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Breaking the Cycle
David’s first beating came at the hands of his father on his seventh birthday, after he accidentally broke a window. “He kicked me and punched me,” David said. “Afterward, he apologized. He was an abusive alcoholic, and it’s a cycle I’m doing my best to end now.”
But it took a long time for David to get to this point. Most of his teen years and twenties were spent in jail or on probation, and in and out of addiction treatment centers. When it felt like his dreams were entirely dashed, he found hope in a Christ-centered treatment center through a relationship…
This Is Me
The powerful song, “This is Me,” is an unforgettable showtune featured in The Greatest Showman, the smash movie musical loosely based on the life of P.T. Barnum and his traveling circus. The lyrics, sung by characters in the film who’d suffered verbal taunts and abuse for failing to conform to societal norms, describe words as destructive bullets and knives that leave scars.
The song’s popularity points to how many people bear the invisible, but real, wounds caused by weaponized words.
James understood the potential danger of our words to cause destructive and long-lasting harm, calling the tongue “a restless evil, full of…
A Sad Story
Painfully, the evil that has long been swept under the rug—sexual abuse of many women by men who had power over them—has come to light. Enduring vile headline after headline, my heart sank when I heard proof of abuse by two men I admired. The church has our own sordid scandals. These days are a reckoning.
King David faced his own reckoning. Samuel tells us that one afternoon, David “saw a woman bathing” (2 Samuel 11:2). And David wanted her. Though Bathsheba was the wife of one his loyal soldiers (Uriah), David took her anyway. When Bathsheba told David she was…
Think Before You Speak
Cheung was upset with his wife for failing to check the directions to the famous restaurant where they hoped to dine. The family had planned to round out their holiday in Japan with a scrumptious meal before catching the flight home. Now they were running late and would have to miss that meal. Frustrated, Cheung criticized his wife for her poor planning.
Later Cheung regretted his words. He had been too harsh, plus he realized that he had failed to thank his wife for the other seven days of great planning.
Many of us may identify with Cheung. We are tempted to…
Finding Beauty in My Tragedy
In my brief 22 years of living, I have known brokenness in too many ways: sexual abuse, anxiety, depression, bullying, anorexia, and suicidal thoughts. Some of it was inflicted on me, some self-inflicted and some of it was a result of not living in line with the Word of God and understanding the Father’s abundant love.
Leah’s happy ending
Everyone loves a happy ending. And today on Discover the Word, the team will conclude the series titled, “Leah—Unloved but Deeply Loved” by finally getting to the “greatly loved” part. Tune in to hear how a woman who was unloved by her family and husband wound up finding true love. It’s a great end to a […]
Looking for love in all the “right” places
How often do we find ourselves “looking for love in all the wrong places”? Well, today on Discover the Word, the team returns to the story of Leah. You’re invited to discover the amazing way in which giving God control of our lives actually leads to finding love in the right places. “Leah—Unloved but Deeply […]
God’s “Most Wanted” list
We all know the FBI has a “most wanted” list, but did you know that God does too? And you’re on it! Today on Discover the Word, the team finds that what God looks for in people is very different from what you or I might look for. It’s another encouraging discussion from the life of […]
How did Paul break free from the cycle of sin
Addiction puts people behind bars, both literally and figuratively. And we can become enslaved to a variety of things like drugs, gossip, TV, shopping, or a critical spirit! Today on “Discover the Word,” we discuss with our guest Karen Swanson the apostle Paul’s dilemma—one he expressed so honestly—“for what I want to do, I don’t do . . . but what I hate, I do!” How did Paul break free from that cycle of sin? And how can we? Tune in today to “Discover the Word”!
How Jesus Endured the Cross
Today on “Discover the Word,” we will talk about the intense physical violence Jesus endured on the cross, described in Psalm 22, 2,000 years before the actual event. This was long before crucifixion was even invented. While the film “The Passion of the Christ” gave us a graphic taste of that horrific event, it was still a tame depiction of what actually transpired. Join us right here on “Discover the Word”!
Jesus, Fully Divine and Fully Human
Jesus was both fully divine and fully human. Which means He wasn’t immune to experiencing human emotions. Today on “Discover the Word,” we will discuss the intensity of these emotions as David foretold in Psalm 22. Phrases like “I’m a worm . . . scorned by men . . . despised by people,” give us graphic word pictures of Christ’s very real distress on the cross.
Reckless Words
I had been driving for almost half an hour when my daughter suddenly wailed from the backseat. When I asked, “What happened?” she said her brother had grabbed her arm. He claimed he had grabbed her arm because she had pinched him. She said she pinched him because he had said something mean.
Unfortunately, this pattern, which is common between children, can show up in adult relationships too. One person offends another, and the hurt person shoots back a verbal blow. The original offender retaliates with another insult. Before long, anger and cruel words have damaged the relationship.
The Bible says that…
A Deadly Weapon
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali used several ring tactics to defeat his opponents; one tactic was taunting. In his fight with George Foreman in 1974, Ali taunted Foreman, “Hit harder! Show me something, George. That don’t hurt. I thought you were supposed to be bad.” Fuming, Foreman punched away furiously, wasting his energy and weakening his confidence.
The Danger of False Teachers: Insights from Jude
The words of some spiritual teachers can be very persuasive, yet something in the shadows of their message sounds an alarm. In this verse-by-verse study of Jude, author Bill Crowder examines the characteristics and methods of false teachers of all generations. Find out how you can identify wrong thinking and protect yourself and others from spiritual danger.
