(Joy of Living)

While in France, some Christian friends who were accompanying my wife and me on a preaching tour on the European Continent, joined us at a New Year's Eve party at the home of an agnostic banker just outside of Paris. Although we were among the minority that did not drink alcohol that night, it was clear to many of the party-goers that we all seemed to be having the best time. Animated conversation, loving exchanges, ...

Once during our time of ministry in England, I received a telephone call from a remarkable actor who was appearing in a production in which he played seven different roles on stage. He asked me if I could meet with him after an evening performance. He had received a tape of one of the messages I had preached in London and wanted to know more about spiritual matters. I agreed to meet with him one night at a restaurant near the theater. There he asked me how he could know God in a personal and real w ...

In the second century BC, humankind first catalogued and packaged its grandest ancient self-made marvels as "the seven wonders of the world": the pyramids of Egypt; the Hanging Gardens of Babylon; Phidias's statue of Zeus at Olympia; the temple of Artemis at Ephesus; the tomb, or mausoleum, of King Mausolus at Halicarnassus; the Colossus of Rhodes; and either the Pharos, or lighthouse, at Alexandria or the walls of Babylon.

The apostles saw that the greatest wonder of ...

The prophets, apostles, preachers and teachers of the early church did not see their job as making up sermons. They did not sit down on a weeknight to ponder what would be an interesting subject to speak on next Sunday. They proclaimed what they had realized in their experience of the person of Christ. This is the substance of the church's ministry: to hold and manifest the testimony of Jesus (See 1John 1:1-3). For as the apostle John said, "The testimony of Jesus IS the spirit of pro ...

Recently I was speaking with a man whose cartoons are published daily in our city's newspapers. He was recounting his first days in art school. For the initial term he enrolled in a class taught by an artist whose work he had greatly admired. He was anticipating his first day under this great man's tutelage.

On the first day of classes the professor asked his students, "How many of you have your own personal style?" Eager to have the maturity of his craftsmanship recog ...

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)

All living organisms experience some degree of stress upon their systems. We are made to be able to manage applied pressures or force systems, physically, mentally and emotionally. Stress is necessary in healthy growth and productivity. But when exce ...

"Without a vision the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18 KJV).

One translation reads: "Without a vision, people go to pieces."

The Apostle Paul confessed to King Agrippa that he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision (Acts 26:19). Once he understood who Christ was and who he was in Christ, he was never the same. Pau ...

Two large plate glass windows and a glass door expose our otherwise dark wood paneled living room to the sunlight of the great outdoors. Forty years after the windows were installed as part of the original construction, the seals of one window deteriorated to the degree that condensation between the panes of glass caused it to fog. Because of the major expense of replacing the glass, we decided to live with it, delaying the repairs until the window was thoroughly tinted with condensation. Because t ...

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness (having God's life consistently manifested in your spirit) has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (1Timothy 4:8 NIV , parenthetical explanation, mine)

Today many workplaces are furnished with physical exercise equipment. Personnel managers recognize the effect of enhanced employee perform ...

Frustration is the experience of having your dreams thwarted. That which you have been longing for is now out of reach. Someone pulls the plug on the vision. Something prevents you from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire. Hope is shattered. The result may be that you are left baffled and discouraged.

Frustration is a form of anger. Anger is an emotional response to a perceived injustice. It is not sin in itself but can easily lead to sin if it is not handled in the r ...

The world's most eminent astronomers and physicists gathered in Poland in the fall of 1973 to commemorate the 500th birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus, the father of modern astronomy. Present were notables such as Stephen W. Hawking, Roger Penrose, Joseph Silk and John Wheeler. Decades later, one scientific lecture is remembered as being revolutionary in significance. Brandon Carter, astrophysicist and cosmologist from Cambridge University delivered a lecture titled, "The Large Number of Coincide ...

In the popular TV series, "Touched by An Angel" we see three generations of angels working as a team on special God-given assignments. They are confronted with human beings in difficult but common life situations that beg for someone to communicate the love of God to them. The angels are sent in to roll up their sleeves rather than show off their wings. They risk getting involved with people. As a result we not only see human lives change, but the angels growing in their understanding.< ...

The story is told of a man who went to visit an old friend who had recently moved to a farm. When he reached the farm he turned onto the long driveway which led to the farmhouse. On the way up the drive he passed by the barn. What he saw there so amazed him that he stopped the car and examined the barn closely. Painted on the side of the barn were twenty shooting targets. Each target had a bullet hole right in the center of the bull's-eye. No other bullet holes could be found on the barn wall. Whoe ...

More heart attacks occur on Monday mornings between 8 and 9 AM than at any other time during the week. This strongly suggests that, for many, a return to the workplace is perceived as stressful.

