November 7, 2022
Do you ever try to one-up someone and make yourself feel superior? Have you ever engaged in a competitive conversation where, instead of listening well, everyone tried to outdo each other by telling more impressive stories of their own?
November 7, 2022
In what ways have you seen God use the weakest of things (such as children and infants) to build a stronghold and deter his enemies?
October 31, 2022
Psalm 105:2 commands us to “tell of all [God’s] wonderful acts.” What wonderful act has God done for you, and whom will you tell about it?
June 21, 2021
The Bible describes the Hebrew faith as a celebratory faith. The major festivals were essentially parties. Major life events—even funerals—were celebrated. And so were other big events, including the finishing of the tabernacle.
February 1, 2021
(Read “When Brothers Dwell in Unity,” a companion article by Rudy Hagood’s brother, Fate Hagood.) Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore (Psalm 133, all Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version). I have always been passionate about unity. While it might be a manifestation
May 25, 2020
By Adrienne Feldmann A young family went on a summer getaway to Chicago. They spent a long day walking up and down the Magnificent Mile—the city’s premier shopping district—and honestly, the kids did not find it quite as magnificent as their parents did! As the marathon shopping session was ending, Mom and Dad realized their children were worn out, so they did what most parents of young kids do—they made a beeline for the best playground they could find. Maggie Daley Park in Chicago is a park to end all parks. Slides are everywhere. There are incredible things to climb.
December 3, 2018
By Max Lucado The Christmas tree hunt is on. Families are entering tents and patrolling sidewalks. They lift limbs and examine needles. They measure. They ponder. They consider. They barter. The tree can’t be too tall or too short. It needs to fit the room and the budget. It must be full yet not dense, mature but not dry. A noble fir for some. A Douglas fir or Virginia pine for others. The preferences are different, but the desire is the same. We want the perfect Christmas tree. And, oh, the special moment when we find it. When we lash
January 23, 2017
By Alan Ahlgrim In Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome, Kent and Barbara Hughes begin with Kent”s angry lament: “Most people I know in the ministry are unhappy. . . . They are failures in their own eyes. Mine as well. Why should I expect God to bless me when it appears He hasn”t blessed them? Am I so ego-centered to think He loves me more?” Success . . . and Disappointment We live in a success-obsessed culture. No one hopes to one day be a colossal failure; we all dream of achievement. That”s not a bad thing. God created
October 14, 2016
By Danielle Hance The Bible says our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual strongholds of evil (Ephesians 6:12). However, more and more, it seems like Christians are known for their attacks on those who don”t follow a “Christian” lifestyle. As Christians, we should definitely be in the world and not of it, but that does not give us the right to tell anyone what to do, since we are all sinners in need of God”s forgiveness. Considering that God himself, who has every right to judge, did not send Jesus to condemn the world but
November 25, 2015
By Jim Tune (This column was first posted November 26, 2014.) In Star Wars: Episode V””The Empire Strikes Back, Luke talks to the ever-wise Yoda about the enormity of his mission. Luke finally says, “All right, I”ll give it a try.” Yoda sagely offers his famous advice: “No! Try not. Do . . . or do not. There is no try.” Yoda was wrong. Sometimes there is no do. There is only try. I am frequently discovering that try is enough. What”s more, there are many things not worth trying or doing! Not everything is up to us. We are
October 9, 2015
By Matt Proctor Why do some leaders fail? The answers often lie below the “waterline.” The Brooklyn Bridge is a New York City icon, but during its construction, controversy arose. It seemed to the watching public that no progress had been made for months on the New York tower””the Manhattan side of the river. While the Brooklyn tower rose 100 feet above the water, the New York tower was still 78 feet below the surface, unseen. Building Below the Waterline So in June 1872, the chief engineer of the project wrote: “To such of the general public as might imagine that
October 5, 2015
Integrity is still respected. But is it expected? Do we know integrity when we see it? Do we know how to achieve it when we find it lacking in ourselves? In a testimony every Christian, and certainly every Christian leader, should read, this seasoned minister describes the steps he takes as he “desperately chases after God.” By Randy Gariss This afternoon my local sports-talk radio host was yelling again. In the midst of his apoplexy he kept shouting, “Where is integrity? Where is integrity? I tell you I am sick of this stuff!” It seems another high-profile, highly touted athlete
November 8, 2011
By Scott Dyer Just as in any recipe, worship suffers when a key ingredient is missing. I believe a foundational element in God-honoring worship is Scripture. And there are more ways to use Scripture than asking one of the ministers to read it. Here are some ideas we”ve tried. My wife, Vonda, and I are big fans of cooking competition shows. You know, the shows where they pick 15 aspiring chefs and pit them against one another to determine who is the best cook. The shows often put the contestants in difficult challenges that are almost impossible to accomplish, just
December 12, 2006
Your “sweet spot” is where your God-designed passions intersect with the good works God prepared for you. Discover your strengths, step into service, and contribute with confidence—starting now.
August 27, 2006
A chapel moment of anger turns into gratitude as Dave Smith explores Jonah’s rebel heart—and the relentless love of God shown through discipline, grace, and perseverance toward those who resist him.
February 5, 2006
A call to renewed unity within the Restoration family, centered on Jesus’ prayer in John 17 and the 2006 North American Christian Convention theme, “Together in Christ,” in Louisville.
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