Topic > Christian Living
Hidden Beauty
Our children needed a little coaxing to believe that it was worth putting on snorkeling gear to peer beneath the surface of the Caribbean Sea off the shore of the island of Tobago. But after they dove in, they resurfaced ecstatic, “There are thousands of fish of all different kinds! It’s so beautiful! I’ve never seen such colorful fish!”
Because the surface of the water looked similar to freshwater lakes near our home, our children could have missed the beauty hidden just below the surface.
When the prophet Samuel went to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be the next…
God Is Present In Our Suffering
Where is God when painful circumstances lay us low? Today on Discover the Word, our team, and special guest and author Philip Yancey, suggest that God is more present in our suffering than we might think. Learn ways to accept comfort from the Lord and extend that comfort to others—to be a “Grace Dispenser,” today on Discover the Word!
God’s Great Creation
On a recent visit with some of our grandchildren, we enjoyed watching a web cam that focused on an eagle family in Florida. Every day we would check in on the mom, the dad, and the baby as they went about their daily routine in their nest high off the ground. Each day the parent birds would keep a constant, protective vigil over the eaglet, bringing him fish from a nearby river for nourishment.
This little eagle family depicts for us one image the psalmist gave us of God’s magnificent creation in Psalm 104—an array of creation images, of scenes from…
God’s Grace Extends To Both The Oppressed And The Oppressor
Zacchaeus was a wee-little tax-collector with a big reputation, siding with a corrupt government to swindle his neighbors. Today on Discover the Word, our team and special guest Philip Yancey use this biblical portrait to reveal how God extends grace to both the oppressed and the oppressors. It’s a discussion that challenges our expectations . . . today on Discover the Word!
One of God’s Great “Don’ts”
Do not fret— it only causes harm —Psalm 37:8
Fretting means getting ourselves “out of joint” mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say, “Do not fret,” but something very different to have …
Discover How To Become “Grace Dispensers”
It’s easier to extend grace to those who share our beliefs, values, and common experiences—people we like. But we’ve all got some people who are, well just a little harder to love. Today on Discover the Word, the team, and special guest Philip Yancey discuss how God’s love influences how we interact with people we disagree […]
Extending Grace To Those Who Deserve It Least
In order to offer grace to others, we first need to receive God’s grace ourselves! Today on Discover the Word, the team and special guest Philip Yancey, take note of how Jesus extended grace to those who seemed to deserve it the least. It’s the start of an eye-opening discussion about becoming “Grace Dispensers,” today on Discover the Word!
Living Out Loud
While staying at a hotel in Austin, Texas, I noticed a card on lying on the desk in my room. It said:
Welcome
Our Prayer is that your stay here will be restful
and that your travels will be fruitful.
May the Lord bless you and keep you, and make
His face shine upon you.
This card from the company that manages the hotel made me want to know more, so I accessed their website and read about their culture, strength, and values. In a winsome way, they seek to pursue excellence and live out their faith in the workplace.
Their philosophy reminded me of Peter’s words…
Do It Now!
In this verse, Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, “Do what you know you must do— now. Do it quickly. If you don’t, an inevitable process will begin to work ’till you have paid the last penny’ (Matthew 5:26) in pain, agony, and distress.” God’s laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being.
Join In The “Prayer Dare”
For kids on the playground, there’s perhaps no more solemn a challenge than the “double dog dare.” Well, today on Discover the Word, we conclude the study on “The Prayer Coin,” by issuing a dare to you. Will you take the “Prayer Dare”? It’s an encouraging edition of Discover the Word today!
Pictures of Love
My children and I have started a new daily practice. Every night at bedtime, we gather colored pencils and light a candle. Asking God to light our way, we get out our journals and draw or write answers to two questions: When did I show love today? and When did I withhold love today?
Loving our neighbors has been an important part of the Christian life “from the beginning” (2 John 1:5). That’s what John writes in his second letter to his congregation, asking them to love one another in obedience to God (2 John 1:5–6). Love is one of John’s favorite…
“. . . Yet Not My Will”
As Jesus knelt in the garden of Gethsemane, he offered an honest prayer, “take this cup from Me.” But he didn’t stop there. Today, on Discover the Word, we will examine the flip side of Jesus’s prayer, “yet not my will.” Learn to pray with both sides of “The Prayer Coin,” like Jesus, when you listen today to Discover the Word!
Relinquishing Our Desires Into God’s Capable Hands
Prayer is a vehicle for bringing our whole selves to God. In prayer, we can honestly make our requests known, while also relinquishing our desires into God’s capable hands. Today, on Discover the Word, we suggest that pivoting between both postures is necessary for a healthy prayer life. Join the discussion on Discover the Word!
Drawing on the Grace of God— Now
We . . . plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain —2 Corinthians 6:1
The grace you had yesterday will not be sufficient for today. Grace is the overflowing favor of God, and you can always count on it …
Trusting God Through Life’s Twists And Turns
Trust is formed over time. So, how do we build a foundation of trust in God that prepares us for life’s twists and turns? Today on Discover the Word, we’ll look at the example of Jesus, to show us how to pray with both honesty and trust-filled abandon to His will. That’s today on Discover the Word!
