The book of John focuses on seven of Jesus’ miracles, and a careful study of each provides us with principles of encouragement. Disappointments? Remember when Jesus addressed an embarrassing moment by turning water into wine? (John 2:1–11). He is still the one to turn to when life turns on us. “At my first defense no…

1) Love. Love is always slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful, always patient (1 Corinthians 13:7; cf. 1 Peter 4:8). The faults of others will appear thick if our love for them is thin. 2) Consider how despicable it is. Matthew 7:3 suggests the censorious judge anxiously looks for a fault upon which to…

I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.   —Gregory, age 5 Everybody’s got it all wrong. Angels don’t wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it.   —Olive, age 9 Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else. —Mitchell,…

They were looking for a lion; He came as a Lamb, and they missed Him. They were looking for a warrior; He came as a Peacemaker, and they missed Him. They were looking for a king; He came as a Servant, and they missed Him. They were looking for liberation from Rome; He submitted to…

AGAINST VIOLENCE When I applied for Conscientious Objector draft status, a friend suggest­ed that I ask a variety of individuals to write and explain their personal knowl­edge of my sincerity as a non-violent person. After getting letters from sev­eral friends, I decided also to ask my nine-year-old brother to write one. His letter, which was…

People know more about more things than ever before. Technology. Art. Health. Business. Music. Ecology. Accounting. Fitness. Relationships. Architecture. History. Math. Physics. Botany. Computers. Engineering. Film. Medicine. Economics. Genetics. People know less about the Bible than their great grandparents who followed a plow around a field for twelve hours a day. Why? Is the Bible…

A man tested the strength of a glass container by using it as a hammer to drive a nail successfully into a wooden plank. Next, he took a pea-sized marble and dropped it through the neck of the bottle. When the marble hit bottom, the container shattered. Resistant to blows inflicted from the outside, the…

A young man asked his preacher: “Sir, what can I do to be saved?” The preacher replied, “Son, you’re too late.” “What!” exclaimed the boy, “I’m too late to be saved?” “No,” said the preacher, “too late to do anything. You see, son, Jesus already did it all two thousand years ago.”[1] Is this the…

Many, both in the religious world and otherwise, have a gross misunderstanding of what constitutes faith. Contrary to scripture, many believe that faith is necessary to “fill in the gaps” in the absence of real, tangible evidence. Carl Sagan, the late and noted atheist and author, once said, “Faith is believing in something in the…