In his book, God’s Psychiatry, Charles Allen tells this story that occurred as World War II was drawing to a close.
The Allied armies had gathered up many hungry orphans and they were placed in camps where they were well fed. Despite excellent care, they slept poorly. They seemed nervous and afraid. Finally, a psychologist came up with a solution. Continue reading
“Eyes that look are common; eyes that see are rare,” wrote J. Oswald Sanders in his book Spiritual Leadership.
Sanders’ words speak to the ability to see below the surface. To look beyond the obvious. To view with insight and understanding. To really see things in this manner requires perception. Recognition. And discernment. Continue reading
Filed under Vision
Joseph Bayly was a 20th-century author and publisher who wrote a book entitled, The View From A Hearse. Having suffered the loss of 3 of his 7 children at a young age, he wrote it to help people deal with the pain of death.
In the book, Bayly relates an exchange with a woman whose small son was dying. Continue reading
Filed under Great Bible Verses
A group of first-graders were on a field trip to a hospital. At the completion of the tour the nurse who had directed them asked, “Does anyone have a question?”
“How come the people who work here are always washing their hands?” a little fellow asked.
After the laughter had subsided, the nurse gave a great answer: Continue reading
Filed under Love
Yesterday Norma Jean and I worshiped with the brethren in Cosby, Tennessee, and I preached for them at the morning service. It was a pleasure to fellowship with these fine folks again.
Olie Williamson has labored with this church for over 20 years. He and his sweet wife, Mary have done a good work at Cosby. And the current state of the congregation is evidence of his patience, preaching and Bible teaching.
Olie is 86, but he is active and energetic. He loves the Lord. Loves the brethren at Cosby. And loves the Truth. We have been recipients of their hospitality or more than one occasion. And appreciate their kindness and fellowship. Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
On Tuesday a book by Physicist Stephen Hawking was released entitled, Brief Answers to Big Questions. This posthumous work (Hawking died last March) covers many major issues including his disbelief in God.
According to CNN the book was not finished when he died so his family and friends used his notes to complete it.
“Do I have faith?” Hawking writes. “We are each free to believe what we want, and it’s my view that the simplest explanation is that there is no God. No one created the universe, and no one directs our fate.” Continue reading
What do you believe about God? Salvation? Sin? Ethics? And the Bible?
According to a recent survey conducted by LifeWay Research based on interviews with 3,000 people, American evangelicals are “deeply confused” about many basic Bible doctrines.
Their conclusion, that is “overall, US adults appear to have a superficial attachment to well-known Christian beliefs.” While the majority believed that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, 6 in 10 Americans think that “religious belief is a matter of personal opinion [and] not about objective truth.”
Filed under Bible
“I feel that God’s is leading me in this direction.”
“I don’t believe that God will condemn that.”
“I know God has led me here.”
“I feel God wants this for my life.”
“I know God wants me to be happy.”
All of these statements have one thing in common. Continue reading
Filed under Great Bible Verses
Annie Johnson Flint, born in 1866, is well-known in Christian circles as a poet and songwriter. She composed over 6,000 poems and hymns. However, her life was far from one of ease.
Annie was an orphan. Her foster parents both passed away early in her life. She cared for a sister who was very frail. As a result, she was compelled to be dependent on the assistance of others. She lived with crippling arthritis. She was stricken with cancer. Yet the faith of Annie Flint Johnson was strong, as many of her hymns testify.
Consider the powerful message of this hymn that may be less familiar to us. Continue reading
Filed under Trials
This week Norma Jean and I are in the Dayton, Ohio, area, where I’m holding a meeting for the Kettering Church. We lived here and worked with this fine congregation back in the mid-1970’s. It’s a pleasure to return and see the wonderful work in which they are engaged.
Our theme is “Pressing toward the Prize.” The point of the meeting and the thesis of the lessons can be summed up in our word of the week. Forward.
Writing from a Roman prison, the aged apostle Paul, toward the end of his life, wrote these challenging words. Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
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