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Background: This is an excerpt from an unpublished book by Brad Berglund. It explores the Christian adage: Wise men still seek him. What would it be like if modern seekers were with the wise men when they worshiped Jesus? Higher-Status was the young adult son of a nobleman. He represented the next generation…

In fact, it is quite common to shake their puny fists at God in the middle of tragedy and suffering. Nebraska State Senator, Ernie Chambers took his complaints to court.In October 2007, Sen. Chambers sued God for "causing untold death and horror" in the form of "fearsome floods…horrendous hurricanes,…

In his book Humilitas, pastor John Dickson illustrates the beauty of humility in the life of Sir Edmund Hillary. In 1953 Hillary conquered Mount Everest with his Sherpa friend and guide, Tenzin Norgay. Consequently, in that same year Hillary was knighted; in 1985 he was made New Zealand's highest commissioner…

One runner learned this when he was competing at the Pennsylvania Relays. He was running a relay and was the lead-off man in the second lane. In the first lane was record holder for the 100-meter dash for prep school runners at the time. This guy also held a record for arrogance because when he got to…

And he wasn’t the first one. People do that all the time. You’ve probably tried to share Christ with a few of them. I still remember being out one day going door-to-door here in Wilson trying to witness. I ran into a couple of college students who actually took the time to talk to me. They were really…

The nature and depth of human pride are illuminated by comparing boasting with self©pity. Both are manifestations of pride. Boasting is the response of pride to success. Self©pity is the response of pride to suffering. Boasting says, “I deserve admiration because I have achieved so much.” Self©pity says,…

You see, when you start judging your own goodness, you really get into trouble. You may fall victim to the “Lake Woebegone Effect.” Garrison Keillor, the inventor of the show, The Prairie Home Companion, told stories of a fictional town in Minnesota named “Lake Woebegone.” In this town, “all the men…

Even though Ben Franklin did not really accept Christianity personally, he still tried to be moral. In fact, he had settled on 13 particular virtues. Among them were these Silence: "Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation." Frugality: "Make no expense but to do…

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a fanciful movie based on Dr. Seuss' classic holiday poem. The Grinch, a hairy, green, cantankerous beast, looks down on the town of Whoville from his home on a mountain of garbage. What he sees disgusts him. The people who live in Whoville (called the Whos) love Christmas…

I can draw a picture of this from the NFL. Just a few weeks ago, Philadelphia was playing New York. New York came out on fire and jumped to a big lead. I’m sure the Giants were feeling confident that they would win. But then there was an amazing comeback, and the Eagles ties the score. New York got the…

Are you allowing your hurts to turn into hates? If so, ask yourself: Is it working? Has your hatred done you any good? Has your resentment brought you any relief, any peace? Has it granted you any joy? Let’s say you get even. Let’s say you get him back. Let’s say she gets what she deserves. Let’s say…

THREE KINDS OF PRIDE Subject: PRIDE Lewis B. Smedes affirms that hubris comes in three basic models: pride of power, pride of knowledge, and pride of virtue. And then he explains: ♦ A person with pride of power believes that his power itself gives him the right to do anything with his power that he gets…

I had been serving in the church high school ministry for just over a year. I loved it! It had become my passion. Though I was still a senior in high school, I had been asked to be a campus leader and was doing some teaching under the mentorship of our youth pastor. I knew in my heart that this was training…

I still remember when I was a high school sophmore at Jacksonville our football team rode the athletic skills of a star athlete named Leander Green to the state championship. It was our first round game and we came out in the first half with stars shooting out of our helmets. On the first kickoff, we…

To all those that fight injustices, to all those that battle evil to all those that suffer in silence to all those that are sad To all those that are lonely To all those that are in pain To all those that find it hard to continue To all those in despair look inside yourself, because therein lies hidden…

Chan Gailey experienced it. He coached the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech, but his lesson came when he was the coach of Alabama’s Troy State and that small college was playing for a National Championship. The week before the big game, he was headed to the practice field when a secretary called him back…

There's a Hasidic story about a rabbi who crossed a village square every morning on his way to the temple to pray. One morning, a large Russian Cossack soldier, who happened to be in a vile mood, accosted him, saying, "Hey, rabbi, where are you going?" The rabbi simply said, "I don't know." This infuriated…

One pastor said he recently took a 45-minute drive in an old, beat-up van with a guy He barely knew. Along the way they ended up talking about Jesus and whether this man would give his life to Christ. His response laid out humanity's resistance to the gospel with striking clarity. He said, "My biggest…

Helen Roseveare, a medical missionary in Africa, was the only doctor in a large hospital. There were constant interruptions and shortages, and she was becoming increasingly impatient and irritable with everyone around her. Finally, one of the African pastors insisted, "Helen, please come with me." He…

It’s a cycle that is almost inevitable if you don’t realize it. We remember Jim Bakker and his scandal in the 80's. He built an empire claiming God as his benefactor but ended up ripping off grandmothers who sent him the money they should have spent on medicine. His senior vice-president, Richard Dortch,…

Ever met a childrearing expert? No, I’m not talking about the ones you find in a grandparent’s home who, through the tears of experience, the counsel of the Scripture, and the travail of prayer have poured themselves into their children to the point that they have reaped a heritage of godly adults who…

And I tell you, man doesn’t like that! He will go to any lengths to resist that! It was John Lennon who wrote: Imagine there's no Heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or…

I have been, throughout my life, a Dallas Cowboys fan. But, I have to tell you, being a Cowboys fan is getting harder and harder. For those of you who follow professional football, two letters will tell you why, “T, O.” T. O. stands for Terrell Owens, the loud-mouthed, but talented wide receiver who…

The story is told of a young American student who visited the Beethoven Museum in Bonn, Germany. The student became fascinated by Beethoven’s piano that was on display there. It was a thrill to think that Beethoven had composed some of his greatest works on that piano! The student asked the museum guard…

Pride The Philadelphia Daily News reported that 46-year-old David Vassallo boarded a jetliner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for a flight to North Carolina. He began talking to the man seated next to him and boasted that he was an undercover federal sky marshal. The man he was talking to was quite interested,…