Birds, Lilies, And Me

In the episodes of an old television show, the veteran police lieutenant always said this to the young officers on their way out to the street for their day’s assignments: “Be careful out there!” It was both good advice and a word of compassion because he knew what could happen to them in the line of duty.

Ponder Your Path

A 47-year-old Austrian man gave away his entire $4.7 million fortune after concluding that his wealth and lavish spending were keeping him from real life and happiness. Karl Rabeder told the Daily Telegraph (London), “I had the feeling I was working as a slave for things I did not wish for or need.

Saints

It’s probably not a name we would use for ourselves, but the apostle Paul often called believers “saints” in the New Testament (Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2). Did he call them saints because they were perfect? No. These people were human and therefore sinful. What then did he have in mind? The word saint in the New Testament means that one is set apart for God.

Promises You Can Bank On

After a global financial crisis, the US government enacted stricter laws to protect people from questionable banking practices. Banks had to change some of their policies to comply. To notify me of such changes, my bank sent me a letter. But when I got to the end I had more questions than answers. The use of phrases like “we may” and “at our discretion” certainly didn’t sound like anything I could depend on!

Do It Yourself

You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37). It’s easy to miss those words from Jesus. A huge crowd had gathered to hear Him. Late in the day, the disciples got nervous and started pressing Him to send them away (v.36). “You give them something to eat,” Jesus replied (v.37).

Why would He say that? John 6:6 says He was testing them. Did He want to see if they would trust Him to perform a miracle? Maybe, but it seems more likely He wanted His disciples involved in caring for the crowd, to be hands-on in working with and for Him.

“Embroidery Of Earth”

Near one of the most majestic sites in God’s nature is a botanical garden of awe-inspiring beauty. On the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is the Floral Showhouse. Inside the greenhouse is a vast array of beautiful flowers and exotic plants. In addition to the flora my wife and I observed, something else caught our attention—the wording of a plaque.

Is God Obligated?

A friend sent me photographs of 20 beautiful churches in the world. Located as far apart as Iceland and India, each of them is architecturally unique.

The most beautiful place of worship in Jeremiah’s day was the temple in Jerusalem, which King Josiah had recently repaired and restored (2 Chron. 34–35).

A New Purpose

A 60-year-old hotel in Kansas is being renovated into apartments. A rusty ship that is docked in Philadelphia is being restored and may become a hotel or a museum. Hangar 61, an admired piece of architecture at the old Stapleton Airport in Colorado, is being transformed into a church. Each structure had a specific use that is no longer viable.

Throw The Book At Him

Things were off to a great start for Jesus at the beginning of His ministry. In Matthew 3, He was baptized and heard the affirming words of His Father, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (v.17). But then things took a turn for the worse.

Wearing Yourself Out

My friend Jeff was asked by his daughter to officiate at her wedding. This would be a great joy as they traveled to an exotic and romantic location for the ceremony. But there was one major problem—because the wedding party was very small, Jeff would have to perform three separate roles that could be in conflict.

Fishing Where They Ain’t

I have a good friend I fish with now and then. He’s a very thoughtful man. After climbing into his waders and boots and gathering up his gear, he sits on the tailgate of his truck and scans the river for 15 minutes or more, looking for rising fish. “No use fishing where they ain’t,” he says.

Time For The Armor

I discovered rather quickly that a young boy quoting Scripture in a children’s program at church didn’t know much about the Bible. He was quoting Ephesians 6:17 from our study on spiritual armor: “Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

The Unexpected

Toni was looking for what wasn’t really lost, and she found what she wasn’t looking for. As a result, a group of people got a spiritual boost they weren’t expecting.

Toni, who conducts a Bible study in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic in Alaska, was looking for her husband’s missing driver’s license.

Sharing The Word

Jerry McMorris began reading the Wall Street Journal 50 years ago as a student at the University of Colorado. His appreciation for that publication and for his alma mater led him to donate hundreds of WSJ subscriptions for CU’s business school students. McMorris told the Colorado Springs Gazette: “The Journal gave me a good, broad perspective of what was going on in the business world, and I got into the habit of reading it at the start of my business day. It helps get across to students real business-world issues.”