Sermons and Biblical Studies

Michelangelo One day the great Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo happened to overhear a group of people admiring his Pieta, a statue of Christ on His mother’s knees after His death on the cross. One man attributed the work to another sculptor, much to the chagrin of Michelangelo, who took particular pride in the Pieta. Returning … Continue reading “Recognition”

Echo Chuck Swindoll tells the story of a young boy who lived with his grandfather high in the Swiss Alps. Often, just to hear the echo of his voice, the boy would go outside, cup his hands around his mouth, and shout, “HELLO!” Up from the canyons the reply reverberated, “HELLO…HELLO…hello…hello…” Then he would call … Continue reading “Reciprocity”

Mickey Mantle Former New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle recalls that as a teenager in the minor leagues he began playing poorly. Discouraged, homesick, and feeling sorry for himself, Mantle tearfully called his father to come to take him home. When the elder Mantle arrived, Mickey expected sympathy and reassurances that yes, it was time … Continue reading “Rebuke”

Clenched Fist Toward God A story I heard personally from Malcolm Muggeridge (that stirred me then and still does even yet) was his account of a conversation he had with Svetlana Stalin, the daughter of Josef Stalin. She spent some time with Muggeridge in his home in England while they were working together on their … Continue reading “Rebellion”

Prayers for Missionaries •      Protection from Satan’s attacks on their faith and calling, tempting them to quit and go home. •      God protect their marriages and families. Protect them from doing so much work that they neglect their families. •      Protect them from getting so busy doing things for God that they forget to sit … Continue reading “Reapsome, Jim”

Dear God, It Didn’t Happen Shortly after I got my driver’s license I was driving too close to the middle of a narrow road and I sideswiped another car. The crash tore the front fender, two doors, and the rear fender from my dad’s car. After I found out everyone was okay, I stood in … Continue reading “Reality”

Quotes •      Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you learn to do it well. – Zig Ziglar •      In time, and as one comes to benefit from experience, one learns that things will turn out neither as well as one hoped nor as badly as one feared. – Jerone S. Bruner, in Bits … Continue reading “Realism”

On Natural man Georges Gurdijieff, on natural man: Each man has a definite repertoire of roles which he plays in ordinary circumstances. But put him into even only slightly different circumstances and he is unable to find a suitable role. For a short time, he becomes himself. P.D. Ouspensky, In Search of the Miraculous (Harcourt … Continue reading “Reaction”

Quote •      Once we assuage our conscience by calling something a “necessary evil,” it begins to look more and more necessary and less and less evil. – Sidney J. Harris Resource •      Allowing my mind to find reasons to excuse what my spirit knows is wrong. See Romans 2:21 – Growing Strong, Swindoll, p. 293.

Shuffling a Deck of Cards It takes just seven ordinary, imperfect shuffles to mix a deck of cards thoroughly, researchers have found. Fewer are not enough, and more do not significantly improve the mixing. The mathematical proof, discovered after elaborate computer calculations, was complicated because of the immense number of ways the cards in a … Continue reading “Random”