Stress can also be habit forming and condition our bodies to react in certain ways. A study reported in the New York Times, Sept. 18, 1996 looked at abnormal heart rhythms, known as arrhythmias. A group of patients, mostly males over 50 were planted with defibrillators, miniature electro ...

Intimacy is a word that evokes mixed reactions. It is something we both long for and fear. On one hand, we want to experience closeness in relationships, to be appreciated, cherished and accepted for who we are in our deepest nature. On the other hand, we recognize that true intimacy involves becoming vulnerable, disclosing imperfections and weakness. We want others to feel free to open up to us without fear of judgment. This ongoing mutual self disclosure opens the door for potential hurt, misunde ...

The convenience of speedy electronic mail delivery has put new strains on personal communication. Words quickly typed on a keyboard and fired off into cyberspace can be easily misunderstood. The reader will more than likely be in a different setting, experiencing an entirely different set of circumstances. He or she may be from a different national or business culture. They will read that E-Mail message without any clues of the sender's tone of voice or facial expressions. There are no signals such ...

A whiskey bottle can be emptied of its contents but still smell like whiskey. So a Christian can be emptied of the old sin nature, but still bear the residue of sin in their life. Rather than being a pure new vessel releasing the fragrance of Christ, they bear the stench of the sin that once fully controlled them.

From God's point of view, our old nature of sin has been crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6, Galatians 2:20. 5:24; Colossians 2:20; 3:3). We are no longer alive to sin. ...

Anyone who has tended a 'bittersweet' plant knows that, in spite of its attractive red and orange berries, it is a killer that easily takes over its surroundings. Its underground root system strategically emerges to choke and strangle neighboring trees and bushes. The birds of the air are fond of its seasonal berries and carry them to distant locations where fresh 'roots of bitterness' can be planted in unsuspecting territory. One cannot control where they will land.

When we fir ...

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24).

As Christians, we are called upon to be enthusiastic about what we do. The word 'enthusiasm' is derived from the Greek words 'en' and 'theos', meaning 'in God'. When w ...

No one doubted the ability of Jean Francois Gravelot, better known as the Great Blondin, to walk a 1300 foot tightrope across the gorge just below the Niagara Falls. Since announcing his planned attempt in June of 1859, he had not only successfully walked across the steep cliffs above the thundering river but continually added a host of entertaining stunts to his routine. Before 10,000 spellbound spectators he walked mid-way across the gorge where he lowered a rope to a waiting steamboat, 'The Maid ...

This week, millions of believers observe historical events that have dramatically impacted their lives - the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The events that took place during the brief 33 years of Jesus' life on earth fulfill over 300 written prophecies in the Bible that anticipated the Messiah. They fit this unique TEST OF PROPHECY. Jesus lived a life that fully satisfied the objective moral base codified in the law of Moses. His life fits the unique TEST OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. He pu ...

Open your eyes today and you will discover that you are a part of a magnificent work of creation. Whether you study astronomy, biology, physics, or chemistry, the evidence of observable phenomena infers by logical necessity the existence of an intelligent Designer behind the intelligible design in the natural world.

The scientist JOHANNES KEPLER described science as "thinking God's thoughts after Him."

ALBERT EINSTEIN said, "Everyone who is ser ...

The longest running play in London's theater history is "The Mousetrap". In true Agatha Christie style, the audience is kept in suspense until the last scene when the detective puts all of the clues together and solves the mystery. Then what actually happened at the time of the crime, previously unseen and unsuspected by the theater-goer, is made known. They are told to keep the conclusion a secret lest they spoil the surprise of future audiences. They exit the theater with that special l ...

"Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest." (Proverbs 6:6-8 NIV).

The Bible tells us to "Go to the ant," to "consider its ways and be wise." What observations can be made as you observe an ant colony? An inner-wisdom appears to guide the ant t ...

The artist creates a painting with a forward look. The artist sees the possibilities of an idea being expressed through color and brushstroke on the canvas. While others see a rough piece of marble or alabaster, a sculptor sees a finished figure. The architect sees an elegant building while others see piles of dirt and steel on a construction site. The scientist sees the possibilities of a cure to a disease as he labors on endless experiments in the laboratory. The athlete sees the possibility of w ...

We all need regular opportunities to recharge mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. There is wisdom in having a Sabbath rest built into the seven day cycle of our workweek. The principle of Sabbath is more than ancient 'hand-me-down' wisdom.

Archers called bows that did not send arrows toward designated targets "deceitful," "treacherous" and "unreliable" (Psalm 78:57; Hosea 7:16). A bow would become deceitful if it went for too long a p ...

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who  correctly handles the word of truth." (2Timothy 2:15).

