I’d like to encourage you (and myself) to toss out the idea of “New Year’s Resolutions” and instead cultivate four areas of character development. The first character trait was directed towards our attitudes. I determine to exhibit a persistent ATTITUDE of praise and to write down three examples each day. Now wait . . . […]
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Sins That Stifle Love and Unity
The specific sins in 1 Peter 2:1 are the most frequent barriers to mutual support, so they deserve a closer look. Malice: The Greek word kakia is a general word for “evil.”1 In this passage, it characterizes those who are entrenched in the world system. Deceit: The Greek word dolos means “cunning” or “treachery.”2 It […]
Read MoreTwo Suggestions for Becoming Great
There’s something beautiful and innocent about the answers children give. Why? Children simply speak the truth—as best as they understand it. I love these answers that some kids gave to questions about the Bible. See if they don’t prompt a grin: “Noah’s wife was named Joan of Ark.” “The fifth commandment is, ‘Humour thy father […]
Read MoreIdol Time
Everyone of a certain age knows exactly where they were on the evening of the 22nd of November 1963…when it happened. That’s the day when heroes fell. A day to remember. You might naturally be recalling the assassination of President Kennedy, but I have a different man in mind. C. S. Lewis had died just […]
Read MoreJust Do It
Have you noticed that many of our churches have turned into extended Bible conferences, places where we love to sit and soak in the Word like sponges instead of being challenged and given opportunities to launch ourselves out into the world? Don’t get me wrong, the church is the right place to learn how to […]
Read MoreUnearthing Our Walk with Christ
On more than one occasion recently I’ve found myself pondering the words of Socrates: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” That statement rings true because things tend to get complicated over time. We begin our Christian life with utter delight and simplicity. But as tradition, religion, others’ expectations, and too many activities begin to […]
Read MoreHow to Waste Your Time This Year
With the dawning of a new year comes a deluge of resolutions, reminders, and exhortations. They all follow similar how-to themes—how to increase your efficiency, how to make every moment count, how to invest your time wisely and productively. Well, just for some tongue-in-cheek fun, I’d like to take the opposite tack. I’m going to […]
Read MoreThe Winsome Witness
I remember a fun ‘n’ games night around the supper table in our house. It was wild. First of all, one of the kids snickered during the prayer (which isn’t that unusual) and that tipped the first domino. Then a humorous incident from school was shared and the event (as well as how it was […]
Read MoreLiving with a Kingdom Mentality
Of all the places in all the world, when God chose to establish His kingdom on earth He chose a thin sliver of land hugging the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean. In that ancient land of Israel, God sent His Son. When Jesus began His earthly ministry, He preached a simple but profound message: […]
Read MoreMorality Is Not the Point
Morality is not the point. Now stay with me. I bet you’ll agree when I’m finished. For a while now I’ve been asking the elementary-age kids I know, “What do you think God wants most from us?” Most of the time the answers are something like, “God wants us to be good” or “God wants […]
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