Civic responsibility means doing something, not complaining that something ought to be done, as in this story told by William Bennett in The Moral Compass, pages 613-614. ————————– There is a story told of a king who lived long ago in a country across the sea. He was a very wise king, and […]
3420) Just Do What Needs to Be Done Read More »
Everyone has noticed how hard it is to turn our thoughts to God when everything is going well with us. ‘We have all we want’ is a terrible saying when ‘all’ does not include God. We then find God to be an interruption. As St Augustine says somewhere, “God wants to give us
3419) God Shouting Read More »
From the August 15, 2018 Open Doors daily devotional Standing Strong Through the Storm. —————————————– Perhaps the most difficult of Jesus’ commands is to love even our enemies. A true Christian always seeks another person’s highest good—even when mistreated. Brother Andrew says “The Christian’s only method of destroying his enemies is to ‘love’ them
3418) “The Next Time We Meet…” Read More »
The following prayers and verses are from the popular Roman Catholic devotional resource Hallow ( www.hallow.com ). I do not use this on a daily basis, but I have referred to it, and I know several people who find it helpful in their devotional life. You may have seen their advertisements on television or in magazines.
3417) Election Day Prayers Read More »
Philip Yancey’s book Reaching for the Invisible God (2000) tackles faith’s most difficult questions and issues. It is an honest book—honest about how challenging it can be to hold on to faith sometimes, honest about doubt, honest about faith’s disappointments, and honest about the failure of many Christians to hang on because of adversity
3416) The Difference it Makes Read More »
“He would give you the shirt off his back.” That is what we sometimes say when we want to describe someone who is remarkably generous, willing to sacrifice even what they themselves are using, to help someone else in need. We know it is just an expression, not meant to be taken literally. We
3415) Extra Shirts and Shoes Read More »
(…continued) Martin Luther worked through his disappointment with the church by simply continuing to focus on God’s Word. He looked past all the abuses of the church, going deeper to find what was central to the Christian faith. He did not accept the church’s claim to have authority over God’s Word, and
3414) A Disappointed Monk (3/3) Read More »
Above: Martin Luther monument, Dresden, Germany ————- (…continued) Did Martin Luther find peace with God by becoming a monk? Not at all. Luther was an intense man, giving himself completely to his studies. What he saw in the church’s teaching and in his own reading of the Bible was an angry and
3413) A Disappointed Monk (2/3) Read More »
John 3:16-17– (Jesus said), “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” *************************************** On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther
3412) A Disappointed Monk (1/3) Read More »
“If You Feel Distracted in Prayer, Don’t Worry—It’s a Good Thing” By Joshua Rogers, September 24, 2018, at: http://www.joshuarogers.com ————————- So many times the same frustrating thing happens when I try to pray. “Heavenly Father,“ I say, but almost immediately I get interrupted by my own thoughts. I really hope I
3411) Some Good Prayer Advice Read More »
