"When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, 'If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.' So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle." (Exodus 13:17-18 NIV).

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. ...

"Then the LORD answered me and said, 'Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run.....though it linger wait for it.... for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.'" (Habakkuk 2:2,3,14 NIV).

Palest ink serves us better than our strongest memory. It is too easy to forget what we have seen and heard in t ...

"Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox." (Proverbs 14:4 KJV).

This ancient proverb reminds us that there is a price to pay for productivity. Oxen are animals known for their ability to work. They can lift loads, bear burdens, and pull machinery beyond the ability of the human frame. The oxen represent that which expands our personal production cap ...

You have a full-time job. Whether you are presently earning an income or not, God has given you a detailed job description: You are an ambassador for Christ (See 2Corinthians 5:20).

Most would consider ambassadorship a prestigious position. An ambassador represents his or her country of origin in a foreign land. They are delegated authority to articulate governmental policies to heads of state and citizens of the country to whom they have been sent. They seek to promote the agen ...

"So I say, live by the Spirit... Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:16, 25 NIV).

The Christian life is about walking with God in the rough and tumble of life. It is a daily adventure in which we offer ourselves to God with a fresh willingness to cooperate with what He wants to do. The New Testament describes our ongoing experience of God as 'walking ...

Richard Wurmbrand tells the story of a Christian from the former Soviet Union who when released from prison wrote in a letter how he began to see his own frustrating circumstances in a different light. "My outward appearance is not attractive. In the slave labor camp, I worked beneath the earth. I had an accident that made me a hunchback. Once a boy stared at me and then asked, 'Uncle, what do you have on your back?' I was sure that some mockery would follow, but I still answered, 'A hunchback ...

Warren Bennis, professor of Business Administration at the University of Southern California and author of many business related books specializing in leadership, has recently written a book with Patricia Ward Biederman, titled "Organizing Genius". His subject is what he calls "Great Groups", organizations that foster exceptional creative collaboration. He determines that "Great Groups" aim to do more than fix a problem. They are out to change the world. They aim to ma ...

Just a few days prior to his crucifixion, Jesus spoke to his disciples about future events, including his second coming. On the Mount of Olives, he accurately predicted the destruction of the holy temple. This would occur forty years later in 70 AD. He spoke of disasters, such as nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom, wars and rumors of wars. As a young person I remember periodic drills at school where we were huddled into dark basement shelters in case of nuclear attack. The 'rumor ...

In the Robert Bolt's drama, "A Man for All Seasons", Sir Thomas More returns home to Chelsea from a prestigious meeting with the Cardinal at Hampton Court. Richard Rich, a young man who has been hounding More for a position on the High Court, is waiting for him.

"Have you been here all night?" Sir Thomas asks. "Yes." Richard replies, "You said you had a post for me." "Oh yes. I'll offer you a post with a house, a servant and fifty pou ...

The reconstitution of Israel in May of 1948 is not only an historical exception, it is a phenomenal vindication of Biblical prophesy. After 2,500 years without self-government and 1,800 years of dispersion throughout the globe, the comeback of this nation was unparalleled in history. When the Jews numbered less than 100,000, they were captives of the Babylonians who far outnumbered them and ruled the world. While other nations have blended into new ones or become extinct, the Jewish people have bee ...

Many times fear causes us to stall at Life's intersections. We fail to move forward when God has given us a green light to proceed. We get stuck in 'park' or 'neutral' while a prescribed course of opportunity remains untraveled; an adventure lies unclaimed.

The promises of God are a series of 'green lights' encouraging us to keep moving towards our goal. Jesus said, "The words I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." When the Spirit of G ...

"Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." (1Thessalonians 5:19-22 NIV).

As the Word of God spreads throughout the world many people-groups are experiencing the renewing work of the Holy Spirit resulting in genuine conversions and contagious Christianity. All over the globe believers are recognizing ...

Our culture is no stranger to big screen special effects. Millions of dollars are spent in studios to make phenomenal events 'appear' on the screen, whether it be an earthquake, alien invasion, endangered space flight or sinking Titanic.

In a number of incidents in the Old Testament, God used special effects to bring His people to victory (2Kings 3; Judges 7). In each instance a faithful remnant was invited to participate in His plan. Each account underscores the principle that ...

On April 6, 1997, a front page article on the Boston Globe focused on the seemingly endless mounting tension in the Middle East. This time the subject was not a territorial dispute, the increase of terrorist acts, or the threatening presence of a new Israeli housing development in east Jerusalem. The center of controversy was the birth of a red heifer.

"That cow represents the risk of a massive religious war," said Avraham Poraz, a member of Parliament from the leftist ...

