Growing up, I had good reason to loathe my father. He was abusive and struggled with addiction. He cycled in and out of jail, and that sent my family tumbling down the economic ladder,” wrote author and Wheaton College professor Esau McCaulley.
“Before he died when I was in my mid-30s, I realized that my sense of my own righteousness had callused into something cruel,” McCaulley admitted. Continue reading
Filed under Forgiveness
I recently read about a missionary working overseas who was invited into the home of new converts. Before the meal, one of the Christians quietly explained that many former idol worshipers in the village still associated certain foods with pagan ceremonies.
The missionary could have insisted on his liberty. After all, he knew idols were nothing. But for the sake of tender consciences and fragile faith, he gladly refrained. Continue reading
Filed under Love More. Give More
Greetings from Beverly Hills, FL
It’s good to be home after a month-long trip–Actually, three trips rolled into one.
It was good to meet many of our readers during our travels — some for the very first time. It also appears that, based on our stats over the past 3-4 weeks, we picked up some new readers. Welcome! We hope you are encouraged and edified by our blog posts.
Filed under Weekly Recap
Filed under facebook friday
Today, as designated by the United States Congress, we observe the National Day of Prayer, held each year on the first Thursday in May.
Established in 1952 and later set by President Ronald Reagan, this day serves as a call for Americans to seek God in prayer.
This year’s theme is “Glorify God Among the Nations: Seeking Him in All Generations,” based on 1 Chronicles 16:24, which records King David’s prayer of thanksgiving when the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem: Continue reading
“Leadership is influence,” wrote J. Oswald Sanders, “the ability of one person to influence others. One man can lead others only to the extent that he can influence them.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
While we have been on our blogging break, we’ve again been reminded how easily people justify violence—even in the name of faith.
A recent act of political violence involved a highly educated young man who targeted a member of a presidential administration. In a manifesto sent to family members just minutes before the attack, he listed numerous grievances and attempted to frame his actions as a defense of the oppressed—even appealing to Christian reasoning. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship
At a recent Gospel Meeting, the preacher’s wife gifted my wife some washcloths she had knitted. Apparently, this is more than a passing hobby, as she knits for her family and for others.
While in the mountains, I came across the story of a woman named Grace who knitted blankets—not for profit or recognition, but for people she’d never met. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship
This week, Norma Jean and I are in the Smoky Mountains, enjoying the beauty, the ambiance, and the refreshing spring weather.
The Smokies have held a special place in our hearts for the past 58 years. We came here on our honeymoon in 1968 and have returned many times since—sometimes for just a brief 2–3 day getaway. Continue reading
Jerome, identified as one of the early “church fathers,” lived from 347 to 420 A.D. and recorded a story that had been handed down to him about the apostle John.
John, often called “the apostle of love,” lived to a ripe old age. Legend has it he died of natural causes between 90 and 95. According to the legend, John had to be carried to worship services and lacked the voice to speak forcefully Continue reading
Filed under Love More. Give More
ThePreachersWord 