Topic > Spiritual Growth > Discipleship >
Orphan to Queen: What I’ve Learned from Esther
“You can’t do this. You are not prepared for this kind of work.” “You don’t have what it takes to fulfill this role, so don’t accept it.” “There are others who can do the job better; let them do it.” I have a confession to make: I hide behind the veil of my flaws to […]
Guard Your Focus
That’s my disciple,” I once heard a woman say about someone she was helping. As followers of Christ we are all tasked with making disciples—sharing the good news of Christ with people and helping them grow spiritually. But it can be easy to focus on ourselves instead of Jesus.
The Riches Of Obedience
Publicly operated lotteries exist in more than 100 countries. In a recent year, lottery ticket sales totaled more than $85 billion in just the US and Canada, only part of the total sales worldwide. The lure of huge jackpots has created a mindset among many that all of life’s problems would be solved “if I won the lottery.”
How did Paul overcome feelings of hurt and abandonment?
Have you ever felt abandoned by someone you cared about? It can be difficult recovering from that type of pain and disappointment. Join us today for an encouraging conversation on “Discover the Word.”
Discover Paul’s surprising last words!
What would you expect the final words of the apostle Paul to be? A rousing sermon? Maybe an inspiring reflection? Join us today as we take a look at Paul’s final letter to his protege, Timothy.
Love And Light
Friends are starting to plan their summer vegetable gardens. Some get an early start by planting seeds indoors where they can control the conditions and provide the best environment for sprouting. After the danger of frost has passed, they will transplant the seedlings outdoors. Once the garden is planted, the work of weeding, feeding, watering, and guarding against rodents and insects begins. Producing food is a lot of work.
Now Go!
More than 10,000 evangelists and Christian leaders sat in a giant auditorium in Amsterdam in 1986 listening to world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham. I sat among them, listening as he narrated some of his experiences. Then, to my surprise, he said, “Let me tell you: every time I stand before the congregation of God’s people to preach, I tremble and my knees wobble!”
Ever wonder what happened to Simon of Cyrene after he carried the cross?
Many characters in the Bible appear, participate in God’s grand story, and then seemingly vanish from Scripture. Today on Discover the Word, let’s do a little biblical speculation about the end of Simon of Cyrene’s story. Discover some intriguing possibilities in our conversation!
The Definite Choice
Coming from someone who used to value ancestral gods, my 90-year-old father’s statement near the end of his life was remarkable: “When I die,” he spoke laboriously, “nobody should do anything other than what the church will do. No soothsaying, no ancestral sacrifices, no rituals. As my life is in the hands of Jesus Christ, so shall my death be!”
Looking at the events around Jesus’ crucifixion through the eyes of Simon of Cyrene
Jesus said, “Pick up your cross, and follow me.” Join us for a fascinating discussion as we discover more about the man who picked up Jesus’ cross.
Unexpected Encounter
Drew, young and enthusiastic, was leading the singing for the first time in a large church. Lois, a long-time attender, wanted to encourage him, but she thought it would be too difficult to get to the front of the church before he left. But then she saw a way to snake through the crowd. Lois told Drew, “I appreciate your enthusiasm in worship. Keep serving Him!”
Pursuing Holiness
We often see surveys that ask people if they are happy, satisfied with their work, or enjoying life. But I’ve never seen an opinion poll that asked, “Are you holy?” How would you answer that question?
Mirror, Mirror
How often do you see your reflection in a mirror? Some studies say that the average person looks in a mirror 8 to 10 times a day. Other surveys say it could be as many as 60 to 70 times a day, if glancing at our reflection in store windows and smart phone screens is included.
Taming The Untamable
From Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs to Siberian foxes, humans have learned to tame wild animals. People enjoy teaching monkeys to “act” in commercials or training deer to eat out of their hands. As the apostle James put it, “Every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind” (3:7).
