We have seen lots of cultural revolutions in this country, but now the foundations of this country are being razed. And part of that foundation is simply God. At least God was mentioned and a certain amount of the moral underpinnings of this country came from that source. And that is being eliminated. We live in an increasingly difficult environment and as followers of Christ we need a perspective to help us deal with the real world. We need a clear vision of how God views and feels about us … [Read more...] about A Future and a Hope
Characters
Jacob’s Trouble
Jacob was the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham. After God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, the descendants of Jacob’s 12 sons became the biblical nation of ancient Israel. God made specific promises to the people of Israel in terms of their behavior: Blessings for obedience, but if Israel failed to obey God, then the status of power and wealth God promised to bless them with would be removed. In Deuteronomy there is a beautiful description of what God promised He would do for … [Read more...] about Jacob’s Trouble
Remember Your Creator
Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes near the end of his life. Solomon lived quite a remarkable life. According to biblical scholars, Solomon was the 10th son of King David. He was not the heir apparent to the throne. The throne could have gone to any of his older brothers, but ultimately King David chose Solomon to be the king of Israel. He reigned as king of Israel for 40 years. During his reign, the kingdom of Israel reached its peak, the golden years of the kingdom. Israel was not only … [Read more...] about Remember Your Creator
Our Job
We all have a job. At some stage in life, day after day, we work. Yet sometimes the daily repetition can turn into a blur of years in or outside the home. For 18 long years, I sat in the basement of a hospital, all alone, and programmed a computer to run the air conditioning. I wondered, how did my repetitious work fit into our calling? "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of … [Read more...] about Our Job
Ishmael’s Sons
Well, the brothers are at it again! The two sons of Abraham were half-brothers, as they had different mothers. The way they were raised produced an animosity between them that exists to this day and may have a bearing on events shortly ahead of us. Abram, as he then was called, was told by God that he would be taken to a land where his descendants would be as numerous as the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:15-16). So, Abram anticipated having children — and a son — as the fulfillment of this … [Read more...] about Ishmael’s Sons
The Spiritual Olympics
Every four years we see the best athletes from around the world come together to compete against each other in what is known as the Olympic Games. Athletic prowess can be used to highlight our approach to spiritual development. The Apostle Paul certainly appeared to have been well acquainted with athletic achievement. The Olympic Games were established well before Paul’s time, so maybe due to his travels and familiarity with the area of Greece he was aware of the games being held in … [Read more...] about The Spiritual Olympics
Pull Up Tent Pegs and Move Forward!
Ambiguity is one of our greatest challenges because, as a rule, we like structure, routine, and the ability to know what’s coming next. When we find ourselves in ambiguous situations, our trusted reference points seem to move, and we become disoriented. We may even question the basic principles of truth, causing us to struggle with decision making and become paralyzed by inaction. Leonardo da Vinci put it this way, “Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation...even so does … [Read more...] about Pull Up Tent Pegs and Move Forward!