In the last post we mentioned what the world might be like if there had been no promise of the gospel. But God did give that promise and immediately brought hope to a hopeless situation. As mankind spread throughout the earth from the Garden, as deeply tarnished image-bearers, he never became as bad as he could possibly be. But, apart from those who embraced the redemptive promise given to Adam and Eve, man did become bad—horribly bad. Thus, people made to live in harmony instead lived in strife and tyranny. Unity was replaced with self-centeredness. Among many other terrible sins, bullying was born. Cain, the very first son, killed his brother because he was displeased with him. Later, Moses acts […]
Yearly Archives: 2010
76 posts
Is marriage becoming obsolete? Apparently a growing number of Americans think so. An article in the November 17 edition of USA Today Online states that “among the 2,691 adults surveyed by the Pew Research Center last month, 39% say marriage is becoming obsolete, up from 28% who responded to the same question posed in 1978 by Time magazine, which participated in the survey.”
In the previous post we talked about a gospel-based approach to correcting sin in your children. This approach focused on removing anger from your style of discipline. Now we come to the point raised earlier by our reader—why would a child think that a parent would be angry with him for childish behavior, such as falling in the mud.
In the last post we considered a scenario posed by one of our readers. The point of consideration was this: why would a child perceive his parent’s concern over falling in the mud as anger? Let’s start with the child’s perspective. Falling in the mud can be unsettling. The child might be concerned about dirty clothes or an interruption in play time. While there are some children who will delight in such a “catastrophe,” most will not be pleased to be covered in mud. Furthermore, the child might equate falling in the mud with the unpleasant consequence of being disciplined for sinful behavior. The child’s reasoning might run something like this: “Mommy is unhappy with me when I do bad […]
One of our readers posed a thought-provoking question that I want to consider with you. One of your children is playing outside. He trips over a stone and falls down into the mud. You rush over to him and help him up. You take him inside, clean him up and make sure there are no injuries. Even after everything is all taken care of you notice that he is reserved and unsettled. You ask him what the problem is and he says, “Nothing.” A little later on, his brother comes to you and says, “Mommy I know why he didn’t say anything to you—he thought that you would be mad at him for making a mess.” You are deeply puzzled. […]
Another election is over. More change is on the way. But what about hope? Will the changes brought about by this mid-term election bring hope? For many, the answer to this question is, “Well, we hope so.” In this sense, yesterday’s election is like every other election. Political change creates hope, but it seldom delivers satisfying change. Not unexpectedly, the aftermath of the 2010 elections offers as much uncertainty as it does hope. One reason for this is that political hope is based upon the ability of people to deliver on promises that are impossible for them to fulfill. Hope in the wisdom and plans of men in a fallen world will always disappoint. True hope only comes from the […]
For Christians, tomorrow’s elections are about the gospel. Yes, I know about the separation of church and state. Yes, I am aware that no one is running on a gospel platform. I also know that there are no national polls being done on the relevance of the gospel message to the issues of this campaign. To my knowledge, there are no state referendums on the ballot as to whether the gospel should be believed or not. But I am still confident that this campaign is about the gospel. You see, after tomorrow, the balance of power in the U.S. Congress will be different than it is today. But this election will not change the condition of men’s hearts.
Halloween is an enigma. It is a time of costumes and mystery, of parties and fun, of tricks and treats. This is the American cultural Halloween of retail sales and seasonal advertizing themes. There is also another side to Halloween. This is the Halloween of movies and novels, the occult and ritual; the world of the real dark Lord. This is the Halloween marked not by cute children asking for a treat, but by fear and terror. But even this dark side of Halloween has an appealing aspect for some—the adrenalin rush produced by shocking scenes that provoke fear.
Two Christians, Bill and Will, have a problem. Bill borrowed Will’s commentary on Acts. However, Bill then set it down on his desk at home and soon forgot that he had it because his desk was covered with stacks of mail, papers, other books, McDonald’s bags, Bill’s bowling ball bag, an old T-shirt and several shopping lists.
Christians have played a more vital role in history than is often thought. It is good to be reminded of those who have gone before. It is good for our children to learn of the courage, accomplishments and prayers of those who have trusted Christ. One such example is English navigator and seaman Sir Francis Drake (circa 1542 – 1598). Drake was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe and was instrumental in defeating the Spanish Armada. Drake was the son of a Protestant preacher. Drake, like all figures of history, had strengths and weakness. But, as you can see from the prayer below, he was passionate about his faith in Christ. In 1577, while on his voyage around the […]