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It seems as if we are always trying to find ways to answer the question: “What is permissible for me to do?” rather than asking the question, “What would be the wise thing to do?” Pushing the limits of grace may lead us to abnegating our responsibility to make good decisions- and sometimes our families…

Singer, songwriter, actor, and television personality Adam Levine recently married after the longtime professed bachelor had insisted that he would never get tie the knot. In writing his own vows however, he stumbled on a biblical truth that many a spouse should remember. He wrote and then vowed, “Behati,…

Solitude is a key spiritual discipline. Green Bank, WV is a great place to practice it. With only one road into town the population of 143 has all the peace and quiet they need. In addition, it is also located in a Quiet Zone roughly the size of Maryland. This is the site of the Robert C. Byrd radio…

Diane Van Deren was committed. Every evening she said good night to her husband and kids and left her home to run. She ran toward the mountains of the Pike National Forest while towing a 50-pound sandbag on a sled. She ran for 10-12 hours. Diane Van Deren was training to run the Yukon Artic Ultra, a…

“Greed is a basic part of animal nature. Being against it is like being against breathing or eating.” Ben Stein, quoted in FoxBusiness.com While Mr. Stein may be correct about it being a part of our animal nature, the Word of God calls us to rise above the animal nature to the image of God in which we…

The movie Titanic reveals something about human nature, some people follow the natural tendency to be selfish and others rise above it and are selfless. For example, as the ship was sinking, Cal Hockley, Rose’s selfish fiancé lied to her saying that he would make sure him and Jack, the boy she really…

According to the 2013 movie “Terms and Conditions May Apply,” it would take the average American 180 hours per year to read all the “Terms and Conditions” he/she agrees to on websites and other agreements. It is no wonder that almost everyone checks the box indicating we agree with these lengthy documents…

The trainer sergeant of the military academy told the graduating candidates that they would be free from training once they left the training compound. At the gate of the compound, the cadets were ordered to line up in the queue and march. A fake grenade was rolled in the middle of the queue. Everybody…

Youcef Ndarkhani is an Iranian pastor jailed in 2009 for practicing Christianity. Iranian authorities have sentenced Youcef to death. Now an Iranian judge has sentenced the pastor’s attorney to nine years in prison. The charge against the lawyer, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah is acting against national security.…

In Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, David Platt writes, “While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God.” - Radical, p. 46 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson John 3:30 (CEV) Jesus must become more important, while I become…

When tribal elders selected Crazy Horse as a leader of his people, it brought him no riches. “to the contrary, he was expected to live modestly (as he did anyway), keep only those ponies he actually needed for the hunt or war and give away the others, distribute his meat to the helpless ones, especially…

The Golden Lamp church is China’s first mega church. They built a structure to accommodate nearly 50,000 worshippers. As soon as the building was finished authorities smashed doors and windows, seized Bibles, and physically attacked dozens. Now the church’s co-pastors are in jail, sentenced to seven…

VALUE Miners at the Premier Mine in Cullinan, South Africa recently discovered an egg-sized diamond. The uncut diamond is 507.55 carats, which places it among the top 20 high-quality diamonds ever discovered. Experts say the diamond has exceptional color and clarity, but the value has not been set. --World,…

Flatlanders Growing up on the plains of West Texas is pretty much the same one place as it is another. The land is flat-everywhere. No hills, mesas or mountains, just flat land. The folks that live out there have learned that if you add a little water to the flat land, it makes a pretty good place to…

No Regrets When Karen Watson felt God's call to go to Iraq, she responded by resigning her job, selling her car, her house and other possessions. When she left, everything she owned was contained in a duffle bag. Today, her duffle bag has become a reminder of the work she did in telling people in Iraq…

Valley of the Shadow Bubbly, joyous, effervescent, happy, jazzed, energized, vivacious--are these words that describe the Christian experience? Or do words like serious, melancholy, contemplative, deliberate, pious, and thoughtful better capture the Christian's spirit. Which song best characterizes the…

FOLLOWING CHRIST In their book, "The Insider", Peterson & Shamy write "But what about the rest of his disciples? For them, his instructions were more that opposite. After he cured the man possessed by multiple demons, he told him, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you."…

SELF CONTROL A new study combining and reviewing 80 years of psychological research suggests there is a link between religious belief and self-control. The study conducted by two psychologists from the University of Miami began as an attempt to understand why religious belief systems help so many people.…

Change Before I was diagnosed with cancer, a couple of years ago, I was pretty active. With several surgeries, a thyroid out of whack and a sedentary lifestyle, I've gained a substantial amount of weight. I'd wanted to join an exercise club for some time, but they are so expensive. Finally, I decided…

PAIN In Seeking the Face of God, Gary Thomas writes, “The absolute demand for ease and comfort is unrealistic; it is Satan’s lie and temptation to make us bitter toward God. --Seeking the Face of God, 177. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson Proverbs 3:11 (NAB) “The discipline of the LORD, my son, disdain…

In the September/October 2007 issue of Today's Christian, Shirley Shaw tells the story of how the sacrifices of a successful cabinet maker named Terry Lane continue to change a drug-riddled neighborhood in Jacksonville, Florida. My business had prospered to the point my 40-man staff needed more space…

On April 26, 2008, the Western Oregon women's softball team played against Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. During the course of the game, Western Oregon senior Sara Tucholsky hit the first homerun of her college career. She dropped her bat and started to make her way around the…