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God Loveth Adverbs
The Puritans wisely sought to connect all of life to its source in God, bringing the two worlds together rather than dividing them into sacred and secular. They had a saying, “God loveth adverbs; and careth not how good, but how well.” Adverbs describe verbs—our words of action and activity. The proverb implies that God cares more about the spirit in which we live than the concrete results.
Ordinances Of Heaven
convergence of Venus, Jupiter, and the moon
Locked In
Jean-Dominique Bauby’s memoir, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, describes his life after a massive stroke left him with a condition called “Locked-In Syndrome.” Although he was almost completely paralyzed, Bauby was able to write his book by blinking his left eyelid. An aide would recite a coded alphabet, until Bauby blinked to choose the letter of a word he was dictating. The book required about 200,000 blinks to write. Bauby used the only physical ability left him to communicate with others.
The Review
Imagine going to work one day and being greeted by your boss, who says, “Come by my office at 9:30. I’d like to talk to you about how you’re doing on the job.”
This could be a nervous time for you as you think about what your supervisor might say. You wonder, How does my boss think I’ve been doing? Could there be a promotion with a pay increase? Or could I lose my job? Am I going to hear, “Well done” or “You’re done”?
Treasure Hunt
On January 1, 2008, Keith Severin and his 7-year-old son, Adrien, agreed that they would spend at least 15 minutes every day that year searching together for treasure. Carlos Alcalá’s article in the Sacramento Bee described how they went out each day in every kind of weather to see what they could find. A year later their collection of coins, golf balls, recyclable bottles and cans, and various other items had yielded more than $1,000. In the process, they enjoyed many hours of companionship and fun.
The Lord’s Supper, And What Communion Represents To Followers Of God
The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus replied, ‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’ Jesus answered, A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet;
Path To Humility
My friend declared, as he tried to keep a straight face, “I’m so proud of my humility!” That reminds me of the joke about a leader who was given an award for his humility. Because he accepted the award, it was taken back the following week!
David seemed to be making the same error when he said, “My heart is not haughty” (Ps. 131:1). When we understand the text, however, we know that he wasn’t boasting about his humility.
A Refresher Course On God’s Majesty
My book Disappointment With God explores three questions many Christians ask: Is God hidden? Is God silent? Is God unfair? It struck me that those questions did not trouble the Hebrews in the Sinai wilderness. They saw evidence of God every day, heard Him speak, and lived under a contract signed in His own hand. Out of this relationship emerged a great gift from the Jews to the world: monotheism—the belief in one sovereign, holy God.
Today many treat God like a cosmic good buddy. We could use a refresher course from the Old Testament on God’s majesty.
The Negative Impact Of Forcing One's Beliefs Onto Another Person
The writer of Hebrews 11 states that there are those who were tortured . . .
Why do governments or organizations, even people, resort to torture?
Prisoners captured in war are tortured because the military is looking for information about the enemy’s plans.
Do you think that works?
Sometimes nations resort to torture to teach people the consequences of rebellion or of defiance.
Guidelines For Accurately Interpreting The Scriptures
A seminary student who had a speech defect was wrestling with whether or not he ought to go into the ministry. He read Exodus 4:10-11, in which Moses tried to hide behind his defects, and whom God challenged with a promise to teach him what to say.
Is it legitimate for someone today to use that text for a life decision about ministry?
I. Not all history is our history.
This text was given to Moses. There is a principle behind it: God is the one who takes responsibility for the impediment. That he overcame the difficulty with Moses doesn’t follow that He will overcome the difficulty with me.
The Richness Of Humility
She lived out spiritual humility, yet she had much on a human level to be proud of. As an author of over 70 books and a translator of many others into Afrikaans, Annalou Marais had much cause to brag—but she was more concerned about honoring Christ than advancing herself. She worked behind the scenes of the Bible conference, doing a servant’s tasks with a smiling face and a joyful heart. It would have been natural for her to desire, and even deserve, the spotlight.
Find Freedom From Carrying The Load Yourself
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image — any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Exodus 20:4-5).
A Biblical Warning Against Idolatry Put Into Context For Us Today
When I learned the Ten Commandments, I felt that there was one that definitely did not apply to me—the second commandment. I had never made a graven image (whatever that was).
Do you think the people we’ve been reading about in Hebrews 11 would have reacted to the second commandment the way I did?
God Is Closer Than You May Think!
“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22).
Beautiful Feet
Recently, I met the man who introduced me to Jesus 35 years ago. Warren Wiersbe, former pastor of Moody Church in Chicago and Bible teacher for the Back to the Bible ministry, had preached the gospel at a Bible conference in 1972. It was the first time I heard the good news of God’s love for me as shown in Jesus’ death on the cross. The Spirit opened my eyes and heart that night, and I received Jesus Christ as my Savior (John 1:12).
We praise the Lord for people like Warren Wiersbe who faithfully preach the gospel and introduce others to Christ.
