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The Wonder Of The Cross
While visiting Australia, I had the opportunity on a particularly clear night to see the Southern Cross. Located in the Southern Hemisphere, this constellation is one of the most distinctive. Mariners and navigators began relying on it as early as the 15th century for direction and navigation through the seas. Although relatively small, it is visible throughout most of the year. The Southern Cross was so vivid on that dark night that even I could pick it out of the bundle of stars. It was truly a magnificent sight!
Let’s dig deeper into the gospel of Jesus, and the grace and forgiveness we find there
Well, here’s the bad news, we’re all sinners. Everyone has broken God’s law and deserves the appropriate consequences! But hang on, ’cause there’s good news as well!
Let’s explore Jesus’ instruction about choosing the right path in life
Jesus said we have two doors open to us. One is wide and welcoming. The other is narrow and unassuming. Which do you choose? The answer may not be what you expect! More from the Sermon on the Mount.
10 Reasons to Believe God Offers The Perfect Gift
How does a person gain eternal life? All of the world’s religions boil down to two answers: forgiveness and life either come as a result of human effort, or as a loving gift from God. This pamphlet offers the challenge that there are at least ten good reasons to believe that God offers a gift—and that this gift is sufficient for the needs of our hearts and lives.
When The Pain Won’t Go Away: Dealing With The Aftereffects Of Abortion
Each year, an estimated 50 million abortions occur worldwide, and many of these women struggle in silence with the pain of their decision. Gain a better understanding of post-abortion trauma and find hope to move forward in life as counselor Tim Jackson examines its cause and offers an avenue to forgiveness, healing, and restoration through God’s redemptive love.
The Presentation
My wife, Martie, is a great cook. After a long day I often look forward to the smell of spicy aromas that promise a tasty feast. Not only does she know how to prepare a meal, but she is also a master at the presentation. The colors of the food on the plate, beautifully arranged in a harmony of meat, white puffy rice, and vegetables welcome me to pull up my chair and enjoy her handiwork. But the food was not so attractive before she got her hands on it. The meat was raw and squishy, the rice was hard and brittle, and the vegetables needed to be scrubbed and trimmed.
One Silent Night
Simon had emigrated from the Netherlands to the United States. His wife, Kay, and all three of their children had been born in the US. Then Jenny married Roberto from Panama. Bill married Vania from Portugal. And Lucas married Bora from South
The Great Miracle
Leonard Ravenhill (1907–1994), a British evangelist, once said, “The greatest miracle God can do today is take an unholy man out of an unholy world, make that man holy, then put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it.” This seems to be what God did to Isaiah when He called him to speak to His people.
Around the time of the death of Uzziah, one of Judah’s more successful kings, Isaiah had a vision of God. The prophet saw Him as the true King of the universe, sitting on a lofty throne. In the vision, Isaiah saw seraphim worshiping God with a hymn that praised His holiness, majesty, and glory.
Michael’s Baptism
Michael wanted to be baptized. At first his father had reservations about this because Michael is autistic. Autism is a developmental disability that affects a person’s social interaction and communication skills.
There was no question that 35-year-old Michael had trusted Jesus for salvation, and the church leadership enthusiastically approved his baptism. But he would have to stand in front of the entire congregation.
Hope For Skeptics
As a workplace chaplain, I’m privileged to be in conversation with many different people. Some are skeptics of the Christian faith. I’ve discovered three major hurdles that keep them from trusting in Christ for salvation.
One Stretch
For years, Sarah had low-back pain that continued to worsen. Her doctor sent her for physical therapy, and she was given 25 stretches to do every day. The pain lessened but not completely. So the doctor ordered x-rays and sent her to another therapist, who instructed her to discontinue the other therapist’s stretches and do only one stretch a day as needed. Surprisingly, the one simple stretch worked the best.
Spiritual Plagiarism
When I teach English composition, I require students to write in class. I know that in-class writing is their own work, so in this way I become familiar with each student’s writing voice and am able to detect if they “borrow” a bit too heavily from another writer. Students are surprised to learn that their writing voice—which includes what they say as well as how they say it—is as distinctive as their speaking voice. Just as the words we speak come from our hearts, so do the words we write. They reveal who we are.
That Name
Our little granddaughter Maggie and her family were back home in Missouri after visiting with us in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her mom told us that for a few days after returning home, Maggie walked around the house happily saying, “Michigan! Michigan!”
Welcome Back
Jim decided to follow Christ at the age of 10. Fifteen years later his commitment had faded. He had adopted a live-for-the-moment philosophy and developed some bad habits. Then his life seemed to fall apart. He had problems at work. Three family members died almost simultaneously. Fears and doubts began to plague Jim, and nothing seemed to help—until one day when he read Psalm 121:2, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” These words cut through the fear and confusion in his heart. He turned back to God for help, and God welcomed him.
Hero Over Sin
Not long ago, someone asked me a very tough question: “What is the longest you have gone without sinning? A week, a day, an hour?” How can we answer a question like that? If we’re truthful, we might say, “I can’t live a day without sinning.” Or if we look back over the past week, we might see that we haven’t confessed to God even one sin. But we would be fooling ourselves if we said we hadn’t sinned in our thoughts or actions for a week.
