At one time the Duke of Cambridge is reported to have said, “Any change at any time for any reason is to be deplored.” That sounds like the old saying “Come weal, come woe, my status is quo,” an attitude that can be deadly in a church, when overdone.91 January 31, 1829 President Jackson, The … Continue reading “CHANGE, RESISTANCE TO”
CARNALITY, DELIVERANCE FROM
The story is told of Handley Page, a pioneer in aviation, who once landed in an isolated area during his travels. Unknown to him, a rat got aboard the plane there. On the next leg of the flight, Page heard the sickening sound of gnawing. Suspecting it was a rodent, his heart began to pound … Continue reading “CARNALITY, DELIVERANCE FROM”
BLASPHEMY
“Operationally, God is beginning to resemble not a ruler, but the last fading smile of a cosmic Cheshire cat,” wrote Julian Huxley. He also wrote, “For my own part, the sense of spiritual relief that comes from rejecting the idea of God as a supernatural being is enormous” (Religion Without Revelation [Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1979]).87
BIBLE, VALUE OF
The Bible is as necessary to our safe passage through this lifetime as oxygen is to sustain life.79 Karen’s mother was startled to find her five-year-old going through a new Bible storybook and circling the word God wherever it appeared on the page. Stifling her first reaction to reprimand the child for defacing a book, … Continue reading “BIBLE, VALUE OF”
BIBLE, TRANSLATION OF
The story is told of four ministers discussing the pros and cons of various Bible translations and paraphrases. Eventually each stated which version, in his opinion, is the best. The first minister said he used the King James because the Old English style is beautiful and produces the most reverent picture of the Holy Scriptures. … Continue reading “BIBLE, TRANSLATION OF”
BIBLE, STUDY OF
Have you ever seen a straight river? Canals are straight, but all rivers seem to be crooked. We call it “meandering.” Why are rivers crooked?Because the natural tendency of a river is to take the easiest way around any obstacle. So rivers are always crooked, and they always run downhill. Some people are like rivers. … Continue reading “BIBLE, STUDY OF”
BIBLE, “PROBLEM” PASSAGES IN
Mark Twain once said: “Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture which they cannot understand; but as for me, I have always noticed that the passages in Scripture which trouble me most are those which I do understand.”63
BIBLE, KNOWLEDGE OF
There is a story about a New England teacher who quizzed a group of college-bound high-school juniors and seniors on the Bible. The quiz preceded a “Bible as Literature” class he planned to teach at Newton High School in Massachusetts, generally considered one of the better public schools in the nation. Among the most unusual … Continue reading “BIBLE, KNOWLEDGE OF”
BIBLE, HATRED OF
It is told that many years ago, while on a visit to England, a wealthy businessman was fascinated by a powerful microscope. Looking through its lens to study crystals and the petals of flowers, he was amazed at their beauty and detail. He decided to purchase a microscope and take it back home. He thoroughly … Continue reading “BIBLE, HATRED OF”
BIBLE, EFFECT OF READING
A young believer was discouraged in his attempts to read and remember the Bible. He said, “It’s no use. No matter how much I read, I always forget what I have just read.” A wise pastor replied “Take heart. When you pour water over a sieve, no matter how much you pour, you don’t collect … Continue reading “BIBLE, EFFECT OF READING”