The Reality of Our Present World

We’ve all occasionally fallen for a lie, whether it was something as trivial as false advertising or as serious as a scam that emptied a bank account. Whatever the trickery was, it can be traced back to the Father of Lies—Satan (John 8:44). And his most devastating deceptions are those that lead us into sin. This is why it’s vital to understand the devil’s pattern of deceit, which goes all the way back to the garden of Eden. Satan’s first move…

In the years that followed the Fall and our exile from Eden, mankind got worse and worse. Cain killed Abel; Lamech threatened to kill everybody else. The wickedness of the human heart seemed out of control and unstoppable, even by the curses. People were living for seven, eight, even nine hundred years. Can you imagine the arranging that one person could accomplish with that sort of time on his hands? Stubbornness seems to come with old age. Haven't you heard your…

Trusting in the Lord is easy when life is pleasant and running smoothly. However, when circumstances are not as we desire, our confidence in God can become shaky. Yet even in difficult times, He guides us and helps us through. God wants us to cultivate faithfulness to Him in every circumstance. To do this, we must commit to His way instead of getting frustrated or trying to manipulate things to get our desired outcome. While it would be easy for us to become anxious or…

Anytime a natural disaster strikes, it’s understandable that big questions come to mind—about things like life, death, and why we are here. The magnitude of death and destruction caused by earthquakes, fires, tsunamis, or floods displaces our normal everyday thoughts, leading us instead to seek explanations for suffering. Often we answer our own questions based on our personal understanding of God. If He does something that doesn’t fit into the box we&rsquo…

At the 1853 world’s fair in New York City, a man named Elisha Otis pulled off a remark­able stunt. Otis was the inventor of the safety elevator, but he had a hard time selling his idea to skeptics. So, in the exhibition hall, he stood on an elevator platform suspended by a single rope. Then he had an axman cut the rope! The elevator fell—a few feet. The crowd let out a collective gasp. And Elisha Otis pronounced, “All safe, ladies and gentlemen. All safe.;…

Did you ever peek ahead to the end of a story because you just couldn’t wait for the conclusion? This is oftentimes what we long to do in our own life, especially in difficult seasons. We want to know when our affliction will end. But only God knows the future, so we must learn to trust Him in the meantime. Joseph probably wished he could glance into the future to find out when his life would stop spiraling downward. Between the hatred of his brothers who sold him…

Temptations can come at any time, but they are especially dangerous in periods of weakness because that’s when we’re more prone to yield. The Scriptures are filled with descriptions of men and women who sinned against the Lord in moments of vulnerability. These true stories are given to us for our instruction so we can learn from the mistakes of others (1 Corinthians 10:11). While temptations come in a variety of forms, they follow a similar pattern. David&rsquo…

In 1983, three teens were arrested for the murder of a fourteen-year-old. According to news reports, the younger teen was “shot . . . because of his [athletic] jacket.” Sentenced to life in prison, the three spent thirty-six years behind bars before evidence surfaced that revealed their innocence. Another man had committed the crime. Before the judge released them as free men, he issued an apology. No matter how hard we try (and no matter how much good is done…

To show respect to someone means that we esteem them. Even if we don’t agree with someone’s stance, we can still treat them respectfully. It’s not about feeling respect for them, but showing it to them. If you want to learn how to show respect to others, try spending time with someone who doesn’t agree with you. Showing respect when we think someone else’s viewpoint or belief system is completely wrong can be challenging. There are some things…