Miscellaneous


1 ~ Far-Reaching Words - The Value of Writing Ministries
2 - Unexpected Developments - an example showing the biggest problem with deciding right and wrong for ourselves
3 - A Story Worth Reading - revisiting a classic short story calling us to think about the true meaning of Christmas gift-giving.
4 - Where Love Is - a classic story, appropriate for Christmas or any time, that reminds  us that to help those we meet who are in need is to help Jesus.
5 - Christmas - A brief consideration of history regarding the birth of Jesus, and some observations on believers can do about Christmas.
6 - Jesus Is the Reason - "Jesus is the reason for the season" is seen often in the weeks before the Christmas holiday. In truth, the slogan understates the point.

Faith Meets Culture

1 ~ Living without Constantine - being the church in a non-supportive culture
2 ~ Apollos Meets Athens - Reaching out to all our culture, not just those most like us.
3 ~ When Jonah Spoke the Word - God's word is powerful; we must share it
4 - Where the War Was Won - For 2,000 years, believers facing hostile cultures have outlasted powers that suppressed them.
5 - Is It Really Possible? - Can Christians really live faithfully in a  depraved culture?
6 - Changing Times - Or Not - Consider a New Testament book that helps equip us to meet the current challenge from our current pluralistic setting.
7 - Where God Is Not - A brief consideration of some consequences of the worldview of atheism.

Being Disciples

1 ~ Give Us More Andrews - Quiet, yet active service
2 ~ What If We Try This? - Taking our discipleship seriously
3 ~ Learning (and Showing) Jesus - the power of conversion is in the everyday lives of Jesus' followers
4 ~ A Real Optimist - while life lasts, we must keep moving forward
5 ~ "Hallelujah! Christ Arose!" - Let us appreciate the meaning of the resurrection and be grateful for every opportunity to share the news about it
6 - Simply Amazing - For those who know it well, Jesus' story can become old hat. Let's stop and think about it again.
7 -  Better to  Serve the Egyptians?  - We're tempted to criticize the Israelites who received their freedom and then hesitated. But our obstacles often seem too large, too.
8 - An Observation on Forgiveness -  A comparison of Paul's word for forgiveness with the word  used more often in the New Testament
9 - Who Are They To Ask? - Our commitment to Christ also entails a commitment to one another, a truth we need to remember when we are called to account for our actions.
10 - Motivated by Grace - Meeting the demands of discipleship does not diminish grace, but is where grace leads.
11 - They Said I Was Special! - A child's reaction to the reception he received in Vacation Bible School reminds us of an important truth.
12 - Look for God - Jesus said that the Scriptures were about God and eternal life is about knowing him and the Father. in our study, we must look for God.

When Trouble Comes

1 - "When There Are No Words" - Just Be There - Often, our presence is more important to the hurting people we seek to comfort than any words could be, especially if those words go beyond what any of us can know.
2 - Putting Praise In Perspective - Considering the text of the song, "The Steadfast Love of the Lord" (Lamentations 3:22-24) in light of its context of trouble and despair.
3 - Faith Freed from the Hedges - Satan alleged that the strength of Job's faith was due to the protective hedge around him. How does our faith compare?
4 - Endure and Press On - 2 Timothy shows that Paul's motivation to endure suffering and even shame for Christ was rooted in knowing Jesus and what he had done.

Glorifying the Father and Son

1 - God Is Relevant - In seeking for applications of Bible teaching, are we seeing the greatness and glory of God?
2 - James: Practical Teaching About God - Teaching about God is an important theme in James, evidenced by more than twenty direct references to him.
3 - The Cross, Resurrection, and Enthronement - The cross of Jesus was rendered powerless by his resurrection and subsequent enthronement.

Devoted To Teaching

1 - The "Anti-Sunday School" Group - Some thoughts on the seriousness with which we approach the study of God's word.
2 - Can It Be That Simple? - We can learn from the practice of Paul who, for two years,  taught daily in the the hall of Tyrannus.

Regarding Worship

1 - Worship Together - In a society where so much attention and focus is on the individual, we need to think about the implications of the Bible's emphasis - in both testaments - on  community worship.