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Beyond Time
During 2016, theater companies in Britain and around the world have staged special productions to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. Concerts, lectures, and festivals have drawn crowds who celebrate the enduring work of the man widely considered to be the greatest playwright in the English language. Ben Jonson, one of Shakespeare’s contemporaries, wrote of him, “He was not of an age, but for all time.”
While the influence of some artists, writers, and thinkers may last for centuries, Jesus Christ is the only person whose life and work will endure beyond time. He claimed to be…
Is there reward in true repentance?
What do you think of when you hear the word, repent? Today on Discover the Word, we will, along with our guest Darrell Bock, discuss how our limited understanding of repentance keeps us from reaping its full benefits. As we read in Luke chapter one, the path to healthier relationships is often through the door […]
Graded with Grace
My son’s blue eyes sparkled with excitement as he showed me a paper he had brought home from school. It was a math test, marked with a red star and a grade of 100 percent. As we looked at the exam, he said he had three questions left to answer when the teacher said time was up. Puzzled, I asked how he could have received a perfect score. He replied, “My teacher gave me grace. She let me finish the test although I had run out of time.”
As my son and I discussed the meaning of grace, I pointed…
Free Indeed
Olaudah Equiano (c. 1745–1796) was only 11 years old when he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. He made the harrowing journey from West Africa to the West Indies, then to the colony of Virgina, and then to England. By the age of 20 he purchased his own freedom, still bearing the emotional and physical scars of the inhumane treatment he had experienced.
Unable to enjoy his own freedom while others were still enslaved, Equiano became active in the movement to abolish slavery in England. He wrote his autobiography (an unheard of achievement for a former slave in that era) in…
The Ultimate Road Trip
Madagascar’s National Road 5 offers the beauty of a white sand coastline, palm forests, and the Indian Ocean. Its 125 miles of two-track road, bare rock, sand, and mud, however, have given it a reputation for being one of the worst roads in the world. Tourists looking for breathtaking views are advised to have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, an experienced driver, and an onboard mechanic.
John the Baptist came to announce the good news of the coming Messiah to those traveling on rough roads and through barren landscape. Repeating the words of the prophet Isaiah written centuries earlier, he urged curious crowds…
A father’s love for his son
What does forgiveness look like to you? Next time on Discover the Word, the group will continue to look at the story of the prodigal son. It’s a parable retold in thousands of sermons, of a father’s love for his son and the forgiveness he extends. But is it just a story, one that we wish […]
Not Perfect
In his book Jumping Through Fires, David Nasser tells the story of his spiritual journey. Before he began a relationship with Jesus, he was befriended by a group of Christian teens. Although most of the time his buddies were generous, winsome, and nonjudgmental, David witnessed one of them lie to his girlfriend. Feeling convicted, the young man later confessed and asked for her forgiveness. Reflecting on this, David said that the incident drew him closer to his Christian friends. He realized that they needed grace, just as he did.
We don’t have to act like we’re perfect with the people we…
The Price of Admission
Every year some two million people from all over the world visit St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. It is well worth the admission fee to experience the magnificent structure designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren during the late 17th century. But tourism is secondary at this place of Christian worship. A primary mission of the cathedral is “to enable people in all their diversity to encounter the transforming presence of God in Jesus Christ.” If you want to tour the building and admire the architecture, you must pay an admission fee. But there is no charge to enter and…
Believing is Seeing
Familiar paths are comfortable, but it’s the unknown that forces you to trust. When you struggle and fall, faith may be the only thing you have in this cruel world. It’s a gift given to help you. Trust the Giver. And He will help you see the way again.
Keeping Faith
It’s tempting to think of faith as a kind of magic formula. If you muster up enough of it, you’ll get rich, stay healthy, and live a contented life with automatic answers to all your prayers. But life does not work according to such neat formulas. As proof, the author of Hebrews presents a stirring reminder of what constitutes “true faith” by reviewing the lives of some Old Testament giants of faith (Heb. 11).
“Without faith,” the author says bluntly, “it is impossible to please God” (11:6). In describing faith he uses words such as “persevere” and “endure.” As a…
Is it true that experience is the best teacher?
It’s been said that experience is the best teacher. But is that really true? Today on Discover the Word, lets allow King David to be our guide by digging deep into Psalm 27 and discovering three things David learned about God the hard way. That’s today on Discover the Word.
Psalm 27 – a song of hopeful faith
Have you ever struggled to trust God while also feeling desperate for Him to come through? Well, today on Discover the Word, the team will discuss some raw emotions expressed by the psalmist David. His close relationship to God during times of fear and betrayal reveals how adversity can be an opportunity to discover His […]
What does having a heart for God look like?
What does having a heart for God look like? Today on Discover the Word, we will discuss King David’s song of hopeful faith—Psalm 27. David starts out talking about his God, declaring his confidence in God’s deliverance. But in the end, he responds to his God. Explore why that’s an important distinction to make . . […]
Jesus . . . the Light of the World
Unlike the Bible’s King David, most of us haven’t had to face problems like our adult child chasing us down to kill us, or the leader of our country ordering our assassination! But we do have our dark days filled with problems and challenges. Today on Discover the Word, we will reinforce how in those […]
Waiting for the Lord’s deliverance
Hope and faith—two pretty important words in the Christian’s vocabulary. And today on Discover the Word, we will look at Psalm 27 where we find King David in a time of crisis. In this song, David expresses both hope—that translates to courage, and faith—the act of waiting for the Lord’s deliverance. Psalm 27—a song of hopeful […]
