Topic > Christian Living
Defending Our Faith
This course will guide you in ways to defend your faith while expressing God’s love toward those who oppose you. The emphasis is not on “winning the argument” but on planting seeds of the gospel in your conversations. First Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
We deeply appreciate the provision of these course materials from Urban Youth Workers Institute. If you have interest in their ministry please visit uywi.org.
Something I Should Know?
During a concert, singer-songwriter David Wilcox responded to a question from the audience about how he composes songs. He said there are three aspects to his process: a quiet room, an empty page, and the question, “Is there something I should know?” It struck me as a wonderful approach for followers of Jesus as we seek the Lord’s plan for our lives each day.
Throughout Jesus’ public ministry, He took time to be alone in prayer. After feeding 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, He sent His disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee by boat…
God helps in unexpected ways
What do Moses, Elijah, and Peter all have in common? When they were at their lowest, God helped them in some unexpected and very practical ways. Today on Discover the Word, our team and special guest Jeff Manion discuss some of their favorite Bible characters and the important lesson we can learn from them about […]
The Easy Road?
Life’s path is often difficult. So if we expect that God will always give us an easy road, we may be tempted to turn our back on Him when the terrain gets tough.
If you’ve ever considered doing that, think about the people of Israel. When they were given freedom from the Egyptians after hundreds of years of bondage, they took off for the Promised Land. But God didn’t send them straight home. He “did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter” (Ex. 13:17). Instead He sent them on the hard road through…
God loves providing for His weary kids
Have you ever cried out to God for help, wondering if He’s listening? Today on Discover the Word, our team, along with author Jeff Manion, continues their series called “The Land Between” by talking about how to cope after a dramatic life change, like an illness, a job loss, or a relationship crisis. What if we […]
A Lesson Learned
Mary was widowed and facing serious health challenges when her daughter invited her to move into the new “granny apartment” attached to her home. Although it would involve leaving friends and the rest of her family many miles away, Mary rejoiced in God’s provision.
Six months into her new life, the initial joy and contentment threatened to slip away as she was tempted to grumble inwardly and doubt whether the move was really God’s perfect plan. She missed her Christian friends, and her new church was too far away to get to independently.
Then she read something that the great…
Are you complaining about God or to God?
We all know the Israelites grumbled when they were in “The Land Between” a lot! But Moses complained too, about them! So what’s the difference between Moses’s complaint and theirs? You’ll find out today when we, along with our guest, Jeff Manion, compare griping about God with complaining to God. One of these things is […]
Our Chief Task
When a British scholar called on the world’s religions to work together for worldwide unity, people everywhere applauded. Pointing out that the major religions share a belief in the Golden Rule, she suggested, “The chief task of our time is to build a global society where people of all persuasions can live together in peace and harmony.”
Jesus cited the Golden Rule in His Sermon on the Mount: “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matt. 7:12). In the same sermon, He said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (5:44). Putting those radical…
One question to ask ourselves before judging others
Could you eat one food—for every meal—for days, and not complain? Our guest this week on Discover the Word, Jeff Manion, tried that and today he tells us about his experiment. And the conversation reveals the one question we should ask ourselves when we’re tempted to judge others. Find out what that question is today […]
Strengthening the Heart
The neighborhood fitness center where I have worked out for years closed down last month, and I had to join a new gym. The former place was a warm, friendly facility, patronized by older folks who liked to socialize while they worked out. We hardly ever broke a sweat. The new gym is a hard-core facility filled with serious men and women, earnestly invested in building better bodies. I watch these people strain and toil. Their bodies look strong, but I wonder if their hearts are being strengthened with grace.
Physiologically, the heart is a muscle—the muscle that keeps the other…
Complaining is more than just a bad habit
What, manna again? Complaining about their food and everything else they didn’t like, kept the Israelites wandering in the desert for forty years, delaying their destiny. Today on Discover the Word, we discuss with our guest, Jeff Manion, why complaining and grumbling is more than just a bad habit, it’s an enemy of our trust in […]
“The Land Between”
Most people would love to travel, but there’s one place nobody wants to travel to—the “Land Between.” Today on Discover the Word, our group, along with special guest Jeff Manion, begin a new series called, “The Land Between.” It’s a discussion about what to do after a job loss, a serious illness, the end of a […]
Join the Cry
A women’s prayer group in my country holds regular monthly prayer sessions for Ghana and other African countries. When asked why they pray so incessantly for the nations, their leader Gifty Dadzie remarked, “Look around, listen to and watch the news. Our nations are hurting: war, disaster, diseases, and violence threaten to overshadow God’s love for humanity and His blessing upon us. We believe God intervenes in the affairs of nations, so we praise Him for His blessings and cry for His intervention.”
The Bible reveals that God indeed intervenes in the affairs of nations (2 Chron. 7:14). And when God…
Serving from a place of brokenness
Do you feel like your flaws and your family’s imperfections have disqualified you from being able to serve God? Well, today on Discover the Word, the group shares how it’s our very brokenness that often makes us candidates for service! Hear the conclusion of the series “The Beauty of Broken,” today on Discover the Word!
Out in the Cold
In desperation, a woman called the housing assistance center where I worked. A heating problem had turned her rental home into a freezer with furniture. Panicked, she asked me how she would care for her children. I hurriedly replied with the scripted official response: “Just move into a hotel and send the landlord the bill.” She angrily hung up on me.
I knew the textbook answer to her question, but I had completely missed her heart. She wanted someone to understand her fear and desperation. She needed to know she wasn’t alone. In essence, I had left her out in…
