The prophet Samuel was undoubtedly confused. The Lord had instructed him to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king of Israel. Seven of them had come and gone, yet there was still no king. Had Jehovah made a mistake? Had Samuel misunderstood? Samuel had even been fooled by his own presumptuousness. The first […]
It has often been said, “Big things come in small packages.” The meaning of this familiar adage is quite clear–though something may be small in size, its importance may be far greater than we think. Periodically, Christians need to be reminded of this important principle in their walk with the Lord. Repeatedly, the Scriptures emphasize […]
Large numbers of evangelical Christians are returning to the maze of religious ritual. Liturgical worship incorporating incense, candles, vestments, and ancient formal prayers has found its place on the platforms of evangelical churches. A recent study has reported that evangelicals are returning to ancient ritual at an alarming rate. Ritualism is finding that leading Bible […]
The ability to remember is one factor that distinguishes from the animal world. The elderly (and not so elderly) tell us they can remember events of 30 years ago, but cannot remember where they put their glasses. We’ll leave the explanation for the mechanics of our memories with the experts. But we do know God […]
Each of the four creatures mentioned in Proverbs 30:24-28 presents the believer in a different light, shadowing another view of his earthly path–the path of faith, conflict, and conquest. We get some very practical lessons here for everyday Christian living. Notice in the opening verse that stress is laid on the feebleness of these creatures. […]
The usual concept of power which enlightened men have held through the centuries is undergoing an enforced revision. Men have always looked for power in the prodigious, but many are learning today that it is not found there. Power resides rather in the small and insignificant. The infinitesimal microbe has spread greater devastation than all […]
The mysteries of the seed have always intrigued me. There, latent in a little bit of tissue, is the life of a great tree. Seeds that lie dormant for many years often keep this potential and, when planted, send down their roots and push a slender shoot up to drink in the sunlight. Soon what […]
In our English language some of the tenderest, sweetest and most endearing, yet most elusive words are diminutives. Webster’s Dictionary tells us that ‘Charley’ is the diminutive of ‘Charles.’ Her Majesty the Queen might call Prince Charles, ‘Charley,’ but we may not do so: it is too intimate, too endearing a name, for a stranger […]
She was a real caricature! Any artist would have delighted to pull out a pencil and sketch her. Little and old–well, she was in her 80’s–rather a long nose and a somewhat pointed chin. She wore an old, oatmeal gray overcoat, sometimes buttoned in the right holes and sometimes not. On her head was a […]