In a survey of mall shoppers published in the Wall Street Journal only 25% of those interviewed were shopping for a specific item. About 53% of grocery and 47% of hardware store purchases are 'spur of the moment'. 93% of American teen-age girls reported store-hopping as their favorite activity. The average American will spend approximately one entire year of his or her life watching TV commercials. The message saturates our culture: 'acquire more'. 'Spend more'.

The 'consumer ag ...

Simplification begins with an examination of who we are, not what we do. Our lives get off track when we let our 'doings' define us. It has been said that "Insanity is when we continue to do the same things over and over again expecting different results." What we are doing may be taking us further away from the truth of our true identity. One of the first questions asked in our modern culture is "What do you do?" as if the answer will disclose who we are. We exchange business c ...

THE RESURRECTION PROOF - WE CAN BE SURE

After his resurrection, Jesus showed Himself alive with many convincing proofs (Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:5-8). The disheartened disciples were transformed to bold witnesses ready to lay down their lives for the sake of Christ and His gospel. The resurrection of Jesus Christ vindicates His teachings, His unique claims of deity and sinlessness, His miracles, prophecies and promises of forgiveness and eternal l ...

"Every town should have something like this," was the response of a woman from a neighboring town who attended the third annual noontime celebration of Easter at Monument Square in the center of Concord, Massachusetts. She had come because she had read about it in her local newspaper. Christians are invited to transcend denominational differences, assemble on the town green after attending their respective places of worship and give a one sentence public declaration of the crowning creed ...

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:37 NIV).

This week as our mission team overlooked the city of Port-au-Prince, in Haiti, we sensed God's compassion for the desperate multitudes. On the day of our arrival there was a general strike and a published threat that 'the streets would be empty or the ...

Junkitus is a disease that slowly strangles your time and sensibility. Although your brain remains intact, your creativity, sensitivity and concentration are dulled. Thinking is replaced by things. No longer are victims able to reflect upon that which is ultimately beautiful and meaningful. They are taken up with searching and paying for seemingly irresistible bargains and activities that only add clutter to their lives.

How much time and energy are wasted wanting, wishing for, ...

It happens all the time. A seemingly brilliant man is caught in a scandal of immorality. A wife is betrayed. A family is fractured. Hopes are dashed. A child grows up in a home without a father. Gangs become the new family for those who are emotionally orphaned. Without moral models, young men search for their manhood in exploits of sex and violence. Illegitimacy rises. The poverty trap swallows the new progeny. Such scenarios have become part of our societal landscape.

The sexu ...

The name, 'Jesus' means, "God to the rescue." There is no one more needed in the entire history of the human race than Jesus Christ. Yet this fact is constantly obscured and the name of 'Jesus' is made an obscenity worldwide by the spiritual forces of darkness at work in this present age.

The true meaning of the name of Jesus and the exposition of His saving work on the Cross has always been offensive to human pride. Our culture has room for Jesus as a religious leader ...

"Set an example.. in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." (1Timothy 4:12 NIV).

We are to be examples of purity in the workplace. We are to demonstrate purity of speech, life, love and commitment. Perhaps we are dissatisfied with our present job or situation. We may have new work lined up and are counting the days until we make the transition. Purity of commitment requires that we ...

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." (Matthew 5:13).

Once, when asked what was the number one problem in the church, missionary statesman and author, E. Stanley Jones, replied, "Irrelevance."

This is a sad irony because the church is called to minist ...

The numbers of '21' or '18' charm the adolescent who longs to qualify for independence by reaching the age of adulthood. This 'coming of age' symbolizes their freedom to pursue their own plans for their lives rather than those of a parent or guardian. The gospel of John records Jesus' assessment of the disciple Peter's 'coming of age' interestingly enough in John 21:18. (Those magic numbers reappear!)

"I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yoursel ...

"The world is waiting for you," said the mother to her four year old daughter. "You are not here in this world for yourself. You are here for God and for others." These thoughts expressed a theme in the household of William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army.

As she grew up Katie Booth would repeat to herself the words of her mother: "The world is waiting for me. I am not in this world for myself. I am here for God and others." Little Katie gr ...

In the late 1960's Thomas Kuhn, a scientific philosopher, dusted off a phrase that has become a popular description of a radical change of viewing data: the 'paradigm shift'. In Kuhn's case he noticed that scientists who gathered information to fit their particular interpretative grid (paradigm) were unable to receive any incoming data that contradicted their presuppositions. Because we are accustomed to looking at life in one particular way we are blinded from seeing it any differently.

There are times we are called upon to make 'people decisions': the choosing of a spouse, the choosing of friends, selecting a team for a particular project, hiring workers or installing leaders.

