how helping our neighbor impacts our understanding of the Lord’s Prayer. A thought-provoking coversation from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.
An in-depth look at the Lord’s Prayer and community
Can you be a Christian all on your own? Or does the life of faith require community?
Rerouting . . . Rerouting
Don’t worry. I know right where I’m going,” I said to my passengers. Then an almost-human voice ratted me out: “Rerouting . . . rerouting.” Now everyone knew I was lost!
Consider why Jesus chose the words “debt,” “trespasses,” and “sin” when giving us the Lord’s Prayer
Every word used in Scripture is perfectly used, in a particular place, and for a particular reason.
Let’s look at the metaphor of debt found in the Lord’s Prayer
Bigger than any loan we owe the credit card or mortgage company, all of us owe a massive spiritual balance to God. Let's discuss how we’re able to pay off that enormous balance.
Looking at the Lord’s Prayer and the boundary lines God has set for our lives
As children, it’s tantalizing to neglect the warnings signs that say Keep Out! The thrill of adventure is greater than the fear of trespassing! Let's discuss ways that we as adults step over the boundary lines God has set for our lives.
Crying Out To God
After all these years, I still don’t fully understand prayer. It’s something of a mystery to me. But one thing I know: When we’re in desperate need, prayer springs naturally from our lips and from the deepest level of our hearts.
Second Best?
Leah must have laid awake all night thinking of the moment when her new husband would awaken. She knew that it was not her face he expected to see, but Rachel’s. Jacob had been a victim of deception, and when he realized that a “bait and switch” had occurred, he quickly made a new deal with Laban to claim the woman he had been promised (Gen. 29:25-27).
A Small Sacrifice
As we anticipate the coming celebration of Easter, I begin thinking about the sacrifice Jesus made so that I could be reconciled to God. To help me focus on all that He gave up for me, I make a small sacrifice of my own.
The Best Life
A few months ago, I had to travel to Florida and back on business. On my flight home, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had a seat with lots of leg room. It felt so good not to be scrunched into a small area. Plus, I had an empty seat beside me! The makings of a good nap.
Numbered Days
In the aftermath of a devastating tornado, a man stood outside what was left of his home. Scattered somewhere among the rubble inside were his wife’s jewelry and his own valuable collectibles. But the man had no intention of going inside the unstable house to search for them. “It’s not worth dying for,” he said.
Greek Fire
Greek fire was a chemical solution that was used in ancient warfare by the Byzantine Empire against its enemies. According to one online source, it was developed around ad 672 and was used with devastating effect, especially in sea warfare because it could burn on water. What was Greek fire? Its actual chemical composition remains a mystery.
Divine Diversions
I tend to get stuck in my ways, so anything that diverts me from my routines and plans can be very annoying. Worse yet, life’s diversions are sometimes unsettling and painful. But God, who said, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways” (Isa. 55:8), knows that He often needs to divert us in order to make more of our lives than we would have if we had stuck to our original plans.
Think of Joseph. God diverted him to Egypt to prepare him to rescue God’s chosen people from starvation. Or of Moses, who was diverted from the luxurious lifestyle of Pharaoh’s house to meet God in the wilderness in preparation to lead God’s people toward the Promised Land. Or of Joseph and Mary to whom the angel announced the most significant diversion of all. Mary would be with child, and this child would be called “Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Joseph believed in the bigger purpose that God had for him, surrendered to the diversion, and obediently “called His name Jesus” (v.25). The rest is wonderful history!
We can trust God’s greater plans as He does His far better work in the history of our lives.
