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illustration
The Tragedy of the Digital World
Recently a professor shared with me a college student’s reflections in response to my earlier writings on solitude and silence: I was not born into a world relatively unaffected by technology lik... -
Quote
The good news is, you’re always connected to the office. The bad news is, you’re always connected to the office. -
illustration
Seeking a Better Way
In the land whose founding metaphor was the mutuality of John Winthrop’s seventeenth-century vision of a “city set on a hill,” we live more and more in estranged, hostile, exclusive enclaves, linked o... -
illustration
The CEO of Gallup on The Next Center of Major Innovation
Jim Clifton, CEO and Chairman of Gallup, points to the shrunken GDP (gross domestic product) of the United States and the vast shortfall in new job creation. What is the solution? He writes, If you w... -
illustration
Just another Consumer Product?
One of the many technological transformations of the twentieth century took place right on our dinner plates. Because of its cheapness and convenience, most Americans quickly accepted new ways of eati... -
Quote
The biggest deception of our digital age may be the lie that says we can be omni-competent, omni-informed, and omni-present. . . . We must choose our absence, our inability, and our ignorance—and choo... -
illustration
The Sacred Alters of Modern Life
Our 24/7 culture conveniently provides every good and service we want, when we want, how we want. Our time – saving devices, technological conveniences, and cheap mobility have seemingly made life muc... -
illustration
Never Leaving Their Work
Because of the modern rhythms of work that are mediated through personal computers and phones, people, in the words of one cultural commentator, “leave the office, but they do not leave their work. Th... -
illustration
An Ocean of Feedback
We swim in an ocean of feedback. Each year in the United States alone, every schoolchild will be handed back as many as 300 assignments, papers, and tests. Millions of kids will be assessed as they tr... -
Quote
What use could this company make of an electrical toy? *President of the Western Union Telegraph Company, in 1876, rejecting an opportunity to purchase Alexander Graham Bell’s patent on the telephone -
illustration
The Intern: The Movie Gets the Power of Work
The movie The Intern did not win any Academy Awards, which is hardly surprising. Punchy blockbuster comedies rarely receive Hollywood’s highest honors. But its message is nevertheless award wort... -
blog
Sermon Illustration Tuesday (11.13.18)
We swim in an ocean of feedback. Each year in the United States alone, every schoolchild will be handed back as many as 300 assignments, papers, and tests. Millions of kids will be assessed as they tr... -
Quote
Modernity slowly weakened spirituality, by design and accident, in favor of commerce; it downplayed silence and mere being in favor of noise and constant action. The reason we live in a culture increa... -
illustration
What Hath God Wrought?
In the crypt of the Capitol, there hangs a bronze plaque commemorating the inventor of telegraphy, Samuel Morse…In 1825, Morse returned to Washington to paint a portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette, t... -
illustration
Are People in the West Abandoning Faith or Just the Church?
In this excerpt, author David Zahl challenges the common belief that religion is “in decline.” He argues that while Westerners, particularly younger generations, may be distancing themselves from the ... -
illustration
The $20 Million Mistake
In The Last Arrow, Erwin McManus shares the story of Mark Floyd, a businessman who convinced investors to place $20 million dollars in an investment that ultimately failed. Instead of crawling into a ... -
illustration
Innovation or Heresy
It’s funny how sometimes members of the church can associate anything new with “heresy.” We often make the mistake of confusing technological innovations or scientific discoveries for changes to the g... -
Quote
Work supplies the physical, psychological, artistic, and religious needs of communities extending to the ends of the earth. Furthermore, through work, we create abundance out of which we help meet the... -
Quote
The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace, but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a... -
illustration
Playing Busy like a Fiddle While the World Burns
As early as April 2020, a debate raged about the responsibilities of those of us turned safely inside during this global storm. For those time privileged enough to find their calendars suddenly cleare... -
illustration
People are the Key to Organizational Change
Here is the uncomfortable truth: Humans run to a much slower evolutionary clock than our inventions. To use an engineering term, we are the “gating factor” that keeps a process from running faster. It... -
Quote
If innovation and change are not fulfilling our need to connect, to belong, to express, to love, to feel alive, how can they satisfy? -
Quote
God created the world to be a fabric, for everything to be woven together and interdependent. “ -
Quote
The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is the healer and restorer and resurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life. Withou... -
liturgy
God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—our
God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—our Loving Creator, Redeemer and Guide: We praise and thank You for being with us wherever we are on the journey of faith; whether we feel You or not—You are here wit... -
illustration
Receiving the Message
When the telegraph was the fastest means of long-distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the address that was liste... -
illustration
What Business They Were In
In the late 1800’s, no business matched the financial and political dominance of the railroad. Trains dominated the transportation industry of the United States, moving both people and goods throughou... -
illustration
Our Bodies Need Silence
Your body knows about schedules. It gets used to those times of day when it says, Feed me right now. I’m hungry, and those times of night when it says, Get me to bed. I’m exhausted. Your body will spe... -
Quote
The hardest thing to understand in the world is the income tax. -
Quote
Since 1991, the adult population in the United States has grown by 15%. During that same period, the number of adults who do not attend church has nearly doubled, rising from 39 million to 75 million—...
