Monthly Archives: October 2015

We Get a New Life!

“Becoming a Christian is not making a new start in life; it is receiving a new life to start with.” —Anonymous, from Men of Integrity, (September/October ’99), Today’s Best Illustrations – Volume 5, (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “NEW MAN”. Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV) 28 Come … Continue reading

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Clock Poetry

Noble machine with toothed wheels Lacerates the day and divides it in hours… Speeds on the course of the fleeing century, And to make it open up, Knocks every hour at the tomb. —Ciro di Pers, “Reflections,” Christianity Today, Vol. 44, no. 11., Today’s Best Illustrations – Volume 5, (Carol … Continue reading

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Not for “Professionals” Only

[Frank] Lubauch states that he started [his] minute-to-minute practicing of God’s presence by “trying to line up my actions with the will of God about every fifteen minutes or every half hour.” Most of us would fall far short of doing so once a week. We excuse ourselves by stating … Continue reading

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The Importance of Motivation

Motivation. It’s the one part of your health agenda that you can’t buy, borrow, or do without. —Prevention. Christian Reader, Vol. 33, no. 4. Elesha Hodge, comp., Today’s Best Illustrations – Volumes 1-4, (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “ENCOURAGEMENT”. Proverbs 17:22 (KJV) A merry heart … Continue reading

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Unselfish Sosa

In the 1998 baseball season, slugger Sammy Sosa was the first to reach 66 home runs, but Mark McGwire ended the season four ahead with a record-setting 70 round-trippers. It’s conceivable that Sosa might have hit more. As the season wore on, McGwire’s St. Louis Cardinals were not in contention, … Continue reading

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The Need for Understanding

My son, Joshua, attends preschool twice a week. We use his artwork to decorate his room. One afternoon, we were talking about going to school the next day when Joshua commented, “You always send me to school.” Concerned, I asked, “Don’t you like going to school?” He looked around his … Continue reading

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Two Mysteries

Poets have a way of stating mysteries in such a fashion as to make them both memorable and a permanent part of human reflection. A. E. Housman queried: How odd Of God To choose The Jews. To which it has been added: But not so odd As those who choose … Continue reading

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Knowledge of God

“I often wonder if my knowledge about God has not become my greatest stumbling block to my knowledge of God.” —Henri Nouwen in A Cry for Mercy. Christianity Today, Vol. 43, no. 7., Today’s Best Illustrations – Volume 5, (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “KNOWLEDGE”. … Continue reading

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Allowing for their Battles

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.” —Philo of Alexandria. Christianity Today magazine, “Reflections,” March 6, 2000, Vol. 44, No. 3, p. 84., Today’s Best Illustrations – Volume 5, (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “K”. Psalm 140:6-8 (TEV) 6 I say … Continue reading

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Sweetening Us Up

“The difficulties of life are intended to make us better, not bitter.” —Anonymous, quoted in Men of Integrity, Vol. 2, no. 4., Today’s Best Illustrations – Volume 5, (Carol Stream, IL: Christianity Today, 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “TESTS”. James 1:2-7 (TEV) 2 My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all … Continue reading

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