We fall down the stairs by focusing on the goal and miscalculating the next step. So which is more important, the goal or the next step? Careful, don’t fall. I’ve...
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Without beginning, you can’t reach the end. Garrison Keillor once said we don’t know how to tell a story until after we’ve told it a dozen times. That was saying...
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Prior to the year 2000, few people had ever heard of Jabez. But after The Prayer of Jabez book became a bestseller, almost all Christians had heard of him. Why...
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Few people have what they would call a “best” friend, someone who understands them completely and appreciates their value. Those who have such a friend may still risk being “unfriended.”...
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High-risk investments are made with the hope for a greater return. If we forgive an offense, what will we get in return? Maybe nothing. Or maybe the life we save...
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My mother used to say, “People convinced against their will are of the same opinion still.” What did she mean by that? Maybe that’s a good topic for discussion. Being...
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Some think prayer doesn’t matter, because God will do what he wants, anyway. Others pray and nothing happens, so they assume either God doesn’t care or he isn’t listening. What...
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People only tell lies when they think it’s to their advantage. We offer social courtesies because saying what we really think might get us unfriended. Doctors will sometimes slant their...
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Children naturally learn to play hide-and-seek. When they hide too well and can’t be found, the fun is lost. They want to be found. Why do adults want to hide...
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Whatever can go wrong will go wrong. Is that true? Wouldn’t it be nice if everything that went wrong would actually wind up right? Joseph couldn’t conceal his brothers’ evil...
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Perfection sometimes masquerades as a noble goal when it is actually an unreachable fantasy. It strains our relationships. What should we do when we think our work isn’t good enough?...
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Our insatiable desire to be loved and appreciated can leave us dying of thirst in a desert of people who don’t really care. So how does God solve that problem?...
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Names distinguish us from everybody else so when Jason is called in from the playground, everyone else doesn’t come running. Over time, names represent our nature and behavior—who we are...
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What we don’t know can kill us, and that’s why we need help from God, who knows all things. Confident he could fix anything, an intelligent handyman crawled under the...
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Matt listened intently while Miss Julia waved her arms as if she had visited the world she described. “Adam saw the animals,” she said, “and gave them names. In the...
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We read about Zacchaeus in the Bible. People liked Zacchaeus about as much as we would be delighted to see an IRS agent for a tax audit. But was he...
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A thin line separates fame from being an object of ridicule. Is it possible to turn our reasons for embarrassment into something to be admired? I was the oldest grandchild....
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The typical recited line from The Lord’s Prayer is “lead us not into temptation.” Is God a controlling force in whether people are tempted to do evil? The difference between...
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For years at work during lunch, I played double-deck military-style pinochle with the same three men. All were strong Christians. One day, I let it slip that I was praying...
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Did Jesus say all I had to do was knock and the door would open? Supposedly, all we have to do is ask. I’d like to quote James 4:2, which...
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Story books picture David as a child when he faced Goliath. Is that fable or fact? David was the youngest of eight sons. He was too insignificant to be considered...
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Based on scientific fact, the biblical story of Jonah reads like a fairy tale. Could it possibly be true? To be thrown into the sea, Jonah had to beat the...
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When the days get really hot, why do people call them “the dog days of summer”? Perhaps this term is no longer appropriate. We don’t want to offend the dogs...
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The forecast called for temperatures in the mid-twenties and freezing rain. Most people would be smart enough to stay home. “Drive carefully. The life you save may be your own.”...
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God has a sense of humor. We should know that since we were made in his image, and we love to laugh. God has a funny way of speaking to...
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How do we decide which laws to obey and which laws to ignore? The Jewish Law includes more than The Ten Commandments. Honoring parents and having no other gods sounds...
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Sometimes I hear people say all I have to do is believe and my dreams will be fulfilled. Is that true? No amount of believing can make the impossible possible....
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That question was posed in The Field of Dreams movie in 1989, starring Kevin Costner. An Iowa farmer hears a mysterious voice in the cornfield saying, If you build it,...
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I sometimes hear people talk about Satan as the “prince and power of the air,” having dominion on Earth. Supposedly, he’s present everywhere and not only knows our thoughts but...
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As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. — Proverbs 27:17 NIV Have you ever tried rubbing the edges of two table knives together? The edges won’t sharpen. What’s...
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I once heard a story about twin sons of a drunken bum. One became a highly successful businessman, an elder in the church, admired by all who knew him. The...
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Before I started kindergarten, I was taught how to use a knife. While my friends were using blunt-nose scissors, I had a sharp pocket knife that could whittle a stick...
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Years ago, I led a writer’s group that met in a Christian bookstore. When I drove up for the meeting, I felt lucky to find a place to park. Store...
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Our High Priest is easily touched with the feeling of our infirmities, because he was tested in every area just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, we can boldly...
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Those who believe seem ignorant to those who don't believe. Why do we think the world is round? What a stupid question. Since kindergarten, we’ve seen globes and pictures proving...
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The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty...
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Graduating high school seniors remember very few events earlier than ten years ago. They can’t imagine what life would be like without cell phones and video games. I’m old enough...
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I sometimes hear a person say, “Iron sharpens iron,” to encourage men to get together more often. Supposedly, we can improve our character just by rubbing elbows. Is that true?...
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Make good on your commitment to the Lord by preparing to share your experiences with those who might not understand how you have survived your struggles. Always be ready to...
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He went about a stone's throw away, knelt, and prayed. “My Father, if you are willing, let me escape this suffering. Nevertheless, I want your will, not mine.” — Luke...
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I will always be with you, even until the end of the world. — Matthew 28:20 All the rungs of a ladder are important if you want to get to...
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“Because evil will flourish, most people's love will grow cold. But those who remain faithful until the end will be saved.” — Matthew 24:12–13 Most Christians see a few Scripture...
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“Woman, where are your accusers? Is there no one here to condemn you?” “No one, sir.” “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” — John 8:10–11 If...
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“Do not store up treasure for yourselves on Earth, where moths and rust can eat it up and thieves break in and steal. Instead, store your treasure in Heaven, where...
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“If you forgive others for the wrongs they have done, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive them, he will not forgive you.” — Matthew...
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“If anyone publicly acknowledges me before men, I will publicly acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven. But anyone who denies me before men I will deny before my Father...
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