Topic > Christian Living
Shine Through
A little girl wondered what a saint might be. One day her mother took her to a great cathedral to see the gorgeous stained-glass windows with scenes from the Bible. When she saw the beauty of it all she cried out loud, “Now I know what saints are. They are people who let the light shine through!”
Some of us might think that saints are people of the past who lived perfect lives and did Jesus-like miracles. But when a translation of Scripture uses the word saint, it is actually referring to anyone who belongs to God through faith in Christ.…
Doing Right in God’s Sight
“Cowboy builders” is a term many British homeowners use for tradespeople who do shoddy construction work. The term is bandied about with fear or regret, often because of bad experiences.
No doubt there were rogue carpenters, masons, and stonecutters in biblical times, but tucked away in the story of King Joash repairing the temple is a line about the complete honesty of those who oversaw and did the work (2 Kings 12:15).
However, King Joash “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (v. 2) only when Jehoiada the priest instructed him. As we see in 2 Chronicles 24:17-27, after…
Grace restores
Today on “Discover the Word,” grace restores—that’s the final observation we’ll make as we look through the prism of grace. We will examine the story of David and Mephibosheth to illustrate that while grace is all about restoration, it doesn’t release people from the consequences of sin. Listen today on “Discover the Word”!
The Fragrance of Christ
Which of the five senses brings back your memories most sharply? For me it is definitely the sense of smell. A certain kind of sun oil takes me instantly to a French beach. The smell of chicken mash brings back childhood visits to my grandmother. A hint of pine says “Christmas,” and a certain kind of aftershave reminds me of my son’s teenage years.
Paul reminded the Corinthians that they were the aroma of Christ: “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ” (2 Cor. 2:15). He may have been referring to Roman victory parades. The Romans made sure…
For grace to be given, it must be received!
Do you feel uncomfortable when people praise you? Do you tend to deflect compliments? Today on “Discover the Word,” we discover that an important part of grace is learning to receive it. In the case of Saul’s grandson, Mephibosheth, he felt unworthy of David’s kindness. But for grace to be given, it must be received! Join the group today on “Discover the Word”!
An Amazing Love
The final major historic acts of the Old Testament are described in Ezra and Nehemiah as God allowed the people of Israel to return from exile and resettle in Jerusalem. The City of David was repopulated with Hebrew families, a new temple was built, and the wall was repaired.
And that brings us to Malachi. This prophet, who was most likely a contemporary of Nehemiah, brings the written portion of the Old Testament to a close. Notice the first thing he said to the people of Israel: “ ‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord.” And look at their response: “How…
Grace commits
To demonstrate God’s grace to others we need to be fully committed. Today on “Discover the Word,” we continue the story of King David and Mephibosheth. David’s commitment to help Jonathan’s son was the result of a vow he made years before. Another facet of grace’s prism—grace commits. That’s today on “Discover the Word”!
Storms on the Horizon
Our son, Josh, is a commercial salmon fisherman in Kodiak, Alaska. Some time ago he sent me a photograph he took of a tiny vessel a few hundred yards ahead of his boat moving through a narrow pass. Ominous storm clouds loom on the horizon. But a rainbow, the sign of God’s providence and loving care, stretches from one side of the pass to the other, encircling the little boat.
The photograph reflects our earthly voyage: We sail into an uncertain future, but we are surrounded by the faithfulness of God!
Jesus’ disciples were surrounded by a storm, and He used the…
Drawn in by grace
Have you ever felt like an outsider? And has anyone ever drawn you into their “circle” making you feel like you belonged? Today on “Discover the Word,” we look at another way that grace is like a prism—it invites. How the story of King David and Mephibosheth encourages us to always ask, “Who can I show grace to?” A revealing part of the series “Grace Prisms” today on “Discover the Word”!
Prism of grace
Grace is like a prism. It reflects the many ways that God bends Himself in our direction to show His love. Today on “Discover the Word,” we begin a study called, “Grace Prisms” with the story of King David and Mephibosheth. Hard name to say, and an even harder story to grasp in light of the Old Testament’s “kill or be killed” culture. “Grace Prisms”—join the study . . . today on “Discover the Word”!
Context is king!
If your friends around the table could only give you one piece of advice about how to read and study the Bible, what do you think it would be? Most likely, it would be “Pay attention to the context!” and so today on “Discover the Word,” we remember that context is king! Listen today on “Discover the Word”!
The Spirit Delivers
Until recently, many towns in rural Ireland didn’t use house numbers or postal codes. So if there were three Patrick Murphys in town, the newest resident with that name would not get his mail until it was first delivered to the other two Patrick Murphys who had lived there longer. “My neighbors would get it first,” said Patrick Murphy (the newest resident). “They’d have a good read, and they’d go, ‘No, it’s probably not us.’ ” To end all this mail-delivery confusion, the Irish government recently instituted its first postal-code system which will ensure the proper delivery of the mail.
Sometimes…
What to do with conflicting Bible verses
What are we to do with conflicting Bible verses like, “Don’t answer a fool according to his folly” and “Answer a fool according to his folly”? Today on “Discover the Word,” we begin a “Discover the Word 101” conversation that can help you make sense of even apparent contradictions in the Bible! Join the group today on “Discover the Word”!
Embrace God’s original vision for His sons
How do we shed cultural definitions of masculinity and instead embrace God’s original vision for His sons? Well, today on “Discover the Word,” the group along with author Carolyn Custis James conclude their study called “Malestrom.” It’s a hopeful discussion you won’t want to miss. That’s today on “Discover the Word”!
God’s Way
We really needed to hear from God. Having been asked to foster two young children as an emergency measure just for 3 months, a decision had to be made about their future. With three older children of our own, becoming foster parents to preschoolers didn’t seem to fit with our life plan and having our family almost double in size had been hard work. Our book of daily readings by the veteran missionary Amy Carmichael directed us to some unfamiliar verses in Numbers 7.
“I wonder how the Kohathites felt?” Amy wrote. “All the other priests had ox-carts to carry their…
