Pity vs. Self-Pity

The attractiveness of pity and the ugliness of self-pity are unarguable. Yet we live in a society in which self-pity far exceeds pity. The excessively ...

Wasted Talents

You can have certain creaturely talents which are amazing, often. But if they are misdirected, not in praise to the Lord but in praise to oneself, or ...

Christaholics Vs. Disciples

Many Christians are only "Christaholics" and not disciples at all. Disciples are cross-bearers; they seek Christ. Christaholics seek happiness. ...

Jonah's Failure

Jonah's sulking disappointment came from a failure of imagination, a failure of heart. He had no idea what God was doing--the largeness of his love ...

Too Self-Centered to Do Christ's Will?

If I really wanted only Christ's will (as I claim), then when you remind me in front of a nominating committee that I never get things in on time, ...

A Tough Time for Discipleship

While the spirit of the time makes evangelism easier, it makes discipleship much more difficult.

Humor: Paying Off God

Our 7-year-old daughter had just won $2.00 for her memory work in Sunday school. After the morning service, the pastor's wife congratulated her.

Our ...

Hung Up on Happiness

An English visitor recently commented about U.S. churches, "You Americans are so concerned about being happy," as if our kingdoms were the focal ...

Trivial Pursuit in Church

Trivialization in the church, as in society, results in a loss of the ability to think. Christians are lured to view the world as the world views itself--uncritically ...

The Smallness of the Self

The smallest package I ever saw was a man wrapped up wholly in himself.