We are familiar with the biblical story of the prodigal son. The story resonates with many due to the emotional reunion of a wayward son and his patient and merciful father. It is a story we can all relate to naturally because, like the son, we have all made our share of mistakes and decisions we wish we had never made ā with the associated regret. We may yearn for redemption from the consequences of past actions, but do not know the way. This world is not good at forgiving and forgetting. But … [Read more...] about Perspectives from the Prodigal Son
Practical Christain Living
The Importance of Godly Respect
Job made an interesting observation when he was answering his friendsā accusations as to why so many bad things had happened to him: āA lamp is despised to the thought of one who is at ease; it is made ready for those whose feet slipā (Job 12:5). While the structure of this verse might at first appear confusing, it is simply warning of the dangers of being āat ease.ā It is a mental/spiritual condition of being self-satisfied. The connection between being at ease and feet slipping is made in … [Read more...] about The Importance of Godly Respect
As A Little Child
In a family relationship, children play an important role and help contextualize the meaning of Godās government in the realm of human beings. We all understand, academically, that we are children of God, but adults think, reason, and act differently than children do. This is the natural progression of maturity. As adults, molded by the realities of life, we tend to value reason and self-reliance. We can also complicate things that are inherently simple, questioning what we see and hear, and … [Read more...] about As A Little Child
Crucible Experiences
The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy near the end of his life and said, āI have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.ā (2 Timothy 4:7). Once Paul had been called into a relationship with the Father, he had to endure all manner of difficulty and trials. He chronicles some of the difficulties he encountered in the letter he wrote to the brethren at Corinth (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). While most of us have never been beaten with whips and rods, shipwrecked, or … [Read more...] about Crucible Experiences
The Importance of Fellowship
What makes Godās people stand out? What makes us different from the world around us? One of the ways this world will come to know our Holy Father is by how we show love for one another through our fellowship. Weāll stand out from a world thatās lost its way and lost its love ā a world of relationships fractured by selfishness. The early church of God was born within a hostile society. Jesus had just been crucified by Roman hands at the behest of the Jewish leadership, and it was not … [Read more...] about The Importance of Fellowship
An Important Quality in Marriage
This year my husband and I celebrated sixty-one years of marriage. You might ask what I think is one of the most important qualities needed to keep a marriage strong and intact through the years. I have given a lot of thought on how to answer this for my own children and grandchildren. I hope I can pass on some lessons I have learned in my own marriage that may be of benefit to them and to others: It is good to have other friends, but if you spend too much time with others, you take the … [Read more...] about An Important Quality in Marriage
Thankfulness: Antidote for Dissatisfaction
There is one subject where practically everyone in the world is in agreement. That is the idea that āeverybody else has it better than I do!ā Who doesnāt know someone for whom things are not going ābetterā than for me? Even though, in the western world, we live in one of the most prosperous societies that has ever existed on the face of the earth, many people still have a problem with greed ā not only greed but also with being envious of what other people have. There is a huge problem in … [Read more...] about Thankfulness: Antidote for Dissatisfaction