Author: Administrador

Topics: Ethics; Judgment; Justice; Law; Morality; Righteousness; Standards; Ten Commandments; Truth References: Psalm 7:11; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10–23; 14:9–13; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11–15 Dennis Lee Curtis was arrested for stealing in 1992 in Rapid City, South Dakota. In his wallet the police found a sheet of paper on which was written the following code … Continue reading “THIEVING
CODE OF CONDUCT”

Topics: Bitterness; Boasting; Complaining; Criticism; Cursing; Discouragement; Faultfinding; Gossip; Insensitivity; Lying; Self-control; Speech; Tongue; Weakness References: Proverbs 4:24; 12:18; 13:3; 18:21; Matthew 12:36; 15:11; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Ephesians 4:29; James 1:26; 3:1–12; 1 Peter 3:10 Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author of Words That Hurt, Words That Heal, often lectures on the impact of words. He asks … Continue reading “ADDICTED
TO HARMFUL WORDS”

Topics: First Commandment; Idolatry; Love; Reality References: 1 Thessalonians 1; 1 John 5:21 One hundred decoys were placed on the Izu islands of Japan to encourage endangered albatrosses to breed. For more than two years, a five-year-old albatross named Deko tried to woo a wooden decoy by building fancy nests and fighting off rival suitors. … Continue reading “DECOY
LOVE”

Topics: Arrogance; Humility; Pride References: Mark 9:33–37; Luke 18:10–14; Philippians 2:3 When researchers at Duke, Harvard, and Northwestern asked investors how their mutual funds performed last year compared with Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index, a third claimed their funds outperformed the market by at least 5 percent. One in six said their funds fared … Continue reading “MARKET
BEATERS”

Topics: Philosophy; Postmodernism; Relativism; Religions; Truth References: John 18:38; Acts 17:16–34; 1 Timothy 3:15 The notion that there are many truths might seem well suited to a diverse society. But when everyone is free to define truth as he or she prefers, as at present, the result is an intellectual and moral shouting match in … Continue reading “SHOUTING
MATCH FOR TRUTH”

Topics: Church; Doctrine; Gospel; Humility; Mysteries; Paradoxes Reference: Romans 11:33–36 Respect for differing views provides some defense against the natural desire to probe incessantly the mystery of the gospel. (There are those who would consider it the ultimate intellectual achievement to unravel the hidden counsel of God.) But the pursuit of doctrine for the sake … Continue reading “LIMITS
OF UNDERSTANDING”

Topics: Concentration; Discipline; Focus; Priorities; Values Reference: 1 Corinthians 10:31 A student once asked Albert Einstein how many feet were in a mile. He was astonished when Einstein replied, “I don’t know.” The student was sure the great professor was joking. Surely Einstein would know a simple fact that every schoolchild is required to memorize. … Continue reading “NO
TRIVIA FOR EINSTEIN”

Topics: Religions; Spirituality; Teens References: John 4:23–24; Romans 10:1–3 When George Gallup asked teens how much interest they had in learning more about other religions, there was “a great deal of interest” or “some interest” in these faiths: •     Roman Catholic Christianity: 54 percent •     Protestant Christianity: 52 percent •     Native American spiritual worship: 44 percent •     Islam: 29 … Continue reading “TEENS
AND RELIGION”

Topics: Grace; Prayer; Surrender References: Romans 8:15–17; Colossians 1:22 I took Bekah, six, to audition for the part of a munchkin in The Wizard of Oz. The thought that she might not get the part seemed never to occur to her. I encouraged her but didn’t say anything about her chances. I had no idea … Continue reading “BEING
YOURSELF WITH GOD”

Topics: Authority; Leadership; Media; Publishing Reference: 1 Timothy 3:15 “For the first time in American history, whatever is happening in religion is being driven by the media instead of ecclesiastical institutions.” So said Phyllis Tickle, religion editor of Publishers Weekly, about the explosive growth in sales of books on religion and spirituality. —Life@Work (November–December 1998)