Israel is like no other place on earth. To an aged wanderer, it was the Land of Promise: “To your descendants I will give this land” (Genesis 12:7). It was the land of a proud man who limped away with a new name after his encounter with God: “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, […]
Read MoreTag Archives: Luke
Giving and Living the Gospel
One of the most effective evangelists I have ever known was a fellow who ran a service station on Arlington Avenue just outside Boston. He never spent a day in seminary or took one course in a Bible institute, but his Bible was well-worn and open near his cash register. He regularly dealt with souls […]
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 […]
Read MoreSpiritual Orienteering
Navigating life in the 21st century can be a complex and confusing game. Crucial decisions must be made as to which direction to take, and often the pace of the race leaves little time to stop and look at the map. The sport of orienteering began in Sweden about a hundred years ago. Orienteering involves […]
Read MorePeace on Earth…We Need It Now
In the latter half of the twentieth century and continuing through today, a rather significant push for peace has been made from many different corners of our world. People sickened by war, fed up with oppression, and weary of abuse have joined together in a fight against fighting. Ironically, many Christians—followers of the Prince of […]
Read MoreThe Freedom of Forgiving
Have you been hurt so deeply that you feel trapped by the pain? Living with the memories of the offense feels like you’re locked in a stone fortress. Roaming the dark hallways, you search for an escape from the looming images of betrayal that line the walls. No way out appears, save one—the way of […]
Read MoreContentment
Laurence J. Peter and I are close friends. No, actually, we’ve never met, but we’ve visited together numerous times. We’ve never even shaken hands, but we’ve been in agreement ever since we crossed paths. Although I’ve never laid eyes on him, I’ve smiled at his comments and nodded at his conclusions . . . amazed […]
Read MoreBetwixt and Between
Have you ever read a book in instalments? Perhaps one of those serialised novels the newspapers occasionally publish. The first couple of chapters are enough to get you hooked, and then you have to wait for the next edition of the news to keep on track with the rest of the story. In the meantime […]
Read MoreJudgment Day
The “Book of Life” is a New Testament concept with deep roots in the Old Testament (Exodus 32:32-33; Daniel 12:12; Malachi 3:16). Believers during Old Testament times were saved by grace, through faith, as they honored the old covenant. When Jesus initiated the new covenant He told His disciples, “rejoice that your names are recorded […]
Read MoreThe Devil Made Me Do It?
More than thirty years ago Flip Wilson kept America in stitches with his television characters “Reverend Leroy,” the friendly, pompous pastor of the “Church of What’s Happening Now,” and “Geraldine Jones,” the sassy African-American woman in a miniskirt. Whenever Geraldine would impulsively buy a dress—or do anything she shouldn’t—she excused her urge by uttering the […]
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