I don’t have any friends” is a complaint that makes a parent’s heart ache. Mom and dad can provide lots of things—food, clothes, medical care, a loving home environment. But they can’t force other children to befriend their kids. How do children (and adults) make and keep good friends? Jonathan’s relationship with David suggests an…

“Father Knows Best” was a popular sitcom with a six-season run (1954-60). The show portrayed the life of the middle class Anderson family. Jim was in the insurance business. He and Margaret had three children—Betty, Bud, and Kathy. Human fathers don’t always know best, though. But our Father in heaven always does. Hezekiah’s experience is…

Peter invites us to come to Jesus and be built up like living stones “as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” (1 Pet. 2:5). This appeal presents the church as the reality anticipated by the old covenant temple and priesthood. What does this word picture imply?…

Searching for someone who preaches the truth is like looking for an icicle in August. Most false prophets rattle on for 30 minutes or so without ever opening the Bible. Determining that such men are merely expressing human opinion is fairly easy. But other false teachers tell Bible stories and cite numerous scriptures. This preaching…

A hermit may be able to live for years without ever saying an unkind word to anyone. Of course, no one is around to test his patience. It’s fairly easy to be nice to myself. But the Bible knows of no hermit Christians. We are called to live in relationships with other people, which means…

society encourages us to obey our own impulses. There’s no truth, nothing absolutely right or wrong for everyone, everywhere, all the time. What is right for me may not be right for you. If I’m wrestling with a moral decision, I should follow the feelings produced by my personal experiences. a great flaw in this…

Tom Reynolds started a parts manufacturing company in Detroit. Five years later the business employed more than 500 people. But one day Tom’s own human resources department sent him the following email: “Mr. Reynolds, according to our records you have never submitted letters of recommendation, something required of everyone in the company. Please verify that…

By Brent Smith Prepping has become so popular that there are television shows devoted to it. There are companies that specialize in food packages with a long shelf life, heirloom seeds, and hidden bunkers. And people are prepping for different “doomsday” scenarios: nuclear war, social upheaval, the zombie apocalypse, a modern plague, a weather disaster,…

[The Supreme Court vacancy created by Anthony Kennedy’s retirement is reheating the abortion debate. I wrote the following article in April of 2013. Please read it – and remember it every time you see someone on TV hyperventilating about losing the “right” to kill babies.] Kermit Gosnell is currently on trial charged with several counts…

The word “apostles” describes the 12 special representatives appointed by Jesus. He sent them first to the people of Israel and then to all the world — to speak in his name, confirm the message with mighty signs, give testimony to his resurrection, and build up his church. After the suicide of Judas, the number…