To rally: “to muster for a common purpose . . . to arouse for action . . . to come together again to renew an effort.” That’s the way Webster defines the verb. He says the noun means: “a mustering of scattered forces to renew an effort; a summoning up of strength or courage.”
Read MoreTag Archives: Exodus
Daily Tests
Mrs. Moses’s cookbook surely had a special section on “A Thousand-and-One Ways to Fix Manna.” Unless I miss my guess, she had tried them all . . . many times. What potatoes are to Ireland, apples are to Somerset, cod is to Grimsby, and porridge is to Scotland, manna was to the wandering Hebrews for […]
Read MoreSanctity of Life
Just how widespread is the practice of abortion? Are we making much ado about nothing, or do we have a full-scale issue deserving of our immediate attention? To begin with, let’s understand that medical authorities determine a person to be “alive” if there is either a detectable heartbeat or brain-wave activity. With that in mind, […]
Read MoreGiving with Gusto
“When the heart is right, the feet are swift.” That’s the way Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States put it many years ago. There are other ways to say the same thing. A happy spirit takes the grind out of giving. A positive attitude makes sacrifice a pleasure. When the morale is […]
Read MoreDelegate the Workload
Read Exodus 18:1-27. The Christian worker is a strange breed. He or she wants it to look as if the work is terribly hard. In fact, the more difficult and strained the look, the better. Christian workers are notorious for what I call the “tired blood” look, better known as the overburdened and outdated “missionary […]
Read MoreTeach Your Children Well
The family is the foundry in which our theology is forged. I choose those words carefully because the principle is important. Theology—what we think about God—is often seen as the domain of scholars, philosophers, preachers, and such. But I am convinced that an individual’s most fundamental thoughts about God are wrought through the anvil, hammer, […]
Read MoreInquiring Minds Want to Know
Some churches set aside a little time for children in their services. I have always found it to be a fine opportunity to set out clear, simple ideas about God. Over the years I have had to field some great off-the-cuff questions from curious little children. Jack wanted to know why God doesn’t just turn […]
Read MoreNever Underestimate a Mother’s Love
There’s a story at the beginning of the book of Exodus that speaks powerfully of a mother’s love… Moses was born into a time when the evil Pharoah had declared that every baby boy must be murdered. Imagine the angst and heartfelt turmoil that his mother, Jochebed, went through. What was she to do? Against […]
Read MoreSpiritual Leadership
Leadership is influence. To the extent we influence others, we lead them. Lord Montgomery implied this when he wrote . . . Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose, and the character which inspires confidence. We could name many great people who did just that, whether they […]
Read MoreListening to Jesus Beside the Sea
Introduction We can learn a lot about our relationship with God by studying the life of Peter. His journey with Jesus is a study in contradictions. In the midst of a raging storm, he impulsively climbed out of his boat at the invitation of Jesus to walk on water, only to divert his attention and […]
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