Topic > Ethical Issues
Pax Romana
No one can afford the price of war. One website reports 64 nations are currently involved in armed conflicts. When and how will they end? We want peace, but not at the expense of justice.
Jesus was born during a time of “peace,” but it came at the cost of heavy-handed oppression. The Pax Romana (“Roman Peace”) existed only because Rome squashed all dissent.
Seven centuries before that time of relative peace, hostile armies prepared to invade Jerusalem. From the shadow of war, God made a remarkable pronouncement. “On those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned,” the prophet…
A surprisingly redemptive message
Today on “Discover the Word,” we reveal yet another uncomfortable Bible story, one that involves child sacrifice. It’s a violent story, but one with a surprisingly redemptive message. Be part of the group as they continue to explore “The Miraculous Life of Elisha,” right here on “Discover the Word”!
A passionate worshiper
Mary of Bethany was an ordinary woman. But there was nothing ordinary about any woman in the male-dominated culture of that day sitting at the feet of a Jewish rabbi! Today on “Discover the Word,” we discuss the extraordinary decision by God to “pick a girl” as a person that history would hold up as an example of a passionate worshiper of Jesus. Join us today on “Discover the Word”!
God With Us
No matter what you face in life, the decisions you make determine the course of your journey. Where can you find clear direction to help you make wise choices? In God With Us, author Alice Mathews examines the decisions made by Eve and Mary that continue to impact the world from generation to generation. Discover from […]
Consider the Poor
The year was 1780, and Robert Raikes had a burden for the poor, illiterate children in his London neighborhood. He noticed that nothing was being done to help these children, so he set out to make a difference.
He hired some women to set up schools for them on Sunday. Using the Bible as their textbook, the teachers taught the poorest children of London to read and introduced them to the wisdom of the Bible. Soon about 100 children were attending these classes and enjoying lunch in a safe, clean environment. These “Sunday schools,” as they were soon called, eventually touched…
How the wisdom of true sincerity allows God to work
A famous journalist once said about sincerity, “If you can fake it, you’ve got it made.” But is sincerity something you can really fake?
Lessons in Suffering
The close-up image on the giant screen was big and sharp, so we could see the deep cuts on the man’s body. A soldier beat him while an angry crowd laughed at the man whose face was now covered with blood. The scenes appeared so real that, in the silence of the open-air theater, I cringed and grimaced as if I could feel the pain myself. But this was only a film reenactment of Jesus’ suffering for us.
Reminding us of Jesus’ suffering, Peter wrote, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you…
Words and Actions
The email from the student in my college writing class expressed urgency. It was the end of the semester, and he realized he needed a better grade to participate in sports. What could he do? He had missed some assignments, so I gave him two days to complete those papers and improve his grade. His response: “Thank you. I’ll do it.”
Two days—and the deadline—passed, and no papers appeared. He didn’t back up his words with action.
Jesus told about a young man who did something similar. The boy’s dad asked him to do some work in the vineyard. The son said,…
How can we use the wealth God has given us?
The Bible makes it clear that God calls us to offer care and compassion for the poor. The Old Testament prophets were burdened for the poor. In fact, Isaiah told God’s people that it was better to help the needy than to fast.
Aylan’s Silent Scream
It was a picture that painted a thousand words: a photograph of a three-year-old Syrian boy, lying face down on a Turkish beach. His name was Aylan Kurdi. Last week, the world recoiled in horror and anguish over images of his lifeless body washed up on a beach in Bodrum.
A powerful exchange between Jesus and a religious lawyer
The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the greatest short stories Jesus ever told. Today we take a look at the stirring conclusion to a powerful exchange.
I’ve Come to Help
Reporter Jacob Riis’s vivid descriptions of poverty in 19th-century New York City horrified a generally complacent public. His book How the Other Half Lives combined his writing with his own photographs to paint a picture so vivid that the public could not escape the certainty of poverty’s desperate existence. The third of fifteen children himself, Riis wrote so effectively because he had lived in that world of terrible despair.
Shortly after the release of his book, he received a card from a young man just beginning his political career. The note read simply, “I have read your book, and I…
I was born and raised in Rwanda. I had five siblings and the most amazing parents. My parents were very devout and we went to church regularly. We read the…
ReadSpeak Up
When I hear stories about young people who have been bullied, I notice there are always at least two levels of hurt. The first and most obvious comes from the mean-spirited nature of those actually doing the bullying. That’s terrible on its own. But there’s another, deeper hurt that may end up being even more damaging than the first: The silence of everyone else.
It hurts the one being bullied because they’re stunned that no one will help. That often makes bullies more brazen, leading them to intensify their meanness. Worse, it heightens the embarrassment, false shame, and loneliness of the…
Are We Working for the Lord?
After graduating from college, I pursued my career ambitions and became an accredited consultant at a young age. I worked for 11 years as a full-time employee, then entered private practice as a consultant, before eventually enrolling in a Bible school to pursue God’s calling.