There have been far too many spiritual casualties of 'religious wars'. Many people have come under false guilt and condemnation, needlessly slain by carelessly fired 'Bible bullets'. Others have been taken captive by legali ...

(In memory of Dexter Scantlebury, who played the role of Evangelist in New Life Drama Company's 1996 musical adaptation of 'Pilgrim's Progress' titled "Celestial City". He who pointed the way to freedom's narrow gate entered the Celestial City where there is no curse on Feb. 15, 1998)

Michael Bell wrote a poem one Good Friday morning, titled "The Cross". The last lines read:

And I sa ...

An Appeal to Wisdom

We tend to overestimate human wisdom. Some denounce Christianity as being a 'simplistic solution' or as the evolution of 'primitive myth'. They turn a blind eye to historical testimony and the coherence of the Christian's world view with reality. Preferring to perceive life as a game in which they perform the winning move, they turn away from any notion that they need to be rescued by someone outside of themselv ...

The following is a thought-provoking illustration that has been passed down through the centuries: The time of the Last Judgment has arrived. God sits upon the Great White Throne. Behind Him is a curtain. Before Him are lined up those who are to be judged. Each one is called to give an account. As they do, God gives a signal and a stunningly radiant person of unspeakable beauty emerges from behind the curtain and stands opposite the one whose life is being scrutinized. When asked the identity of th ...

Our personal life journeys have their unique twists and turns. Each new day faces us with unique challenges. We have the power to choose how we will respond to them.

When the children of Israel were grumbling about their limited resources and the restricted life-style imposed on them by their deliverance from their Egyptian bondage, God gave them bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4). He also said that He would test them in doing this.

The reaction of the community ...

Leadership Lessons from the Life of Joseph

Bible scholars have listed up to 100 details in the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 that parallel the life and personal character of Jesus Christ. This makes him one of the greatest 'types' of Christ in the Bible.

Certainly Joseph demonstrated one of the most godly attitudes towards life's circumstances. Like Jesus, Joseph was the beloved son of his father, a good shep ...

7 Encounters of the Faith-Building Kind

In the Bible, Abram, later called Abraham, is recognized as 'friend of God' and 'father of our faith'. Both of these titles are remarkable considering the condition he was in when God first began to deal with him. Originally Abraham was a stranger to God and had no demonstrable faith when he was living in his hometown of Ur of the Chaldeans. God brought him out of his comfort zone by stirring ...

"It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end." (Deuteronomy 11:12 NIV).

Moses reminds the people of Israel that the promised land they were to possess in the new year would be one that the Lord cares for and continually watches over. His eyes are on it "from the beginning of the year to it ...

"The shepherds went back to work, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen, which had happened just as they had been told." (Luke 2:20 J.B. Phillips).

It's especially challenging to get back to work after the Christmas holidays. The festivities of the season break up our calendars with enough change of setting and schedule to help us detach from the daily grind and fo ...

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'" (Luke 2:10 NIV)

"Remain in me...remain in my love...obey my commands...that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." (John 15:9-13 NIV)

Jesus said that he ...

It is easy for a Scrooge to react with a scowling grunt of 'humbug!' to the people and situations around him he considers bothersome. We are more ready to blame the rest of the world for going sour than admit our own cantankerousness. We are mentally self-programmed to justify our words and actions so much that we believe they emerge out of our own sweet and unsullied sincerity. How can there be any 'sin' in sincere? We excuse our self-indulgence by saying "After all, I'm just being real. I'm ...

The following is an anonymous nineteenth century composition that you might want to pass along during this holiday season:

ONE SOLITARY LIFE

"He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a f ...

'Faith' is one of the most misunderstood words in the Christian's vocabulary. It is often confused with 'belief'. Faith is more than belief. A belief is a mental acceptance, personal conviction or an ideological persuasion. Wars, acts of terrorism and horrible atrocities have resulted from people going to battle with their 'beliefs'. Shameful acts of hatred have been perpetrated in the name of Christ by those who held Christian 'beliefs' but failed to exercise Christian 'faith'.

A missionary with Africa Evangelical Fellowship included a copy of the following letter. The author is unknown, but is believed to be a young pastor in Zimbabwe who was martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ. It was found in his study:

"I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit's power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made -- I'm a disciple of his. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, ...

The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelatio

Here in New England we are accustomed to a variety of inclement weather patterns: hurricanes, northeasters, blizzards and heat waves. While living in England we would often experience what we called, 'pea soupers'; periods of thick fog. The fog would be so dense that we literally would not be able to see 5 feet in front of our faces. Traffic would come to a standstill. On one occasion, we were dri ...

