September 2020
INSIDE THE ISSUE: “Overcomers,” John Lee; “Rapture! Really?” John Morris; “A Bad Day,” Wade Stanley.
A Bad Day
Who wants to be known for who they were in their worst moments? A snapshot in time, a moment of weakness, or a careless word can permanently change our view of someone.
August 2020
“Let Brotherly Love Continue,” by Louis Garbi; “Election Year,” by Rick Sparks; “Influence,” by Tom Allen.
Tempting God
Until the last one hundred years in Western Civilization, human history has been shaped, in large measure, by famine, disease, and privation. Covid-19 is a reminder of the stark, brutal, merciless world of our forebears where horrific diseases ravaged entire continents. It is more than a cautionary tale; it is the pages of history coming alive before our eyes, admonishing us to recognize the limits of human ingenuity — “The arm of flesh will fail you.”
2019 PDF and eBook
2019 PDF 2019 eBook
Blessed are the Pure in Heart
When Moses boldly asked God to “show me Your glory,” the Lord responded, “No man can see my face and live” (Exodus 33:18, 20). Man, tainted by sin, cannot bear to be in the presence of God. Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” How do we purify our hearts?
The Power of Hope
The past couple of decades in brain research has yielded amazing and unexpected discoveries. Using MRI technology, brain researchers have better refined our understanding of the brain’s structure as well as how the brain responds to various stimuli. For example, to better understand how the brain of a smoker works, scientists would tell the test subjects to think about cigarettes and observe how the brain responds through MRI. All good research requires not only test subjects but also a control group. In such studies, the control group would be told to empty their minds and think of nothing. What we accidentally discovered is that the human brain does not default to think about nothing. Our “default setting” is to think about the future.
One Thing
Jesus uses crucifixion as a symbol for the sacrifice of self (“…let him deny himself, take up his cross,” Mark 8:34). Jesus preferred for the Father to remove His cup of suffering but ultimately deferred to His Father’s will. Jesus knew that in following Him we would face similar choices with eternity-altering outcomes. He calls us to sacrifice what…
Worldly Fear
Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered his first inaugural address to a nation in the throes of economic depression. In this first speech FDR proclaimed, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” From a spiritual perspective, his words are not entirely accurate. There are some fears that are legitimate and necessary. However, FDR did…
Double-Mindedness
The American saying, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too,” expresses a truth acknowledged by other cultures. The Albanians say, “To take a swim and not get wet.” The Portuguese talk of “wanting the sun to shine on the threshing floor while it rains on the turnip field.” In Vietnam, they warn “you…