Six Degrees Of Separation

Eighty years ago, Hungarian author Frigyes Karinthy wrote a short story he called “Chain-Links,” in which he proposed the idea that any two individuals in the world are connected through, at most, five acquaintances. The thesis has been revived today and is usually described as “Six Degrees of Separation.” It’s an unproven theory, of course. But there is a dynamic at work that links us to others around the world: It is the wisdom and providence of God working through His Word to accomplish His will.

Pleading The Lord’s Cause

Charles Finney, a 29-year-old lawyer, was concerned about his soul’s salvation. On October 10, 1821, he retreated to a wooded area near his home for a time of prayer. While there, he had a profound conversion experience. He wrote: “The Holy Spirit . . . seemed to go through me, body and soul. . . . Indeed it seemed to come in waves of liquid love.”

God’s Plan, Not Ours

Everybody was wrong about the ark of the covenant (an item in the tabernacle that represented the throne of God). After losing a battle to the Philistines, Israel sent messengers to Shiloh to ask that the ark be hauled to Ebenezer, the site of their army camp.

The Spirit Of Christmas

The acts of generosity and good will that flourish in December often fade quickly, causing many to say, “I wish we could keep the Christmas spirit all year long.” Why does it seem that kindness and compassion are chained to the calendar? Is there an ever-flowing fountain of compassion deeper than warm holiday feelings that pass with the season?

The Prince Of Peace

Years ago I came to know a young man who rode with a motorcycle gang. He had grown up on a mission field where his parents served. When his family returned to the US, he seemed unable to adjust to life. He lived a troubled existence and was killed in a street fight with a rival gang.

The Compelling Majesty of His Power

The love of Christ compels us . . . —2 Corinthians 5:14

Paul said that he was overpowered, subdued, and held as in a vise by “the love of Christ.” Very few of us really know what it means to be held in the grip of the love of God. We tend so often to be controlled simply by our own experience.…

Becoming the “Filth of the World”

We have been made as the filth of the world . . . —1 Corinthians 4:13

These words are not an exaggeration. The only reason they may not be true of us who call ourselves ministers of the gospel is not that Paul forgot or misunderstood the exact truth of them, but that we are too cautious and concerned about our own desires to allow ourselves…

The Compelling Force of the Call

Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! —1 Corinthians 9:16

Beware of refusing to hear the call of God. Everyone who is saved is called to testify to the fact of his salvation. That, however, is not the same as the call to preach, but is merely an illustration which can be used in preaching. In this verse, Paul was…

The Call of God

Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel . . . —1 Corinthians 1:17

Paul states here that the call of God is to preach the gospel. But remember what Paul means by “the gospel,” namely, the reality of redemption in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are inclined to make sanctification the goal of our preaching. Paul refers to personal experiences only by way…

Do You See Your Calling?

. . . separated to the gospel of God. . . —Romans 1:1

Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is…

Handling Change
Handling Change - A one minute message from MaxLucado.com.

Christ's Spirit
Christ's Spirit - A one minute message from MaxLucado.com.

Fear Not
Fear Not - A one minute message from MaxLucado.com.

Healthy Fears
Healthy Fears - A one minute message from MaxLucado.com.

Forgetfulness
Forgetfulness - A one minute message from MaxLucado.com.

Scriptures and the Power of God
After the Pharisees failed to trap Jesus in his words about paying taxes, their rivals the Sadducees had their turn:"That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 'Teacher,' they said, 'Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first

Earth Day Wednesday, April 22
This message is from Michael, co director of Alternatives for Simple Living www.simpleliving.org How will you be spending Earth day? We hope you will be able to spend time enjoying creation and support efforts to encourage the wise stewardship of the planet earth.A common comment these days is "Now is the time we need to start living more simply." Usually this comment is made in the context of

Hello from Lubbock!
I'm staying with a high school friend and his family and enjoying reconnecting with them. I'm here for the ZOE Conference at the Monterey Church of Christ. I'm involved with ZOE because we help people break free from legalism and experience a new journey with Jesus Christ. We help people with stepping stones like articles on Wineskins.org, conference experiences in worship, great speakers such as

Daniel Mwaza Fast
During Lent I'm on a Daniel Fast. No, not Daniel in the Bible.My friend, Daniel Mwaza, in Uganda told me how to lose weight . . . He said, "Stop eating so much."So I'm eating half of the normal American calorie intake (which about matches intake of half the world), with about 4 oz of protein a day.I lived seven years in Uganda, and this fast helps me remember those days when I saw children in

The Kindnesses of the Lord
"I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us ─ yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.” ~ Isaiah 63:7One of the ways we worship is telling the kindnesses of the Lord, and it is certainly not worship that is restricted to a preaching minister,