The poet, playwright, and author, Oscar Wilde, struggled with religion throughout his adult life. While he acknowledged belief in Catholicism, he lived a decadent, epicurean life as a pagan.
In his commentary on Ephesians, William Barclay quotes Wilde as saying, “The gods had given me almost everything. But I let myself be lured into long spells of senseless and sensual ease…”
Wilde then continues with this somber introspective reflection about his life. Continue reading
Filed under Sowing Seeds for Spiritual Growth
“Preaching must be marked by three elements, advised Warren Wiersbe. “Conviction. Warning. And appeal.”
In other words, “Reprove, rebuke and exhort.
To quote an old rule of preachers, “He should afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.” Continue reading
Filed under Passage To Ponder
“He’s a good preacher,” is an often repeated phrase by Christians describing the preacher of their local congregation, or their favorite evangelist.
But what defines a good preacher?
Is it oratorical skills? Is it the ability to hold our attention spellbound? As long as it doesn’t exceed 30 minutes? And in some circles only 20 minutes. Is it his pleasing personality? His social skills? His affable demeanor? His administrative organization? His novel ideas? Continue reading
Filed under Preaching
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
These familiar words, often seen on plaques, were written by the American theologian, Richard Niebuhr, and is commonly known as “The Serenity Prayer.” They speak to challenges we all face in life. But the ability to properly deal with our ever changing and often unexpected circumstances hinges on wisdom. Continue reading
A woman rushes to see her doctor, looking very much worried and all strung out.
She rattles off, “Doc, take a look at me. When I woke up this morning, I looked at myself in the mirror and saw my hair all wiry and frazzled up, my skin was all wrinkled and pasty, my eyes were blood-shot and bugging out, and I had this corpse-like look on my face!”
“What’s wrong with me, Doc?” Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
Dr. Doolittle, the classic children’s book, tells the story about the British veterinarian who had an array of exotic animals. And how he learned to speak to them in their own animal language.
Included in his menagerie was a Pushmi-pullyu ((pronounced “push-me—pull-you”) with two heads, one on each end of its body. It was a cross between a gazelle and a unicorn, although in the movie it’s pictured as a llama. The two heads had a mind of their own. And sometimes they opposed each other, which resulted in a tug of war. Continue reading
Today, October 3, is “Bring Your Bible to School Day” in the United States.
It is the sixth year for the event sponsored by Focus on the Family. According to their website, it is designed to “celebrate religious freedom and share God’s love with their friends”
Furthermore, “the event is designed to empower you as a student to express your belief in the truth of God’s Word–and to do so in a respectful way that demonstrates the love of Christ.”
Participation in BYBTSD is voluntary and student-directed Continue reading
Filed under Bible
“The Scriptures were not given for our information,” wrote D. L. Moody, “but for our transformation.”
This month we’re reading the book of Acts, often called the most important book in the Bible. It records the beginning, growth, and spread of Christianity. From Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and throughout the Roman Empire. But it is more than just a book of history. It is a book that tells thrilling stories about people. Real people. Converted people. Transformed people. Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
During our recent trip to the Mediterranean, we heard many stories from our tour guides about ancient Rome and Greece. Often they would preface their narratives with the phrase, “legend has it.”
One such legend involves Julius Caesar’s conquest of Britain in the first century B.C. When he landed with his Roman legions, he took a bold step to ensure the success of his military campaign. He ordered his men to march to the edge of the Cliffs of Dover, and he commanded them to look down on the water below. Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
A woman rushes to see her doctor, looking very much worried and all strung out.
She rattles off, “Doc, take a look at me. When I woke up this morning, I looked at myself in the mirror and saw my hair all wiry and frazzled up, my skin was all wrinkled and pasty, my eyes were blood-shot and bugging out, and I had this corpse-like look on my face!
What’s wrong with me, Doc?” Continue reading
Filed under Great Bible Verses
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