Topic > Christian Living
Handling tragedy – a challenging and freeing discussion
We’ve all experienced loss. But have you ever felt like you’re just supposed to soldier on, denying your grief? Today on Discover the Word, we will tackle the subject of handling tragedy. It’s a challenging and freeing discussion—part of a series about “Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes” with special guests Brandon O’Brien and Randy Richards. […]
Trusting God Even If
Due to an injury that occurred in 1992, I suffer from chronic pain in my upper back, shoulders, and neck. During the most excruciating and disheartening moments, it’s not always easy to trust or praise the Lord. But when my situation feels unbearable, God’s constant presence comforts me. He strengthens me and reassures me of His unchanging goodness, limitless power, and sustaining grace. And when I’m tempted to doubt my Lord, I’m encouraged by the determined faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They worshipped God and trusted He was with them, even when their situation seemed hopeless.
When King Nebuchadnezzar threatened…
A Letter to My Past Brokenhearted Self
Dear Agnes, I know it feels like it’s the worst night of your life. Your boyfriend of two years just broke up with you. You’re crying and you’re lonely.
Understanding context makes for a much clearer story
Today on Discover the Word, Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien join the team to lead a discussion on the story of David and Bathsheba and Uriah. Discover how understanding their culture makes some confusing things about this story a lot clearer. Join the conversation about “Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes,” today on Discover the Word!
Can God Be Trusted? My Struggle with Asperger’s
“Have you heard of Autism Spectrum Disorder?” David, my mission team leader, casually asked me while we were having lunch at Makassar, Indonesia, while on a mission trip.
“Love God and love others” – How did this gospel get Jesus crucified?
The gospel is sometimes summarized as “Love God and love others.” So it makes you wonder how that message got Jesus crucified. Today, the Discover the Word team continues their series titled “Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes”—providing cultural perspective for the Bible. We’ll learn why some things we consider orthodox were absolutely revolutionary to first-century […]
Isn’t My Job Supposed To Mean Something?
Over a year ago, I found myself worn out and exhausted: greatly taxed from a job that didn’t seem to give much in return for my effort.
Christmas at MacPherson
About 230 families and individuals live at Macpherson Gardens, Block 72 in my neighborhood. Each person has his or her own life story. On the tenth floor resides an elderly woman whose children have grown up, gotten married, and moved out. She lives by herself now. Just a few doors away from her is a young couple with two kids—a boy and a girl. And a few floors below lives a young man serving in the army. He has been to church before; maybe he will visit again on Christmas Day. I met these people last Christmas when our church…
Ham and Eggs
In the fable of the chicken and the pig, the two animals discuss opening a restaurant together. As they plan their menu, the chicken suggests they serve ham and eggs. The pig swiftly objects saying, “No thanks. I’d be committed, but you would only be involved.”
Although the pig didn’t care to put himself on the platter, his understanding of commitment is instructive to me as I learn to better follow God with my whole heart.
To protect his kingdom, Asa, king of Judah, sought to break up a treaty between the kings of Israel and Aram. To accomplish this, he sent…
How our “cultural blinders”affect how we read the Bible
We all know Jesus wasn’t a 21st-century American, yet we often read the Bible with cultural assumptions we might not even be aware of! Today on Discover the Word, we invite Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien back to the table for a fascinating discussion about how our “cultural blinders” often affect how we read the […]
Understanding how the Bible is meant to be read
How does your cultural upbringing affect the way you read the Bible? It’s more significant than you may think. Discover how you might be “Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes” when you join the Discover the Word team as they continue their conversation with Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien on Discover the Word. Learn how to […]
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…
How we mistakenly interpret the Bible through our Western cultural values
The Bible wasn’t originally written to 21st-century Americans. And if we’re not careful we’ll read our own Western cultural values into Scripture! Today on Discover the Word, we continue a conversation with authors Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien about how to take off our Western cultural glasses and see the Bible with new eyes. Join […]
The Power of Empathy
Put on the R70i Age Suit and you immediately feel forty years older as you experience impaired vision, hearing loss and reduced mobility. The Age Suit was designed to help caregivers better understand their patients. Wall Street Journal correspondent Geoffrey Fowler wore one and wrote, “The unforgettable, and at times distressing, experience shed light not just on aging, but also how virtual reality equipment can teach empathy and shape our perceptions of the world around us.”
Empathy is the power to understand and share the feelings of another. During a time of severe persecution against the followers of Jesus, the writer of…
Exposing our blind spots
When you read your Bible, could you be wearing blinders and not even know it? We’ll get together with the Discover the Word group today as we expose some blind spots we might not even realize we have. Authors Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien are helping us see how we may be “Misreading Scripture with […]
