Knowing & Being Known

Listen It stars Martin Sheen and Marlon Brando. Set in the Vietnam War, *Apocalypse Now* is a 1979 epic war film. The use of the word ‘*apocalypse’* is based on the popular misunderstanding of the word as ‘destruction’. The Greek word *apokalupsis*, translated ‘revelation’ (Revelation 1:1), is made up of two Greek words – *apo* (out of) and *kalupsis* (‘hiding’). The word actually means ‘*disclosure’*. In the…

Most Americans (80 percent) say they don’t have any dreams, and we can imagine why. Life can suck the dreaming right out of you. The living God wants to pour those dreams back in. Sixteen percent of Americans say they do have dreams, but they don’t write them down. Four percent have dreams and desires, and write them down, but less than 1 percent review and update them on a regular basis.It is the people who allow themselves to dream, who own their dreams, who…

The crucifixion of Jesus is the moment that Jesus’ ministry and the entire biblical story have been building toward. Through His death on the cross, the path is paved for human beings to be rescued from sin and reconciled to God. This is the moment when all of history pivots away from death and destruction and toward resurrection and new creation. Because it was on the cross that Jesus would come into His glory and win the decisive victory over the powers of sin,,…

Together, prophecy and history reveal the Lord paved the way from the manger to modern faith, preparing generations to know His Son. Let's rejoice together in anticipation of His return as we celebrate His birth. Simply put, the most significant event in human history. Merry Christmas to our allies, friends, and soon-to-be partners in the faith. Blessings to you all Steve and Colleen Adams

A rugged, cast-iron ring stood strong against the harsh Minnesota winter as it hung on the doorframe of my great uncle’s old farmhouse. More than a hundred feet away was another ring, firmly fixed to the dairy barn. When there was a blizzard, my uncle would attach a line between both rings so he could find the path between the house and the barn. Keeping a firm grip on the line kept him from losing his way in the blinding snow. My uncle’s use of a safety line in…

I was in the kitchen grabbing a bottle of water when I heard the thud, bam as if the house was shaking. Couldn’t be, could it? I looked out the kitchen window to the shared driveway with the neighbor and saw the headlights of his car as he maneuvered it into his usual parking space. He always turns his car around in the driveway facing outbound. We live on a very busy road, making it easier to pull out than back out. There have been times when it looked like he would…

The context of the journey of deliverance from the false self and restoration of the true self is unique, but the process is universal. It begins with awareness. The first step to becoming true is becoming aware of the false. Who am I in my false self? What version of myself do I present to the world as a mask to self-protect? What is my effect on people? What do people feel when they are around me? You’ll want to get to know the false self and get very familiar with.…

‘Surprised by joy’ is how C.S. Lewis described his conversion from atheism to faith in Jesus Christ. He had never expected that there was any connection between *God* and *joy*. If anything, he had thought it would be the opposite: ‘For all I knew, the total rejection of what I called Joy might be one of the demands.’ Convinced that it was true, Lewis ‘admitted that God was God’. At that moment, he was ‘the most dejected and…

While growing up, I had several Sunday school teachers, but Craig Stowe is the one I remember most. A few times a month, Mr. Stowe stopped on his way home when he saw me delivering newspapers. He’d ask how I was doing and inquire if there was anything he could pray about for me. And before he pulled away, he always bought a newspaper—for five times its worth. Those brief conversations with Mr. Stowe had a significant impact on my life. I knew he cared about me…