From Let Me Tell You a Story, by Tony Campolo, copyright 2000 There are those who say that evil is so overpowering that our efforts to combat it are futile. There are pessimists who contend that there is no way we can drive back the forces that seem to dominate our society. I disagree! […]
374) The Easter Triumph– Now and Not Yet Read More »
Above image: The Rock of Ages, Burrington Combe where Augustus Toplady is reputed to have sheltered from a storm. My first classic song from the 60’s is Rock of Ages. Actually, this one is from not the 1960’s, but the 1760’s. Rock of Ages was written in 1763 by Augustus Montague
291) Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me Read More »
The primary part of today’s meditation is from Randy Alcorn’s blog on January 20, 2014, entitled Three Things We Can Do to Deal with Worry (see: www.epm.org ) The Greek word for worry means literally “to divide the mind.” The worried mind is a torn, and therefore worn, mind… Ironically, much of our worry is
286) Don’t Worry, Be Happy Read More »
By John Stonestreet, at http://www.breakpoint.org , December 11, 2013 True stories are always full of both ugliness and beauty, and this one is no different. A married woman is sexually assaulted in California and becomes pregnant. Compounding her pain, her husband gives her an ultimatum: Abort this baby, or I’ll divorce you. That’s
250) A Fairy Tale Come True Read More »
Life is a struggle, Paul says in Ephesians 6, and we know what he means. We face struggles with children and with parents, with spouses and bosses, with co-workers, employees, neighbors, and authorities. There are struggles for health, struggles with finances, and struggles against despair, fatigue, and frustration. We know the feeling. To
246) Two Snowstorms Read More »
(continued…) Bill had lived a blessed life. In high school he was a good student and star athlete, and he then did well in college. He enlisted and went to Vietnam where he served with distinction. He returned to his small town a hero. He took over his dad’s farm, the biggest in
240) What’s the Good Word? (part two) Read More »
My first church was in a small town in northwest North Dakota. Folks there prided themselves on being loyal, fair, and honest. One of the farmers told me about how large business dealings would often be agreed on and guaranteed with nothing more than a handshake. He then added, “If a person in
239) What’s the Good Word? (part one) Read More »
Painting above: The Woman of Canaan at the Feet of Christ, 1874, by Jean-Germain Drouais (1763-1788) ************************ “Jesus did not answer a word…” –Matthew 15:23a In Matthew 15 there is one of the most disturbing stories in all of Scripture. It begins with verse 22: “A Canaanite woman came to Jesus, crying out, ‘Lord,
236) A Delayed Healing Read More »
By Mark D. Roberts, Daily Reflections from http://www.thehighcalling.org (2-6-11 meditation; adapted) Self-reliance is quintessentially American. Our heroes are those who found strength in themselves to accomplish greatness. They didn’t depend on others… In 1841, the American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson published his seminal essay on “Self-Reliance.” He wrote: “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates
194) Avoiding the Trap of Self-Reliance Read More »
By Randy Alcorn, from his September 18, 2013 blog at http://www.epm.org Hope is a much stronger word in the Bible than it is for most of us today. The hope of deliverance and resurrection is based solidly on the promise of an almighty, truth-telling, covenant-keeping God who never fails and is never thwarted,
181) Fulfilled Hope Read More »