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Top Level Categories by Topic
A
- A Fresh Start
- A Meaningful Life
- Abiding in Christ
- Ability
- Abolition of Slavery
- Abraham
- Abundance
- Acceptance
- Accidents
- Achievement
- Actions
- Activities
- Adaptability
- Addiction
- Advent
- Adventure
- Adversity
- Advice
- Advocate
- Agnosticism
- Agriculture
- Aim
- Alcohol
- Ambassadors
- Ambition
- Angels
- Angry with God
- Anxiety
- Appreciation
- Apprehension
- Approval
- Arrogance
- Arts
- Assumptions about God
- Assurance
- Atheism
- Atonement
- Attacks
- Attention
- Authentic Faith
- Authority
- Avoidance
- Awareness of Sin
B
- Balance
- Baptism
- Baseball
- Bearing Fruit
- Beginnings
- Behavior
- Behavior Modification
- Being a Good Neighbor
- Being Enslaved To Sin
- Being Heard
- Being Humbled
- Being Known
- Being Lost
- Being vs. Doing
- Beliefs
- Believing in God
- Believing in Jesus
- Belonging
- Benefit of the Doubt
- Biblical Faithfulness
- Blameless
- Blessing
- Blessings
- Bold Prayers
- Bossing Others Around
- Bread
- Breakthrough
- Broken Families
- Brokenness
- Brothers and Sisters
- Brothers and Sisters in Christ
- Building
- Burdens
- Burning Bush
- Burnout
- Business
- Busyness
- The Bible
- The Body
- The Body of Christ
- The Bread of Life
C
- Cain and Abel
- Called by God
- Calling
- Calling On God
- Capitalism
- Captives
- Captivity
- Career
- Caregivers
- Cars
- Causes
- Celebrations
- Cemeteries
- Challenges
- Change
- Changing Ourselves
- Character
- Character Development
- Character Formation
- Character Transformation
- Cheating
- Child Development
- Childlike Faith
- Children
- Children of God
- Choices
- Christ and Culture
- Christ's Death
- Christ's Resurrection
- Christian Character
- Christian Community
- Christian Identity
- Christian Leadership
- Christian Liberty
- Christian Service
- Christian Values
- Christians
- Christmas
- Christmas Eve
- Chronic Illness
- Church and Power
- Church Attendance
- Church Conflict
- Church Health
- Church is the People
- Church Leaders
- Church Leadership
- Church Tradition
- Church Unity
- Churches
- Civility
- Clean Water
- Cleansing
- Climbing the Ladder of Success
- Coffee
- Coldness of Heart
- College
- College/Universities
- Comfort
- Comfort Zone
- Comforter
- Coming of the Kingdom
- Commandments
- Commerce
- Common Good
- Communication
- Communion
- Communion of Saints
- Community
- Community Development
- Compassion
- Compassion Fatigue
- Competence
- Competition
- Complaining
- Completion
- Complexity of Life
- Compromise
- Confession of Sin
- Confidence
- Conflict
- Congregation
- Connection
- Conscience
- Consequences
- Conservation
- Construction
- Consumerism
- Contemplation
- Contentment
- Contributions
- Controlling God
- Controversy
- Conversational Prayer
- Conversion
- Conviction of Sin
- Convictions
- Cookie-Cutter
- Core Beliefs
- Cost of Discipleship
- Courage
- Covenant
- Covenant Community
- Covid Pandemic
- Craftsmanship
- Created World
- Creation
- Creation (Human)
- Creation Care/The Environment
- Creativity
- Crises
- Criticism
- Crying Out To God
- Cultivation
- Culture
- The Christian Faith
- The Cross
D
- Danger
- Dangers of Religion
- Dangers of Success
- Dangers of Technology
- Dead In Christ
- Deadlines
- Death
- Death Has No Power
- Death of a Loved One
- Debt
- Debt of Sin
- Deception
- Dedication
- Deliverance
- Dependence
- Dependence on God
- Dependence on Others
- Depression
- Desire
- Desire for God
- Desires
- Despair
- Destructive Behavior
- Determination
- Development Work
- Devil
- Devotion
- Difficult People
- Digital Age
- Dignity
- Disability
- Discernment
- Discipleship
- Discipline
- Discovery
- Dishonesty