Today a relentless barrage of words, images, sound bites and slogans politicize every issue and event. Survey data is packaged to bolster whatever opinion is preferred. A media blitz in itself can shape public sentiment without ever having to appeal to facts. This manipulative treatment of information has become such a part of our culture that we have become quite accustomed to it. We are feeding on short, simplistic, pre-digested, emotionally laden, one-stop conclusions.

Britis ...

In business circles there has been a lot of discussion in recent years about developing a corporate culture with the clear communication of vision, internalization of core values and contagious passion for your particular company's mission. These components have proved to have more persuasive and permeating power than the circulation of thick procedural and policy manuals.

Jesus spent three years orientating His select team to the vision, values and passionate agenda of the King ...

Career fulfillment does not come by gaining recognition or attaining a desired income. It comes by aligning and engaging with our true vocation. Our job (occupation) is not necessarily equal to our calling (vocation). Our job may be a means towards which we fulfill our calling. A person might have the God-given vocation of raising a family. Their present job may be just a means of providing the necessary income for the fulfi ...

There are times we feel our emotions are on the boil and we need to let off steam. Our concept of the ideal self is not prone to emotional expression. As a result we pull in the reins on our emotions so tightly that we damage them.

Even Jesus expressed anger. The Bible does not say that anger is a sin. Anger is an emotional response to a perceived injustice. Anger is an emotion. Emotions are neither good or bad. They just are. Jesus expressed his feelings. We read in the gospel ...

Some people are shaped by their times. Others are shaped for their times. Jesus told his followers, "You are the salt of the earth; You are the light of the world." (Matthew 5:13-16). He was saying that we are to be on the cutting edge of His redemptive activity in the world. As the Father has sent Christ, so He is sending us (John 20:21). Salt is useless if it remains in the saltshaker. Light serves no purpose if it remains under a bushel. Jesus said that His people ar ...

In the Hebrew calendar we are now in the period known as "The Days of Awe" (the ten days between the Feast of Trumpets and The Great Day of Atonement). It is a period when God's people are called to reflect deeply, repent thoroughly and return to God completely.

The Book of Leviticus chapter 23 outlines the seven feasts of the Lord. Each of these are occasions of solemn assembly appointed by the Lord.  There are four spring festivals-

Membership in the body of Christ is more about having an active 'role' IN the church than having your name on the 'roll' OF the church.

"For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1Corinthians 12:13).

The baptism of the Spirit brings us to a well that never runs dry - the fountain of living water - the indwelling life of Christ. By v ...

"A man of many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24).

This nugget of wisdom from the Book of Proverbs reminds us that friendships can be a curse or a blessing. They can lead to our downfall or our salvation. When road tested for endurance they can prove to be perilously superficial or powerfully significant. They can spur us on to love ...

Saying 'No' Can Be a Very Positive Thing. However, in our culture, it has become a very difficult thing to do.

A salesperson can achieve a record number of sales and be honored as 'employee of the month' by expanding his work hours at the expense of other important commitments, such as those to his family, faith community and friends. His public commendation by company 'higher-ups' triggers the attention of other members of the sales force. They, in turn, adopt the practice of e ...

"A name you can trust."

"Just mention my name."

"We sell only name brands."

Names today not only identify people, they are closely associated with reputations, products and services.

Names have great significance in the Bible. They reflect more than reputation or trade. They usually disclose some insight such as a personality trait ev ...

"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?" (Jeremiah 12:5).

The Christian life is supernatural. It is involves more than a Christ-centered religion, it involves an experience of Christ living His life through our redeemed humanity. He is willing, able and pr ...

Will Rogers, American humorist, once said, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."

Procrastinators come in all shapes and sizes. There is the 'accidental' procrastinator who puts off the seemingly trivial task due to the fact that they are occupied with seemingly more important matters. They postpone checking the oil in the car, doing the laundry, taking inventory or purchasing groceries. Such procrastination can lead to major co ...

Recently we had a powerful electrical storm here in New England. The wind caused tree limbs to bend and break. Hail stones dropped like Styrofoam chunks from the sky until they hit the windows and rooftops like a spray of bullets. A friend of mine stopped his truck as lightning hit an electric power pole in front of him and sparks spurted out from the transformer like a blazing firework. It was in such a display of nature's power that the Lord spoke to Job (Job 38:1). Even with all our impressive a ...

To a great degree the outcomes of our lives are determined by the decisions we make. Each day we are called upon to choose attitudes and actions that will ultimately affect our character, our relationships, our career, our spirituality and our destiny.

A major proposition of the Bible is that God loves us. We matter to Him. Certainly if we matter to Him, so do the outcomes of our lives. God wants to partner with us in our decision making so that we might realize those desired re ...