Guidelines For Living Devotional

Why Is God The Light Of The World?

In her book, The Fourth Instinct, Arianna Huffington tells of the parents who brought a baby boy home from the hospital, joining an older sibling already in the family.  The four-year-old sister, however, immediately requested to be alone with the little boy.  The parents, though, were afraid that the sister might not handle the little infant with care.  "Why do you want to be alone with him?"  Unsatisfied, the parents ignored the request.  But finally, after persistent requests, the mother agreed; however, she stayed outside within reach should the baby cry.

Learn About The Life And Ministry Of Paul The Apostle

Some are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them, and some could be dumped out of an airplane in a brown paper bag over a country where they had never sat foot, and they would still achieve greatness.  These are the ones who are truly great.  Such was the individual born long ago of Jewish parents in the university town of Tarsus, located in the Zagros mountains of Turkey.  During the first part of his life, he was identified as Saul of Tarsus, but following a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ, he became known as Paul, the Apostle.

Finding Light In The Midst If Darkness

One evening when the English essayist and author John Ruskin was a little boy, he was sitting at the window of his home watching the lamplighter progressively work his way up a hill lighting the street lamps.  Poking his finger at the window pane to make a point, the little lad suddenly exclaimed, "Look!  He's punching holes in the darkness."

This Is Why You Can Face Your Future

When Janette Aragon first answered the phone and a caller asked, "Can you tell me my future?" she thought that someone was playing a prank on her.  After all, she was the secretary of Missionary Enterprises, a Christian organization, and she had no experience with crystal balls or tarot cards.  But the man was dead serious.  "How did you get our phone number?" asked Janette.

Find Out How To Resolve Conflict

When Jo Shetler went to work among the Balangao people, a tribal group in Northern Luzon in the Philippines, she quickly learned that the way she did things was much different from the way they were done in the tribe.  She knew, of course, there were cultural differences.  But what she didn't understand was how great they were.  She soon learned that though the Balangaos didn't have the advancements of culture and civilization that she had grown up with, they had far, far surpassed her culture when it came to interpersonal relationships, especially getting along with difficult people.

Start Letting God Be God In Your Life

One of the most important things you can ever learn about God is that God is God!  That's not very profound, you may think, but it is, really!  Here's why!  Not knowing God, we assume that He is kind of a glorified human, and therefore try to understand Him just as you would another human being.  Now, to say that God is God isn't to say for a moment that He is not a person with intelligence, will and emotions!  He is that plus an infinite amount more.  He is also One who can be known, which means that God is not a Force, The Prime Mover of the Universe or an Abstract Power out there—wherever that may be. 

How To Grow Spiritually At Any Age

"The trouble with being over the hill," quipped one pundit, "is that I can't remember ever being at the top."  A lot of folks can relate to that.  When that nebulous divider of life arrives‑‑about age 40‑‑they panic, thinking that from then on, they are on the downhill run. 

What Does It Mean To Be Middle Age?

"Middle age" has been described as that period of life that you never want to enter and you never want to leave.

6 Questions About Worry

Some have called it the "acceptable sin of the saints" since almost everyone does it, and few really label it what it is--sin.  And what is this wrong which we label "acceptable"?  It's worry!  And we ignore and justify doing it.  "I just can't help it--it's my nature!"  Besides, we justify, there is a great deal of difference between anxiety--justified concern--and real worry.  Perhaps!  But, I for one, am never sure when I've crossed that line and have allowed my sleep to be taken from me as I wrestle with issues when I'm praying about it, but worrying about it at the same time.

How To Find Hope In The Midst Of Problems

A neighborhood bully about ten years of age was invited to go to a local Sunday School, and the boy went.  The teacher recognized the lad and thought to herself, "I better really pour it on because I may never get the chance again!"  So she talked about the devil and pictured him as an evil, ugly creature replete with pitchfork and tail spitting fire, ready to devour bad boys who were bullies thinking that she just might scare the kid into the kingdom.  The visiting lad squirmed and looked at his feet as she really poured it on.  Then after about 20 minutes, she got his attention asking, "Now, young man, what do you think of the devil?  Aren't you a little afraid of him?"  "Yeah, I guess I am afraid of that big old devil," he drawled, "but if you bring a devil around just my size, I'm sure I could whip him."