Topic > Christian Beliefs
The Catcher
Life is a risky enterprise. Sometimes we fly high, enjoying great success. But then suddenly we fall into deep disappointments and the haunting reality of failure, leaving our hearts wondering if there is anything worth looking forward to.
At a funeral recently, the pastor told the story about a trapeze artist. The performer admitted that although he is seen as the star of the show, the real star is the catcher
Look to the Bible to explore ways God intervenes on our behalf
Tuesday, March 13, 2012, Part 5
“By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned” (Hebrews 11:29).
Idea: The crossing of the Red Sea was an act of faith on the part of the Hebrew people.
Purpose: To help listeners appreciate why crossing the Red Sea was a great test of faith for the Hebrew people.
Beauty In The Church
When my husband, Jay, and I decided to build a new house, we didn’t recruit friends and family who enjoy working with power tools; instead we hired a skilled builder to create something both functional and beautiful.
Acts Of Gratitude
Few people knew me better as a boy than Francis Allen, the pastor who led me to Jesus Christ. A fire-and-brimstone preacher in the pulpit, he was a near-perfect example of the gentleness of God’s love outside of it.
Early on, Francis recognized a tendency in me to try to “buy” approval by working harder than expected and doing more than people asked.
Discover ancient Jewish heritage that influences our modern-day faith
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
“Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, ‘Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?’ And He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, ‘My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.’ ” ’ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover” (Matthew 26:17-19).
Idea: The Lord’s Supper, like the institution of Passover, is an act of faith.
Purpose: To help listeners appreciate how the Lord’s Supper is an outgrowth of the Jewish Passover.
The Dalton Gang
The Dalton brothers were infamous outlaws during the late 1800s in the US. They started out on the right side of the law as officers. But then they followed a gradual descent into crime and became known for bank and train robberies. Their day of reckoning came when they tried to hold up two banks at once.
How To Get A New Heart
A friend who is a heart transplant cardiologist has an appreciation of Ezekiel 36:26 that not many of us can understand. Mike manages the pre-operation and post-operation care for heart-transplant patients. He’s often in the operating room as surgeons remove diseased, discolored hearts and replace them with vibrant, pink “new” donor hearts.
The historical significance communion holds for the follower of Christ
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
“By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them” (Hebrews 11:28).
Idea: Moses acted by faith when he instituted the Passover.
Purpose: To help listeners understand why the Passover represented an act of faith.
Looking at the very first Passover to find parallels with Jesus Christ as the ultimate Passover Lamb
Monday, February 27, 2012, Part 2
“Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).
We have not been redeemed “from [our] aimless conduct received by tradition from [our] fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Idea: Passover is a significant celebration for both Jews and Christians.
Purpose: To help listeners appreciate the significance of the Passover.
The Devil In Court
The Devil and Daniel Webster” is a short story by Stephen Vincent Benet. In it, Jabez Stone, a New England farmer, has such “bad luck” that he sells his soul to the devil to become prosperous. Eventually, the devil comes to collect Jabez’s debt. But the eminent lawyer Daniel Webster is called in to defend him. Through a skillful series of arguments, Webster wins the case against the devil, and Jabez is saved from perdition.
Slacker?
While studying the book of Proverbs in my small-group Bible study, our leader suggested that we change the description of a lazy person from a sluggard to a slacker (6:6,9). Ah, now he was speaking my lingo. I immediately started thinking of all the people I consider to be slackers.
Making a difference for God
Often the major changes in our lives are precipitated by outside influences. And those influences don’t always guide us down the right path! Join the conversation as the team invites us to consider the changes that take us in the right direction.
Fresh And Flourishing
In Psalm 92, the poet begins with a commendation of praise: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord.” Good for what? Good for you and me. It does our soul a world of good to turn from anxious thoughts and fill our days with prayerful praise; good to greet each morning with songs of thanksgiving, for such praise makes us glad.
Invite Questions
When I teach, I sometimes use the motto “Question Authority” to get the attention of my students. I am not inviting them to challenge my authority; I am encouraging them to ask me questions. Some education experts say that more learning takes place when teachers answer questions than when they impart information. By nature, we all place a higher value on what we want to know than on what someone wants to tell us.
Looking ahead to our permanent home in heaven
Friday, February 17, 2012, Part 4
Idea: Faith doesn’t make us comfortable; in fact, it can cause us great pain.
Purpose: To help listeners understand that it’s better to suffer for something than to live for nothing.
