Special Features (Page 19)

Explaining the Unexplainable

How can we make sense of something this awful?

Patrick Odum looks at a grisly murder and wonders how can a human being do such a thing and then probes deeper into the heart of darkness that sometimes claims us and warns us away from it.

A Selfish Christian?

Isn't this an oxymoron?

Mike Barres reminds us that God wants to bless us and he also wants to conform us to Jesus: so let's not use our Christianity for selfish motives.

Real Rest

Can you really find it?

Tom Norvel reminds us of Jesus' promise to give us rest if we will come close to him and follow him and spend time with him and learn from him.

When Endings Are Complicated, God Is Still Gracious

What do you do when the endings are not always happy ones?

Ron Rose reminds us that not all faith stories have happy endings and that sometimes we have to wade on through tragedy with faith.

How Long, Lord?

Can you keep hanging in there?

Tom Norvell leads us to Psalm 6 and helps us ask, "How long, Lord?" because we all have times when we can barely hang on any longer.

When Tragedy Strikes

Where is God in the middle of these tragedies?

Larry Davies shares a hard and horrible story of tragedy and asks where God is and helps walk us through Isaiah 43 and shows how it reflects the presence of God in our worst times through the people of God who help.

God Is Our Hope

When you sift through the rubble, what hope do you find?

Tom Norvel shares several observations from being out of his house for more than six months and how it relates to our spiritual lives.

Whom Do You Hate?

So why do we deny it instead of addressing it in our lives?

Bill Denton challenges us to understand that hateful behavior is our expression of hate no matter how we try to deny it.

How Old Do You Want To Be?

So how is your retirement plan?

Russ Lawson reminds us that what we pursue for security and to help us live longer really determines the quality of our lives in our older years, and God must be the center of all of that.

Bless Your Heart!

Whose heart are you blessing these days?

Jane Vincenzi shares some insight in the old southern phrase bless your heart and realizes that it is really what our Christian life is all about.

The Clutter of Activity

Are all your activities getting in the way of your life?

Jane Vincenzi reminds us that our lives can get so cluttered with activity that we miss God and lose out on real life.

Closer Than You Think

How far have you gone to find what you are looking for?

Rubel Shelly tells the story of a Rabbi who took a long trip to find what was buried under his own stove to remind us to not give up what we seek by trying something different than where we are simply because we are restless.

WAIT!

Isn't it hard to wait on anything, but especially the Lord?

Mike Barres reminds us that waiting is hard, but God's timing is always best.

Everything Is Yours!

How much difference should it make in our lives to know it all is ours?

Tom Norvell remembers the words of the father to the older brother in the parable of the Prodigal son that everything the father has is his, it belongs to him.

Making the Best of It

How do you handle hard times?

Mike Barres reminds us that hardship can often be a time God is using us to make a difference in the lives of many others.

Same and Different

How are we all the same and yet all different?

Rubel Shelly reminds us that we are all unique and different and yet we must all take responsibility for our actions.

Life is Short

Is your life actually going to be very short?

Patrick Odum tells about a guy who thought he had pancreatic cancer and lived it up his last year of life and then found out the cancer diagnosis was wrong.

Seasoned with Salt

Can others tell your faith through ypur speech?

Russ Lawson reminds us that we can and should be considerate, comforting, and encouraging in the way we respond to others.

Filled with Compassion

Can you wait?

Tom Norvell shares modern day stories of the prodigal son as he talks about a son, daughter, husband, and a wife who left and came home.

Avoiding the Drift

Are you drifting off the mark?

As human beings, we can so easily get off track and drift off course and miss our target because we get distracted.

Dumb Questions We Ask after a Tragedy

Why do we keep allowing people to ask these things?

Rubel is pretty fed up with the dumb questions that people ask after a tragedy and reflects on how maybe if we prayed more and prattled less these things would not be as frequent.

Laughing Jesus?

How often have you pictured Jesus laughing?

Jesus laughed, and God laughed, and God commanded laughing, and worthy women laugh, and joy is to be a part of our life as followers of Jesus.

Spring!

Have you experienced the rebirth of life?

God's springtime reminds us that new life is possible and that God is on doing new things in our lives and that a better future awaits us as week seek to live with the Lord forever!

When Does Day Begin?

So how soon is it till dawn?

An old Rabbi reminds us that it is not dawn until we see the light of the sunrise in the eyes of our neighbor.

Distracted by Many Preparations

What takes your gaze away from Jesus?

It is so easy to get distracted by a lot of good things instead of focusing on Jesus, just as Martha and Mary showed us.