Various Articles
What is it that you are called to do? In what ways is the hand of God upon you for a specific work?
"While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'" Acts 13.2
Imagine having your name inserted there …
The power of unbelieving prayer. It sounds like an oxymoron, but it is something we see in Acts 12.
The backdrop to the story is severe persecution. "Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also." Acts 12.1-3.
…
Music is woven into the very design of our universe.
Job 38:4,7 says:
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
The stars were singing, according to God, when He "laid the foundations of the earth" (Job 38:4) They continue to sing today, according to NASA.
...
Who likes Pie?
Of course in this case I am talking about the Math version.
Pi is always the Circumference divided by the diameter. The older way to say it is Pi is the Circumference divided by the Radius squared. Pi is interesting since it is an irrational number, so it never repeats.
Back in 8th grade when I was learning in Math class the teacher said something about Pi that shocked me so much I almost fell off my chair.
...
February 2014 the Kepler Science Team announced the discovery of 715 new planets outside of our solar system.
How do we know that it’s a planet and not something else in the way? We keep watching. If we see the same star, dim by the same amount, for the same amount of time in the future; we know we have a planet.
So if you think about it, scientists look for planets outside of our solar system, not by what we see, but by what we don’t see. When the Kepler team are convicted that what they have NOT seen is a planet, they announce it.
Have you ever thought about the planets and the solar system in relation to the Bible?
Job 26:7
“He stretches out the north over empty space
And hangs the earth on nothing.
Many other cultures thought that the earth was supported by different animals, but way back in the time of Job we are told it is hung on nothing. A very good description of space.
...
“Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 23.11
When you think about the future, what do you envision? Likely there are at least some fear-fear-inducing prospects as well as promising possibilities. The future, it’s been said, is like someone standing before us with their hands behind their back. We don’t know if what they hold is a bouquet or a brickbat. Hidden from our eyes is the reality of either adversity or prosperity, or a likely mixture of both. Whatever may come, we can be assured of this: there IS a future, and our hope will NOT be cut off.
…
Chongquing in China came up with a way to remind pedestrians of the danger of being distracted by a cell phone while walking.... separate lanes for those using or not using their cell phone.
Just like driving while distracted, walking while distracted had become an issue.
This got me to thinking about being distracted in our lives. Do we ever get so distracted we forget what is most important?
“I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope.” Psalm 130.5
My quiet times before the LORD can hardly be characterized as spiritually seismic. His presence has never shaken the room, nor has His voice thunderously boomed. Perhaps some day I might have a Moses burning bush experience, or an Isaiah temple experience, but I’m not counting on it, or disappointed by the absence of such an experience. I wait for Him, not for what He might do.
…
“For You are my hope; O LORD God, You are my confidence from my youth.” Psalm 71.5
As a child, church attendance for me was not optional. Not that I really minded, because that’s where my friends and extended family went too. In the small town I grew up in, church on Sunday was as much a community gathering as a spiritual event. …
“My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him.” Psalm 62.5
The sounds of silence are the springboard of hope. Despair and discouragement shout loudly to our wounded soul, but silence in God’s presence is healing therapy. In quietness before Him, objectively and perspective are restored…
“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” Psalm 43.5
The repetition of the words, “despair” and “disturbed,” sound like a needle stuck on a scratched record: “despair” … click … “despair” … click …“disturbed” … click …“disturbed” …
…