Scriptures give us valuable insight regarding people decisions: Throughout the Biblical record, God chooses people with whom He wants to work. He calls Moses at the burning bush (in Exodus 3); Gideon under the oak in Ophrah (in Judges 6); Paul on the Damascus road (in Acts 9). Sometimes ...

After giving the nation of Israel the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20), the Lord gave them the civic law (Exodus 21-23).

The first law abolished the practice of slavery and substituted it with a six year labor contract (Exodus 21:3; Deuteronomy 15:12-15). No man was to ever hold another man or woman as his lifelong 'property'. Laborers were to be treated with respect. On the seventh year the contracted servant would have fulfilled all of his or her obligations and would be permitted ...

Narcissus was the handsome youth in classical mythology who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool. Because he was unable to tear himself away from the image, he wasted away and died. His self-absorption led to his destruction.

The Bible warns us that the opposite of success is disaster (Jeremiah 29:11). True success is more than a satisfactory completion of goals. It is the escape from that which keeps us enslaved by self-interest, self-aggrandizement and self absorptio ...

What do we mean when we wish someone a 'prosperous new year'? The word 'prosperous' comes from the Latin, 'pro spere' meaning 'according to one's hope'. In wishing someone prosperity we are saying that we wish they will realize the future they are hoping for. As we enter a new year it is good to reflect upon what we are hoping for. Do we have worthy goals? Do have what it takes to succeed?

Some people have a fear of success. This is because there is so much distortion about what ...

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:14 NIV).

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Throughout the year we have been sharing "Thank God It's Monday"- (meditations encouraging us to put our faith into action throughout the week). Each week our on-line family of friends grows.

Yesterday our friend Eric Villanueva, who trains church planters in Romania, spoke at New Life Community Church in Concord, Massachusetts. During the year of 1989 our Sunday School children here were actively engaged in praying for the children and people of Romania. The overthrow of a communist dictatorship in December of that year was a real faith builder for our children (and for all of us)!

How thrilling it is to hear of the fact that thousands of new churches have been plan ...

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:14 NIV).

It stands behind every utopian dream; every desire for social justice; all longing for relational harmony, material prosperity and inner contentment. The kingdom of God is what we were made for: the Creator-Redeemer extending His loving rule over all of creation and through all creation--

"He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD." (Psalm 40:3 NIV).

We underestimate the power of praise. Not only does praise glorify God (Psalm 50:23) and enlarge our capacity to appreciate His works, but a fresh telling of God's dealings and deliverances in our lives has a magnetic quality, drawing people to faith, causing ...

Many of our friends from outside the USA remain curious about the unique holiday we celebrate this Thursday. Americans carve and serve others baked turkeys, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes (yams), squash (marrow), cider, pumpkin pie and commemorate the first of many days recorded in our national history especially devoted to giving God thanks.

Most of the official days of thanksgiving called by our nation's presidents were days of prayer and fasting rather than parades and feast ...

The early church battled a deception similar to today's 'new age' movement. The Gnostics perpetrated a variety of teachings encouraging human beings to fan the divine spark within them and realize their own 'godhood'. They gradually introduced their followers into secret mysteries. (The word 'Gnosticism' comes from the Greek word 'gnosis', meaning 'knowledge'). They taught that the Creator-God was inferior to the Redeemer-God. The former god created the material world which is corrupt, sin-causing ...

"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity" (Proverbs 11:3 NIV).

The principle of integrity helps to keep us on track.. The word 'integrity' is related to the word 'integer', meaning whole or complete. The life we possess is equal to the words we profess. Our walk matches our talk. Our behavior is in synch with our beliefs. Our practices fulf ...

Trust is the foundation of healthy relationships. As people get to know each other, they go through a process of testing each other's trustworthiness. Does this person genuinely care for others? Are they true to their word? Do they seek the welfare of those around them? Do they keep commitments and confidences? Are they a safe person?

God is interested in our building a relationship of trust with Himself. He claims to be trustworthy and puts Himself on the line, saying ...

Yesterday we set our clocks back to officially begin Daylight Saving Time. You know the routine: "Fall-Back; Spring-forward." When we lose an hour in the spring, we feel cheated. When we gain an extra hour on that one Sunday in autumn we feel blessed. Suddenly we are conscious that time is a precious gift.

The legend is told of a man who was walking home in the dark one night along the shore of a river. He stumbled upon a bag of stones. As he walked along, every now an ...

In 1977 there was a terrible oil spill in the North Sea. An offshore Norwegian well gushed out of control for eight days leaking 20,000 metric tons of oil into ocean waters threatening all marine life. Upon investigation it was found that the eruption of the oil well was due to the upside down placement of a blow-out protection device. The drilling crew installing the component mistakenly thought they were placing it right-side up.

