Author: Administrador

Topics: Desires; Hunger; Prayer; Seeking God; Spiritual Disciplines References: Psalm 42:1; Jeremiah 29:13; John 6:26–27 One night as his family was finishing dinner, Mike Benson noticed six green beans left on his daughter’s plate. Ordinarily this wouldn’t bother Mike, but this night he was irked and said to his eight-year-old, “Eat your green beans.” “I’m … Continue reading “SEGMENTED
STOMACH”

Topics: Gratitude; Integrity; Poverty; Rewards; Riches; Self-centeredness; Stinginess References: Proverbs 10:9; Matthew 6:19–21; 7:12; 16:26; 19:23; Luke 6:31; 12:15–34; 1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5; James 2:8 In 2006, Charles Moore lost his job as a roofer in Toledo, Ohio, and decided to return to his hometown of Detroit to look for work. He couldn’t find … Continue reading “HOMELESS
MAN FINDS TREASURE”

Topics: Addiction; Anger; Change; Choices; Repentance; Sin Reference: James 1:19–20 A Christian counselor told me about a man who came to counseling because he was having trouble controlling his anger. His outbursts were affecting his work and his family life. So he finally decided to get some help. The counselor asked, “What would your life … Continue reading “LIFE
WITHOUT ANGER”

Topics: Happiness; Meditation; Seeking God; Spiritual Disciplines Reference: Matthew 6:33 Seek God, not happiness—that is the fundamental rule of all meditation. If you seek God alone, you will gain happiness—that is the promise of all meditation. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (HarperSanFrancisco, 1954)

Topics: Attitudes; Human Condition; Humility; Purpose; Rewards; Self-denial; Self-image; Weakness References: Philippians 2:5–8; Hebrews 2:9 What is humility? It is that habitual quality whereby we live in the truth of things: the truth that we are creatures and not the Creator; the truth that our life is a composite of good and evil, light and … Continue reading “TRUE
HUMILITY”

Topics: Contemplation; Listening; Meditation; Pleasure; Reflection; Silence References: 1 Kings 19:9–13; Psalm 46:10 I read A Hole Is to Dig to my children when they were young. Each charmingly illustrated page declares the purpose of something: “A pile of leaves is to jump in; a mud puddle is to slide in and go ‘Oodlee-oddlee-oo!’ ” And … Continue reading “MEETING
GOD IN SILENCE”

Topics: Character; Cheating; Honesty; Integrity; Legacy References: Psalm 41:12; Proverbs 6:16–19; Ephesians 4:25 My alma mater has an honor code that is respected throughout the university. Freshmen pledge to do their own academic work with integrity and to report those who do not to the student-run honor council. Student signatures remain on display in the … Continue reading “CODE
OF HONESTY”

Topics: Fall of Humanity; Guilt; Human Condition; Regret; Sinful Nature References: Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23 The Sopranos, a TV series about today’s gangsters, attracted millions of viewers each week. According to James Gandolfini, who played New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano, “We show people sometimes being at their worst and regretting it. And people identify … Continue reading “SOPRANO
REGRETS”

Topics: Obedience; Questions; Trust Reference: 1 John 5:1–3 It was probably a clerical error, but when Specialist Jeff Lewis, twenty-three, got the order to parachute out of an airplane, he followed the order, even though he’d had no formal training in jumping. Lewis landed unhurt. “The Army said I was airborne-qualified,” he said. “I wasn’t … Continue reading “FOLLOWING
ORDERS”

Topics: Anger; Honesty; Rage; Self-control References: Matthew 5:21–22; Ephesians 4:26 Many hotheads suffer from Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). The good news is that there is a drug that can control it. So says Dr. Emil Coccaro, a researcher and professor of psychiatry at the University of Chicago Hospitals, who has studied anger for several decades … Continue reading “ADMITTING
ANGER”