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4 Lessons Only Failure Can Teach
There are many different ways to fail. I fail to read my Bible every day. I fail to tell the truth to my parents sometimes. I fail to say kind things to people who annoy or frustrate me.
Hide and Seek
“You can’t see me!”
When small children play “hide and seek,” they sometimes believe they’re hiding just by covering their eyes. If they can’t see you, they assume you can’t see them.
Naïve as that may seem to adults, we sometimes do something similar with God. When we find ourselves desiring to do something we know is wrong, our tendency may be to “shut God out” as we willfully go our own way.
The prophet Ezekiel discovered this truth in the vision God gave him for his people, exiled in Babylon. The Lord told him, “Have you seen what the elders of Israel…
Beauty Full Being
Studies reveal that most people struggle with their self-image to a certain degree. So it stands to reason that how we see ourselves and how God sees us doesn’t always match up! Today on Discover the Word, we will be led in the discussion about what it means to be a “Beauty Full Being.” Listen today […]
An Encounter with Stones
After centuries of war and destruction, the modern city of Jerusalem is literally built on its own rubble. During a family visit, we walked the Via Dolorosa (The Way of Sorrow), the route tradition says Jesus followed on His way to the cross. The day was hot, so we paused for a rest and descended to the cool basement of the Convent of the Sisters of Zion. There I was intrigued by the sight of ancient pavement stones unearthed during recent construction—stones etched with games played by Roman soldiers during their idle moments.
Those particular stones, even though likely from a…
If I Knew Then . . .
On the way to work, I listened to the song “Dear Younger Me,” which beautifully asks: If you could go back, knowing what you know now, what would you tell your younger self? As I listened, I thought about the bits of wisdom and warning I might give my younger, less-wise self. At some point in our lives, most of us have thought about how we might do things differently—if only we could do it all over again.
But the song illustrates that even though our past may fill us with regrets, all our experiences have shaped who we are. We…
A Little Bit of Paradise
Gazing out my open study window, I hear birds chirping and see and hear the wind gently blowing in the trees. Bales of hay dot my neighbor’s newly tilled field, and large, white cumulus clouds stand out in contrast to the brilliant blue sky.
I’m enjoying a little bit of paradise—except for the almost incessant noise of the traffic that runs past our property and the slight ache in my back. I use the word paradise lightly because though our world was once completely good, it no longer is. When humanity sinned, we were expelled from the garden of Eden and…
Lured Away
My niece convinced me to play Pokémon Go—a game played on a smartphone, using the phone’s camera. The object of the game is to capture little creatures called Pokémon. When one appears in the game, a red and white ball also appears on the phone’s screen. To capture a Pokémon, the player has to flick the ball toward it with the movement of a finger. Pokémon are more easily caught, however, by using a lure to attract them.
Pokémon characters aren’t the only ones who can be lured away. In his New Testament letter to believers, James, the brother of Jesus,…
Using strategic weapons to be victorious
When are we most susceptible to temptation? Today on Discover the Word, we’ll hear the encouraging conclusion of the series titled “The Temptation of Jesus.” Although temptations are inevitable and come in a variety of forms, we are discussing the one thing you’ll find at the heart of each one. Don’t let temptation rule your life! […]
How Jesus conquered temptation
Does the devil really cause us to sin? Well today on Discover the Word, the team will examine the Bible for ways that temptation can invade our lives, and discover that often there is a spiritual entry point. You’re invited to discover how Jesus conquered temptation. It’s part of this week’s series titled “The Temptation of […]
Effective strategy for victory
Have you ever “let your emotions get the better of you”? Well, temptation can often find an emotional entry point in our life that makes it difficult to resist. Today on Discover the Word, we find that Jesus felt the lure of temptation too, but employed an effective strategy for victory. It’s another encouraging discussion about […]
Exposing the devil’s playbook
Temptation can sneak up on us. But we don’t have to give in! Today on Discover the Word, we explore “The Temptation of Jesus” in Luke chapter 4 to expose the devil’s playbook. We’ll unmask the trying physical entry points for temptation. Listen today for tactics to fight temptation Jesus’s way on Discover the Word!
The Temptation of Jesus
Today on Discover the Word, the team kicks off a new series about “The Temptation of Jesus.” Tune in to discover how Jesus successfully defeated temptation, and how that can help you better recognize and resist when Satan comes calling. There’s victory to be won so listen to Discover the Word today!
4 Ways to Flee Sexual Temptation
I read about a recent pastors’ conference in the United States where, during the Q&A session, the inevitable question came to the old preacher sitting on a stool in the middle of the stage: “What is the one thing you want younger pastors to know?”
What’s That Book About?
Perhaps you’re familiar with the Bible, but not with the over-arching story this book unfolds to us from its beginning in Genesis to its conclusion in Revelation. Discover the themes that unite these 66 books into a cohesive narrative. And discover the essential part you play in this big story.
Giving in to Jesus
They call it “The Devil’s Footprint.” It’s a foot-shaped impression in the granite on a hill beside a church in Ipswich, Massachusetts. According to local legend the “footprint” happened one fall day in 1740, when the evangelist George Whitefield preached so powerfully that the devil leaped from the church steeple, landing on the rock on his way out of town.
Though it’s only a legend, the story calls to mind an encouraging truth from God’s Word. James 4:7 reminds us, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
God has given us the strength we need…