There is a parallel between this North Sea disa ...

The National Association of Professional Organizers reports that the average American gets 49,060 pieces of mail in a lifetime. One third of it is what we call junk mail, unsolicited advertising. They also tell us that today's executives lose an estimated hour each day due to disorganization. Of paperwork that is filed away only 20 percent is ever used again. But the statistic that captured my imagination is the fact that a 12 foot wall could be built from New York to Los Angeles with the amount of ...

"They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus." (Acts 17:7).

Behind all the utopian dreams of humankind is the innate universal longing for what the Bible calls 'the kingdom of God'. We recognize the need for God's love, truth and justice to be brought to bear on those situations that have gone wrong in history. Life is to be transformed under the ki ...

"For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity" (Proverbs 24:16 NIV).

A righteous man (one who trusts God's provision to be put in a right relationship with Himself) will still experience failure in this life. The writer of Proverbs lets us in on the fact: "for though a righteous man falls seven times (a Hebrew expressi ...

The Daily Dozen Habits

The Apostle Paul wrote young Timothy, estimated to be in his late thirties: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." (1Timothy 4:12).

Notice that the evidence of Christian maturity is not seen in what you know, but what you do; not in your learning, but i ...

You might have heard people say, "I love life. It's people I can't stand." Or "I love Christ. It's the church, I could live without." It is impossible to truly love Christ and not love what He loves. Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25). If we love Christ we must love the church (1John 3:14; 1John 4:20).

The church is not yet perfect. One woman said recently, "My husband is not perfect. But he is perfect for me." It c ...

"When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, 'You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.'" (Joshua 13:1).

Each day presents us with new challenges.

There is a powerful parallel relationship between the commission of Joshua (See Joshua Chapter 1:1-9) and the commission of another - a greater Joshua - Jesus (See ...

At first you might not think of them as being at odds. But they are. Religion and Jesus. Jesus was rejected and expelled from the religious system. Jerusalem represented the ideal center of religious activity and is still central to the three major world religions today. When Jesus taught, He continually drove a wedge between what 'religion' represents and His message. He made it clear that true worship is not determined by religious affiliation or tradition but by whether or not our spirits are al ...

The ancient Hebrew culture had an effective time management system. All of life was considered an act of worship. The day was divided into three 8 hour periods-- 8 hours of rest, 8 hours of work, and 8 hours of fellowship.

The Lord was to be honored in all of these. Of particular note is that leisure time focused on edifying fellowship with friends and family.

Notice that much of these non-working waking hours were given to creatively teaching children. The L ...

"Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." (Hebrews 12:13 NIV)

The restoration of our spirits, souls and bodies to their true purpose and function involves our active cooperation with the Holy Spirit. The salvaging of our minds, emotions and wills is not automatic but the result of our yieldedness to the Word and Spirit of Christ. God has provide ...

The stunning performances witnessed at the Olympic Games were the result of years of rigorous athletic discipline in the lives of the competitors. Some of this discipline was self-imposed. Some of it was prescribed by their coaches and the standard guidelines of the event. Without submission to discipline winning would be impossible.

Discipline is at the root of discipleship. We need to be able to say 'no' to distractions if we are to say 'yes' to God's call. We need to lay asid ...

When a person is born of the Spirit there is an immediate change of gravity in the heart. A call from beyond is deposited in the spirit. The inner life is no longer chained to the material and temporal. They are in tune to the upward call; pulled towards the unseen reality promised by God. Their hearts are set on a pilgrim journey.

In late summer the monarch butterfly migrates from all over North America to a remote mountain site in Mexico. During this time it is not uncommon to ...

Living in the New Testament Reality of forgiveness, cleansing, and power for loving God and our neighbor.

Once concrete has been poured into the hollow of the wooden forms that define the shape of a foundation, it is left temporarily to harden until it can stand on its own. Then the forms can be peeled away and discarded.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that the ceremonial law of the old covenant priesthood was ...

Sometimes we hold on to old habits, rituals and traditions because we assume they are relevant. A woman insisted that the secret to cooking a good pot roast was to cook it in two sections in two separate pots. This method was passed on to each generation in the family as essential for attaining an excellent roast. However if grandmother were alive she might confess to her progeny that the reason she used two pots instead of one was because she did not have a pot big enough for the size roast requir ...

What causes an instrument to become unreliable? How valuable is a bow that can no longer shoot an arrow straight? A deceitful bow is one that has lost its resilience and accuracy. It can no longer place the arrows on a straight trajectory towards the defined target.

The Bible uses the faulty bow as a metaphor for those people who lose their edge, their accuracy and sharpness. Once they were useful to God but over a period of time have become unreliable and faulty. They are no lo ...