In the first century, there were basically two views of the human body. One was that it should be worshiped for its beauty and idolized for its strength. The body was something to be proud of and to flaunt.
On the other hand, some believed that the body was inherently sinful. That the body didn’t matter. Only the spirit mattered. In fact, the body was just a shackle and a prison house. It was something to be despised and ashamed of. Continue reading
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There was a cartoon which showed two friends standing before a Preacher and one asks, “Why is it that opportunity only knocks once but temptation beats on my door every day?!”
Can you relate to that to that feeling?
Oscar Wilde, the celebrated playwright and poet of the early 20th Century, known for his self-indulgent life once quipped, “I can resist everything but temptation.”
Maybe you feel the way that Wilde did? Continue reading
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Some folks are like the fellow who was talking to his preacher and said he wasn’t much use in the church or the world because he had only one talent.
“Oh, that shouldn’t discourage you,” said the preacher. “What is your talent?”
“The talent of judging others.” Continue reading
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In his Daily Bible Study series, William Barclay tells a compelling story about an evangelist named Brownlow North. Apparently, in his younger days, he had lived a wild life.
“Once, just before he was to enter the pulpit in a church in Aberdeen, he received a letter. This letter informed him that its writer had evidence of some disgraceful thing which Brownlow North had done before he became a Christian, and it went on to say that the writer proposed to interrupt the service and to tell the whole congregation of that sin if he preached.” Continue reading
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Leadership guru John Maxwell often says,“Everything rises and falls on leadership.”
And what is leadership? Maxwell defined it this way. “After more than four decades of observing leadership within my family and the many years of developing my own leadership potential, I have come to this conclusion: Leadership is influence. That’s it. Nothing more; more less. My favorite leadership proverb is “He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.” Continue reading
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The story is told of a preacher who chanced to meet an old friend, Frank, who was having some serious financial problems. His heavy debt was about to destroy his business.
“What should I do?”
“Go home,” the preacher said. “Open your Bible at random, stick your finger on the page and there will be God’s answer.”
Some time later, the preacher bumped into Frank, who was wearing a Gucci suit, sporting a Rolex watch and had just stepped out of a Mercedes. Continue reading
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There’s an old saying that goes like this: “If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, then it must be a duck.”
However, things are not always what they seem to be.
A firefly is not a fly – it is a beetle.
A prairie dog is not a dog – it is a rodent. Continue reading
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Perplexed hearts. Discouraged hearts. Troubled Hearts.
This pretty much describes the mood from the women at Jesus’ tomb, to the disciples on the Emmaus road, to the scattered 11 now huddled in secret and fearfully wondering what was next.
For three days the disciples’ world has been turned upside down. They will forever remember the events from Thursday night to Friday night as the saddest 24 hours of their lives. Continue reading
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The late British author and evangelist, Leonard Ravenhill, once quipped, “There was a time when people came to church to meet with God. Now they come to church to sing songs and hear stories about Him.”
Today’s Bible reading reminds us of a story we’ve all heard. And if you ever attended Vacation Bible School or a children’s Sunday School you’ve heard kids gleefully singing about it. Continue reading
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We live in a nation that loves a good deal. Hardly anyone wants to pay full price. So we wait for our favorite store to have a sale. Go to garage sales. Look on eBay. Or surf the web for an internet deal.
The craziness on Black Friday, the crowds at after-Christmas sales, and the shoppers at tax-free weekends all attest to the bargain-hunter mindset. And their mantra is simple–To get the best quality merchandise for the lowest possible price. Continue reading
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