Toward the end of our last conversation about “What Michael Phelps Needed”, one of our friends raised a question that is too important to be lost at the end of a string of comments. The question comes to us like this: “Why did God create [Michael Phelps] to be such a great swimmer and give […]
Now we know. Michael Phelps has made believers out of us. His hope of breaking Mark Spitz’s 1972 Olympic record of seven gold medals was not just hype. But as impressed as I am by his dominance of Olympic waters, and his endurance of swimming 17 races in 9 days, what Michael repeatedly acknowledged in […]
In many regions of the world “ministers” are public servants. Their civil “ministry” is to act in behalf of a government department that operates from a building that in turn is referred to as “the Ministry”. Kurdistan has a Ministry of Justice. India has a Ministry of Environment and Forests. Thailand has a Ministry of […]
An unknown person has quipped, “The human race is faced with a cruel choice: work or daytime television.” Robert Frost said, “The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office.” Then there’s Robert Benchley who is remembered […]
Self-directed anger. Fear of failure, rejection and loss. Dissatisfaction. Envy. Like an orchestra of untuned instruments, the noisy emotions of wounded pride refuse to be comforted. In the dark halls and back rooms of our hearts, angry feelings slam doors, break windows, raise voices, and start arguments. Feelings of not being able to measure up […]
Went with my son and daughter-in-law to a practice round of the PGA Championship that finishes up this weekend in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. I think what impressed me the most was seeing how far these players hit the ball. While watching them on television give a sense of the amazing touch they show from sand […]
Could it be true that God determines who will go to heaven, but leaves us with the impression that the choice is ours? Some students of the Bible are convinced that the doctrines of total depravity, foreknowledge, election, predestination, and sovereign grace are essential to an understanding of the grace of God. They believe that […]
Someone has said, “Wise are those who look at others with the same generosity they offer themselves, and who look at themselves with the same critical eye they have for others.” Yet as balanced and insightful as that quote is, it is not the whole story. Questions remain, especially for those of us who want […]
Some of us tend to think in terms of black-and-white, clear-cut categories. To us, a statement or a conclusion is either true or false. Others are more likely to see how the same statement might be either true or false depending on the circumstances. Some of us work from a truth model which might say, […]
In this Olympic and election year, I’ve been thinking again about the way competition surfaces in every area of our lives. It shows up not only in sports, but in education, business, and science. Media networks compete for ratings, religious groups for our minds and hearts, politicians for our votes, and companies for our money. […]
