Topic > Spiritual Growth
When I was Blessed to be Sick
Recently, I was blessed to be down for a few days with a bad flu, sore throat, and fever. Yes, you read it right. I was blessed and I thank God to have been down for those few days.
Transitioning to a new beginning
Today on “Discover the Word,” we along with our special guest, author Sheridan Voysey, talk about how our wilderness experience is not the end. It may feel like it goes on forever, but it’s really only a transition point to a new beginning. It’s a hopeful conclusion to our conversations this week, today on “Discover the Word”!
Undigested Knowledge
In his book on language, British diplomat Lancelot Oliphant (1881–1965) observed that many students give correct answers on tests but fail to put those lessons into practice. “Such undigested knowledge is of little use,” declared Oliphant.
Author Barnabas Piper noticed a parallel in his own life: “I thought I was close to God because I knew all the answers,” he said, “but I had fooled myself into thinking that was the same as relationship with Jesus.”
At the temple one day, Jesus encountered people who thought they had all the right answers. They were proudly proclaiming their status as Abraham’s descendants yet…
Can’t Take It Back
I couldn’t take my actions back. A woman had parked her car and blocked my way of getting to the gas pump. She hopped out to drop off some recycling items, and I didn’t feel like waiting, so I honked my horn at her. Irritated, I put my car in reverse and drove around another way. I immediately felt bad about being impatient and unwilling to wait 30 seconds (at the most) for her to move. I apologized to God. Yes, she should have parked in the designated area, but I could have spread kindness and patience instead of harshness.…
A Serving Leader
In traditional African societies, leadership succession is a serious decision. After a king’s demise, great care is taken selecting the next ruler. Besides being from a royal family, the successor must be strong, fearless, and sensible. Candidates are questioned to determine if they will serve the people or rule with a heavy hand. The king’s successor needs to be someone who leads but also serves.
Even though Solomon made his own bad choices, he worried over his successor. “Who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into…
Hidden Treasure
My husband and I read in different ways. Since English is a second language for Tom, he has a tendency to read slowly, word-for-word. I often speed-read by skimming. But Tom retains more than I do. He can easily quote something he read a week ago, while my retention can evaporate seconds after I turn away from the screen or book.
Skimming is also a problem when I’m reading the Bible—and not just the genealogies. I’m tempted to skim familiar passages, stories I’ve heard since I was a child, or a psalm that is part of a familiar chorus.
Proverbs 2 encourages…
Training for Life
I recently met a woman who has pushed her body and mind to the limit. She climbed mountains, faced death, and even broke a Guinness world record. Now she’s engaged in a different challenge—that of raising her special-needs child. The courage and faith she employed while ascending the mountains she now pours into motherhood.
In 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul speaks of a runner competing in a race. After urging a church enamored with their rights to give consideration to one another (ch. 8), he explains how he sees the challenges of love and self-sacrifice to be like a marathon of…
Why We Must Learn to Say “No”
A pastor I know once made this witty remark, “If you don’t fear God, you have to fear a lot; if you don’t please God, you have to please a lot.” Having personally experienced the truth of his statements, I couldn’t agree more. In fact, more often than not, we please those whom we fear.
Poem: By Your Side
By your side
There is peace,
A quiet place
Of beauty and realization,
Where wisdom
Seeks reason and understanding,
Where myth is laid to rest
By the reality of knowledge.
Ocean-Polished Glass
It starts as broken glass. Ruined. Thrown away. But then something amazing happens. Over time, the useless shards are rolled and tumbled until something beautiful is created. It’s just like how God takes our broken pieces and crafts beauty.
You First!
Tibetan-born Sherpa Nawang Gombu and American Jim Whittaker reached the top of Mount Everest on May 1, 1963. As they approached the peak, each considered the honor of being the first of the two to step to the summit. Whittaker motioned for Gombu to move ahead, but Gombu declined with a smile, saying, “You first, Big Jim!” Finally, they decided to step to the summit at the same time.
Paul encouraged the Philippian believers to demonstrate this kind of humility. He said, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others”…
When Christ Was NOT the Solid Rock I stood on
Back in my hometown, there was a construction site that was left in a dilapidated state for a few years after a building project was abandoned halfway. Whenever my mother and I walked past it, she would shake her head in dismay and say what a shame it was that the project was not completed.
Desiring Growth
The axolotl (pronounced ACK suh LAH tuhl) is a biological enigma. Instead of maturing into adult form, this endangered Mexican salamander retains tadpole-like characteristics throughout its life. Writers and philosophers have used the axolotl as a symbol of someone who fears growth.
In Hebrews 5 we learn about Christians who were avoiding healthy growth, remaining content with spiritual “milk” intended for new believers. Perhaps because of fear of persecution, they weren’t growing in the kind of faithfulness to Christ that would enable them to be strong enough to suffer with Him for the sake of others (vv. 7-10). Instead they were…
How To Break Up Your Marriage (to Work)
“Faith! Join us after service today for lunch . . . Don’t tell me you’re working on a Sunday again . . . you’re always working!” Unfortunately, it was true.
Saying Goodbye
Saying goodbye is hard—to family and friends, to a favorite and familiar place, to an occupation or livelihood.
In Luke 9:57-62 our Lord describes the cost of being His disciple. A would-be follower says to Jesus, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus responds, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (vv. 61-62). Is He asking His followers to say goodbye to everything and every relationship considered precious?
In the Chinese language there is no direct equivalent…