- Dissent
- Distortion
- Distraction
- Divine Intervention
- Divine Love
- Division
- Divisions
- Doubt
- Doubts
- Dreams
- Drive
- Dust
- Dysfunction
E
- Earthiness
- Economics
- Education
- Elderly People
- Emotions
- Encouragement
- Endurance
- Enemies
- Enemy
- Enjoyment
- Entrepreneurship
- Equality
- Eternal Life
- Ethics
- Evangelicalism
- Evangelism
- Example
- Excellence
- Exclusion
- Exhaustion
- Existence
- Existence of God
- Expectations of Children
- Experience
- Experiencing God
- Expressing Emotions
- The Earth
- The Epiphany
- The Exodus
F
- Failure
- Faith
- Faith and Doubt
- Faith and Prayer
- Faith in Action
- Faith in Christ
- Faith of the Church
- Faith Seeking Understanding
- Faith vs. Works
- Faithfulness
- Fallacies
- Fame
- Family
- Famine
- Farming
- Fathers
- Fatigue
- Favor of God
- Fear
- Feedback
- Financial Resources
- Financial Struggles
- Firm Belief
- Five Senses
- Fixing a Mistake
- Flourishing
- Focus
- Food
- Foolishness
- Football (American)
- Foreigners
- Forgiveness
- Forgiveness of Sin
- Formation
- Foundations
- Fragility of Life
- Free Will
- Freedom
- Freedom in Christ
- Friend of Sinners
- Fruit
- Fruit of the Spirit
- Fruitfulness
- Fulfillment
- Fullness of Life
- Fun
- Funerals
- Future
G
- Games
- Garden of Eden
- Gardening
- Gardens
- Gathering
- Generosity
- Genesis
- Genetics
- Getting Fired
- Gifts
- Giving
- Giving and Receiving
- Giving Freely
- Giving God the Glory
- Giving to the Poor
- Gladness
- Glory
- Goals
- God
- God Cares For You
- God the Creator
- God's Abundance
- God's Acceptance
- God's Anger
- God's Creation
- God's Design
- God's Forgiveness
- God's Gifts
- God's Goodness
- God's Hands
- God's Incomprehensibility
- God's Invitations
- God's Judgment
- God's Law
- God's Love
- God's Majesty
- God's Name
- God's Nearness
- God's Plans
- God's Power (Omnipotence)
- God's Presence
- God’s Presence
- God's Promises
- God's Protection
- God's Provision
- God's Pursuit
- God's Righteousness
- God's Truth
- God's Unfailing Love
- God's Voice
- God's Will
- God's Word
- God's Work
- God's Works
- Going to Church
- Golf
- Good Life
- Good Works
- Goodness of God
- Government
- Grace
- Grace vs. Works
- Graduation
- Gratitude
- Great Exchange
- Greatness
- Greatness of God
- Grief
- Growth
- Grumbling
- Guidance
- Guilt
- Guilty
- The Glory of God
- The Golden Rule
H
- Habits
- Hands
- Happiness
- Hard Work
- Hard-Heartedness
- Hardship
- Harmony
- Harvest
- Healing
- Healing the Past
- Healing Wounds
- Health
- Healthcare
- Hearing God
- Hearing our Prayers
- Hearing What We Want to Hear
- Heart
- Heart Change
- Hearts
- Heaven
- Help
- Helping the Poor
- Hiding Our Sin
- HIV/AIDS
- Holiness
- Holiness of God
- Holy Fire
- Homelessness
- Homogeneity
- Hope
- Hostility to God
- House
- Human Condition
- Human Creation
- Human Development
- Human Judgment
- Human Judgments
- Human Life
- Human Nature
- Human Qualities
- Humanity
- Humankind
- Humble Leadership
- Humble Living
- Humble Prayer
- Humble Service
- Humility
- Hunger
- Hurry
- Hustle
- The Holy Spirit
I
- Ideas
- Identity
- Idolatry
- Ignorance
- Ignoring God
- Illness
- Image Bearers
- Immigrants
- Impact
- Improvisation
- Inadequacy
- Infants
- Inheritance
- Initiative
- Injury
- Innovation
- Insecurity
- Inspiration
- Intercession
- Intercession of Jesus
- Intercessory Prayer
- Interdependence
- Interviews
- Intimacy
- Investments
- Invitation
- Israel
- The Image of God
- The Incarnation
- The Internet
J
L
- Labor
- Labor Day
- Lack of Control
- Lack of Forgiveness
- Lack of Leadership
- Law (Torah)
- Laziness
- Leaders
- Leadership
- Leadership Challenges
- Leadership Development
- Leadership Integrity
- