Lessons from a blistered left hand

By Edna Ho, Malaysia I just came back from a church camp with my family. It was a tiring but fun-filled 3 days 2 nights at a hill resort. On the second day, we played our own version of the famous “Minute-to-Win-It” telematch. I enjoyed myself so much that I didn’t even realize that I [...]

Tempting Outside; Toxic Inside

An Australian study concluded that plainer cigarette packages would make smoking less appealing to teens. In response, the Australian government introduced legislation that would require tobacco companies to replace color, logos, and promotional text on cigarette packages with health warnings and images of diseased lungs. In effect, the Marlboro Man would give way to the Grim Reaper in an effort to reduce the number of deaths caused by smoking. But cigarette packaging isn’t the only thing that may be tempting on the outside with a toxic product inside.

A Good Neighbor

In June 2011, when disastrous flood- waters chased residents of Minot, North Dakota, from their homes, the people of that community did what seemed to come naturally to them—they helped others who were in need. People from more than an hour away, without being asked, showed up to help. Some loaned their campers to those who lost their homes and others allowed their garages to be used for temporary storage. The people of North Dakota were showing what it means to be good neighbors.

The Failure Of Success: The Story Of Jonah | An Adaptation

By Bill Crowder Adapted by Rachel Ang This is an adaption of the Discovery Series booklet The Failure Of Success: The Story Of Jonah by Bill Crowder. It is a project under Youth Ministry Initiative by RBC Ministries to mobilize and equip Christian youth to bring God’s Word to their peers. Rachel Ang is a [...]

Practical tools for getting the most out of your Bible study

Monday, June 18, 2012

“And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them . . . and [Isaiah] said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house, there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them” (Isaiah 39:2-4).

IDEA: Misinterpreted or misapplied passages of Scripture have different degrees of consequences.

PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that there are consequences to the ways they interpret the Scriptures.

Ajith Fernando – from the eyes of his son

By Asiri Fernando, Sri Lanka As some have already begun the task of digging deeper into my father’s life and putting into writing their findings, I believe it’s my duty and delight to lay bare a few aspects that are well hidden from the world. A Loving Father First of all, he was and is [...]

Lost And Found

Recently, I couldn’t find my credit card. I began frantically looking for it because losing a credit card is no small thing. Automatic payments and daily purchases would all be disrupted until it could be replaced. Not to mention the possibility of someone finding it and charging items to our account. What a relief it was when my wife found it on the floor under the computer table.

Blessed are the Humble

By Trevor Shockey, USA Oh high and lofty How you are glorified People praise you You are treated with honor Woe to the proud one To the selfish one The one who raises up himself And not the Lord Blessed is the one That seeks to serve They will receive praise from the Father And [...]

Small Things

By Koh Siang Kiang, Singapore Every fortnight, for the last two months I’ve been taking my father for treatment of a viral wart in his toe. Each time the doctor would pare the dead skin around the wart and apply histofreezer, a liquid nitrogen. He would walk out of that clinic in much pain. For [...]

Peacocks And Their Kin

Male peacocks are resplendent creatures with iridescent blue-green plumage and elongated trains tipped with “eyes” colored in hues of gold, red, and blue. They are strikingly beautiful birds, but they have ugly feet!

A Circle Of Friends

Many high school students with autism or Down syndrome feel excluded and ignored. They often eat alone in a crowded cafeteria because other students don’t know how to relate to them or simply don’t care. To address this need, speech therapist Barbara Palilis began “Circle of Friends”—a program that pairs students with disabilities with nondisabled peers for lunch dates and social activities. Through this outreach, special-needs students and those nondisabled peers who befriend them continue to be enriched and changed through the gift of acceptance, friendship, and understanding.

The dangers of misusing or even misquoting Scripture

Monday, June 11, 2012

“He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; he has broken his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in You” (Psalm 55:20-23).

IDEA: Sometimes a good truth can be used in a bad way.

PURPOSE: To help listeners see that when we read the text of Scripture we must discern who says what to whom.

Prodigal Child

By Debra Ayis, Nigeria I return to you As a prodigal child Tired and famished I find my way home I pray earnestly That you will receive me I honestly need your help I look to the ground Like a guilty child I look at my feet Tears flow freely down my face In my [...]

Unanswered

One of my biggest struggles is unanswered prayer. Maybe you can relate. You ask God to rescue a friend from addiction, to grant salvation to a loved one, to heal a sick child, to mend a relationship. All these things you think must be God’s will. For years you pray. But you hear nothing back from Him and you see no results.

Just how long can you wait?

By Shade Enoch, Nigeria Few of us like to wait. In fact, most people hate it. Worse still is when one has to wait indefinitely. Personally, I try to avoid as much waiting as possible, such as waiting at a bus park, standing in a queue at the bank, waiting to see someone in an [...]