'Faith' Tagged Posts
The Faith of the Blind
In Mark 10, we see a passage of scripture that illustrates the beauty of Jesus and the incredible faith of an individual. This story begins in verse 46.“And they came to Jericho. And as [Jesus] was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.”We are quickly introduced to an individual whom many of us would avoid: a beggar sitting next to a well-traveled area. Unfortunately, nearly…
HURRICANE SEASON
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season officially opened on June 1, 2023, and will end on November 30, 2023. Prior to the start of this hurricane season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasted “a range of 12 to 17 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 5 to 9 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1 to 4 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph…
Doers of the Word
In today’s society, the term “Christian” often gets used as an adjective. You will hear people refer to a particular genre of music as Christian music. You can drive across town and shop at the Christian store for Christian books. You can enroll at a Christian school, attend a Christian conference, or even worship at a Christian church. I’m not trying to infer that all of these things are “Christian” in the sense that they are doctrinally correct. I’m simply…
Faith Over Fear
In October 1957, the Soviet Union launched a spacecraft called Sputnik 1, which became the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth. Sputnik 1 was a small satellite by modern standards. It was approximately the size of a beach ball but weighed 183.9 pounds. Additionally, Sputnik 1 was a simple satellite. Its only function was to transmit radio signals. And Sputnik 1’s mission was short. It transmitted radio signals for only 21 days until its batteries ran out. It orbited the Earth for only three months before…
Time to Persevere
When she was young, Florence Chadwick wanted desperately to be a great speed swimmer. At the age of six she persuaded her parents to enter her in a 50-yard race. She came in last, so she practiced every day for the new year. Again, she entered and lost. When she was an 11-year-old, Florence won attention and praise for completing the San Diego Bay endurance swim — 6 miles in all. But she still wanted to be a speed swimmer.…
Focused on the Finish
The name of an elite runner from Tanzania was written in sports history books at the 1968 Olympics—without him winning one medal. John Stephen Akhwari joined the field of seventy-eight competitors in Mexico City for a twenty-six-mile marathon. Around the halfway mark, Akhwari suffered severe injuries when he became entangled with other runners, stumbled, and hit the track with full-body force. A medic team rushed to his aid, bandaging his bloody wounds and dislocated knee, and recommended the obvious withdrawal…
Olympic Faith
Kerri Strug became an overnight sensation and beloved figure to all Americans based on her inspiring performance at the 1996 Olympics. At only 18 years old, Keri helped her team win gold in the most dramatic fashion. The US ladies’ team had gotten off to such a strong start in the Games that the press dubbed them “The Magnificent Seven,” but as the competition heated up, it soon became clear that the Russians were a force to be reckoned with.…
Faith and Works
Do you realize how often we give and receive contrasting pieces of wisdom? Several popular proverbs in our culture are diametrical. For example, some people say that “birds of a feather flock together,” but others claim that “opposites attract.” One saying contends that similarities bring people together, while the other alleges that differences bring people together. It has been said that “actions speak louder than words,” but it has also been said that “the pen is mightier than the sword.”…
The Fear Factor
It seems that when tigers hunt, they have a remarkable capacity for causing their prey to paralyze with fear, a size greater than any of the other big cats. As the tiger charges toward its helpless victim, it lets out a spine-chilling roar. Now you’d think this would be enough to cause the prey to turn and run for its life, but instead, it often freezes and soon becomes tiger food. At the turn of the 21st century, scientists at…
Faith to Faith
Have you ever been in a situation where you were amazed by the faithfulness or loyalty of someone else? A friend who was there in difficult times, a boss who went above and beyond, or perhaps a pet that always sticks near. It’s an incredible feeling to know you have someone who will always be there for you and will not leave no matter what. It’s this ultimate security that we perhaps seek out more than anything else when choosing…
PURSUE A PAUL
Research has revealed that one of the most critical elements to preventing new converts from leaving the church is relationships. According to one study, “Each new person should be able to identify at least seven friends in the church within the first six months.”1 In other words, developing faith-based friendships is critical to faith development. Maybe that is why relationships played such a vital part in Paul’s ministry. Paul was a man who thrived on relationships. Rarely do you find…
FAITH AND DOUBTS (PART 3)
Facing doubt is not a sin in and of itself. As long as you resolve the doubt, you have not sinned; however, if you give in to the doubt then you have sinned. So, whether or not doubt leads to sin has everything to do with how you handle it. This begs the question: how do you handle doubt in such a way so that you overcome it? To answer this question I encourage you to read about Jesus’ interaction…
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