John Todd was a famous minister of the 1800's and he grew up in Vermont, but he lost both of his parents when he was six years old. And, since there were so many kids in the family, they didn't know what to do with all the children and so they found an aunt who said, "I will be happy to take John in."…

The motion picture “Faith Like Potatoes” tells the true story of Angus Buchan, a South African farmer who learns what true faith really is. Angus comes to South Africa in the middle of racial turmoil and economic disruption to begin a new life for himself and his family. The hard work of reclaiming an…

Adversity comes to those who are making a difference for Christ. Missionary statesman Oswald Chambers once wrote, “Suffering is the heritage of the bad, of the penitent, and of the Son of God. Each one ends at the Cross. The bad thief is crucified, the penitent thief is crucified, and the Son of God…

The ship may not need an anchor in calm waters; when upon a broad ocean a little drifting may not be a very serious matter. But there are conditions of weather in which an anchor becomes altogether essential. When a gale is rushing toward the shore, blowing great guns, and the vessel cannot hold her…

Why does God bring thunderclouds and disasters when we want green pastures and still waters? Bit by bit we find behind the clouds, the Father's feet; behind the lightning, an abiding day that has no night; behind the thunder, "a still, small voice" that comforts with a comfort that is unspeakable. --Oswald…

Neighborly Prayer Some of you may be familiar with a story by journalist Tom Junod. It is a true story of a young man afflicted with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy did not affect this young man’s mind, but it affected his motor skills and his ability to speak. The boy could only communicate through typing…

What is the worst thing that may happen to us because of our faith? In our current culture we may face ridicule or perhaps some form of censure, but for many in our world, the cost of following Jesus is paid in the blood of martyrdom. The mother of an Egyptian Coptic who was among the 21 Christians beheaded…

In his book, Shaped by God, Max Lucado writes ”When God sets out to shape us in His image, he often uses the heat and pressure of our daily lives to temper us and craft us into beautiful instruments He can use.” Shaped by God, 175 James 1:2 (HCSB) “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience…

Had Abraham stopped in Ur of the Chaldees with his friends and rested there and enjoyed himself, where would his faith have been? He had God’s command to leave his country to go to a land that he had never seen, to sojourn there with God as a stranger, dwelling in tents, and in his obedience to that…

John Bunyan, in Pilgrim’s Progress, tells us that Christian, by the light of day, looked back on the Valley of the Shadow of Death, which he had passed through in the nighttime, and saw what a narrow path he had kept and what a bog there was on one side, and what a miry place on the other, and where…

After living a "decent" life, my time on earth came to an end. The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a court house. The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table. As I looked around I saw the "prosecutor."…

There was once a square piece of paper put up into George Whitefield’s pulpit, by way of a notice, to this effect: “A young man who has lately inherited a large fortune requests the prayers of the congregation.” Right well was the prayer asked, for when we go up the hill we need prayer that we may be…

I remember talking once to a lady who assured me again and again that she prayed daily for me that I might be kept humble. I told her that I would pray the same prayer for her. When she said, “Oh, I am never tempted to be proud,” I replied, “Well, dear friend, I am afraid you are very far gone in that…

The man that has seen affliction, when he is blessed of God, has the disposition to cheer those that are afflicted. I have heard speak of a lady who was out in the snow one night, and was so very cold that she cried out, “Oh, those poor people that have such a little money! How little fuel they have,…

One reason God has a poor people is so that He may display more the power of His comforting promises and the supports of the gospel. “There,” says the architect, “this building is strong.” Yes, but it must be tested: Let the wind blow against it. There is a lighthouse out at sea, but it is a calm night—I…

HARDSHIP/PERSEVERANCE I don't think it was the worst thing that could happen at a concert, but it wasn't good. On November 18, 1995, a string on Itzhak Perlman's violin snapped as he played at Avery Fisher Hall, at the Lincoln Center in New York. Really, the word snapped doesn't convey what happened…

Hardships For hardship does not spring from the soil, nor does trouble sprout from the ground. [7] Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward. (Job 5:6-7 NIV) I'd like to think that calamity will visit everyone but me, but I know it isn't true. Calamity will visit your home, and it will…

A comparison of Gallup poll results and employment data from the Labor Department may indicate a unique correlation between the nation’s employment rate and belief in the Bible. The relationship could be coincidental, but compiled data from both organizations indicate that as unemployment rises, belief…

In the olden time when the gospel was preached in Persia, Hamedatha, a courtier of the king, having embraced the faith, was stripped of all his offices, driven from the palace, and compelled to feed camels. This he did with great content. The king passing by one day saw his former favorite at his ignoble…

Could it be true that Mike Tyson has finally realized his shortcomings? After his four-year-old daughter died in a treadmill accident, Tyson was emotionally touched by the people who reached out to help him. He realized “The first stage of my life was just a whole bunch of selfishness. I thought I was…

Charlotte, North Carolina A lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against, among other things, fire. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars and without yet having made even his first premium payment on the policy the lawyer filed…

Nightmares happen. But we shouldn’t be surprised. The bible warns us that when we actively pursue Christ’s mission, we’ll face obstacles. So our best response is to be forewarned—and not to panic when it happens. Actually, we’ve found that nightmares give your prayer life a real boost—and teach you a…

HONESTY Reader Digest recently decided to test the honesty of people in various locations around the globe. The organization asked reporters to “lose” 30 cell phones in the largest cities of 12 countries. To follow-up, reporters called the cell phone. If someone answered, they asked the person to return…

When you and I hurt deeply, what we really need is not an explanation from God but a revelation of God. We need to see how great God is; we need to recover our lost perspective on life. Things get out of proportion when we are suffering, and it takes a vision of something bigger than ourselves to get…

In her book, ‘It’s No Secret, Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know’ Rachel Olsen offers hope to those who are experiencing the dark times in life. Olsen writes,”We may not be able to view the shore beyond the twenty-foot waves, but God hones in on our precise location on that deep, dark lake.…