Category: Christian Faith & Life
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First Things First
Though our behaviors do not always show it, we were originally hardwired with an innate appreciation for getting along. We shouldn’t be surprised, then, if at some level, all human beings desire peace. But the peace you and I know is only a faint glimmer of the peace Adam and Eve once enjoyed. Their peace…
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Living With Conflict
When conflict strikes nearby, we are often the last to grasp its seriousness and the least likely to have a clue of what to do about it. One explanation is that many personal conflicts begin so innocently, with a simple misunderstanding, an offhand remark, a misread gesture, a difference of opinion, or a challenge to…
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Five Smooth Stones
One of the small but beautiful wonders of Scripture is that God inspired its authors to occasionally divulge a curious detail for which no further explanation is offered. One such tantalizing piece of seemingly inconsequential information appears in the Old Testament story of David and Goliath. As young David prepared to face the enemy’s giant…
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A Bold New Strategy
For sinner-saints like us, pulling off something as simple as walking in Jesus’ sandals is never an easy assignment. He is God; we are not. Hanging from a cross, he could pray, “Father, forgive them.” In the heat of our battles, we find that kind of prayer a challenge. A good test to determine if…
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A Hard Lesson
This talk of weaponry and tactical support leads to our final discussion. We’ve saved this lesson for last because the concept is just so difficult to buy into. (Had we introduced it earlier, we might have lost some readers.) To make the point, consider one of the many war narratives in Scripture. This one describes…
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Knowing the Real Enemy
After Jesus and his disciples had eaten their last Passover meal together, the Twelve (now down to the Eleven) retreated to the Mount of Olives. Jesus plunged into the night, pressing on toward a secluded garden named Gethsemane. Peter, James, and John quietly followed. While the three hunkered into a small hollow to rest, Jesus…
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Letter From the Editor—Encouraging Results From the Remote Sunday School Program
Dear Brothers in Christ’s service, Attempts at nurturing the faith of the children in our congregations during these COVID-troubled times have uncovered a number of challenges. How do we continue to teach the children when our facility is too small for social distancing; or when people are uncomfortable sending their children even though we are…
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The Sunset Principle
The Bible tells us there is an urgency to resolving disputes. Paul wrote, “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:26,27). In other words, deal with it quickly. Today, if possible. In this way, a…