The apostle Paul describes his missionary work: “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10.5 NIV11). In its immediate context, the statement refers to the task of winning people to Christ, dismantling any kind of intellectual barrier—reasonings, arguments, objections—to the gospel of Christ. In his devotional guide My Utmost …
Moviemistakes.com is an interesting website. It lists all kinds of errors and mistakes in movies that somehow escaped the film editing process and find their way in the final cut of the film. The big budget films are not exempt. For example, in one scene of a very popular pirate movie, behind the main character …
When I was still a young believer, a popular theme among Christian youth was that of Jesus being a rebel. What was highlighted in the gospel stories is how Jesus stood up to the authorities of his day. He spoke out against the ills of the leaders. He denounced false worship, even overturning the tables …
When a man and a woman in an exclusive relationship decide to live together mimicking a marriage but without the formal commitment that marriage demands, it is called cohabitation. This is an arrangement of convenience. It allows each person to enjoy the perks of the most intimate of relationships but at the same time hold …
The event of gathering together to worship God is often called the worship experience. It may be a regular Sunday morning service, or a special “praise and worship” concert, or some other gathering with a spiritual theme. It is considered a “good” worship service when the songs and hymns offer religious inspiration; or the preaching …
American society traditionally places a considerably high premium on individuality; an individuality which demands the autonomy to “do as I please and to get what I want when I want it and in the way I want it.” And a significant part of such individuality is convenience. The automation of services gratifies this demand. In …
Eric Liddell loved to run. And on July 11, 1924, he experienced the thrill of winning the Olympic gold medal for the 400-meter race in a very convincing manner. He finished five meters ahead of the next runner and set the world record for that time. What was especially significant about his win is that …
In the past, when I wanted to acquire a legal copy of a music artist’s song I could purchase a full “album” (a collection of songs) of the artist—whether in a vinyl disc, a cassette tape, or a CD format. That meant that if you wanted only one song, you still had to buy the …
Last week I faced an issue of the heart—not symbolically, but the actual muscle organ that pumps blood to the body. I was experiencing some chest pains—off and on—that seemed to extend over three days. So I called an advice nurse, who advised me to immediately go to the hospital emergency department. And so I …
The past couple of weeks, I’ve been engaged—on and off as time permits—in a do-it-yourself home improvement project. As of this writing, I’m not done yet. I want to make sure that the work is completed well. The purpose of such projects is to better living conditions—whether functionally, or even just aesthetically. The operative word …
