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Loving All
I worship in a church located in a large, open field—a rare commodity on the island of Singapore (we’re just twenty-five miles long and fifteen miles wide). Some time back, people from abroad who work in my country started gathering on the church property for a picnic every Sunday.
This evoked a range of responses from fellow churchgoers. Some fretted about the mess the visitors would leave behind. But others saw this as a divine opportunity to extend hospitality to a wonderful group of strangers —without even leaving the church grounds!
The Israelites must have faced similar issues in their time. After they…
A Blanket for Everyone
Linus Van Pelt, better known as simply “Linus,” was a mainstay in the comic strip. Witty and wise, yet insecure, Linus constantly carried a security blanket. We can identify. We have our fears and insecurities too.
The disciple Peter knew something about fear. When Jesus was arrested, Peter displayed courage by following the Lord into the courtyard of the high priest. But then, he began to show his fear by lying to protect his identity (John 18:15–18). He spoke disgraceful words that denied his Lord. But Jesus never stopped loving Peter and ultimately restored him (see John 21:15–19).
Peter’s emphasis on love…
Unexpected Grace
It was an early Saturday morning in my sophomore year of high school, and I was eager to get to my job at the local bowling lanes. The evening before, I had stayed late to mop the muddy tile floors because the janitor called in sick. I hadn’t bothered to tell the boss about the janitor so I could surprise him. After all, what could go wrong? I thought.
Plenty, as it turns out.
Stepping in the door, I saw inches of standing water, with bowling pins, rolls of toilet paper and boxes of paper score-sheets bobbing on top. Then I realized…
Imperfect, Yet Loved
In Japan, food products are immaculately prepared and packed. Not only must they taste good but they must look good too. Often I wonder if I am purchasing the food or the packaging! Because of the Japanese emphasis on good quality, products with slight defects are often discarded. However, in recent years, wakeari products have gained popularity. Wakeari means “there is a reason” in Japanese. These products are not thrown away but are sold at a cheap price “for a reason”—for example a crack in a rice cracker.
My friend who lives in Japan tells me that wakeari is also a catchphrase for people…
Learning About Love from 50 babies
It’s not unusual for a child to exhibit a little jealousy when a younger sibling appears on the family tree. So how about 50 more?
Learning to love God with your entire being
Today on Discover the Word, Elisa Morgan leads the team in discussion in regard to what it means that God created us as “Beauty-Full Beings.” We’ll learn how loving God isn’t just a mental or emotional state, but something that happens in the physical world! Discover the life-changing wisdom of the Bible when you listen today […]
Lessons From A Shooting Tragedy
August 19, 2013, began like any other Monday at Uptown Baptist Church in Chicago, USA. As usual, I handled routine administrative tasks and worked on my sermon for the evening service at our soup kitchen ministry. The church employees were in the office working and chatting. No one knew it would become a day marked by tragedy.
I Can’t Stand Judgmental Christians
I used to think like this: Judgmental? Not me! I can’t stand people who judge others. The contradiction was right there in the statement, and somehow I was oblivious to it.
Brother to Brother
My brother and I, less than a year apart in age, were quite “competitive” growing up (translation: we fought!). Dad understood. He had brothers. Mom? Not so much.
We could have fit in the book of Genesis, which might well be subtitled A Brief History of Sibling Rivalry. Cain and Abel (Gen. 4); Isaac and Ishmael (21:8–10); Joseph and everyone not named Benjamin (ch. 37). But for brother-to-brother animosity, it’s hard to beat Jacob and Esau.
Esau’s twin brother had cheated him twice, so he wanted to kill Jacob (27:41). Decades later Jacob and Esau would reconcile (ch. 33). But the rivalry continued…
Loving others well . . . even our enemies
Today on Discover the Word, the team wraps up another installment in their series, “Falling into Love” with a powerful discussion on loving others well, even our enemies. It’s something that requires a true change of heart that comes from God alone. Join us as we seek God’s heart today on Discover the Word!
Love keeps a record . . . just not a record of resentments
The Bible tells us that love keeps no record of wrong. But that doesn’t mean there’s never any value in keeping good records and writing things down! Today on Discover the Word, we’ll discuss how love keeps a record, just not a record of resentments. Join us today for Discover the Word!
Loving God and loving others
Jesus told us the greatest commandment had two parts: to love God and to love one another. So today on Discover the Word, we will bring to the table the topic, How do we overcome impatience and irritability to love others the way God loves us? It’s a challenging and lively discussion today on Discover […]
Surrendering our need for control and trusting God
You’ve probably met someone who you might call a “control freak.” Maybe you look at one in the mirror every morning! Well, today on Discover the Word, we’ll discuss how we can surrender our need for control and trust God more. Join the team and learn how to truly fall in love with God when […]
Discover how our manners reveal deeper spiritual truths
Do manners matter? We certainly tell our kids that they do, so the answer might seem obvious, but how can our manners actually reveal deeper spiritual truths? Today on Discover the Word, we’ll kick off the final week of the series “Falling into Love” on Discover the Word. Love is not rude—listen today!
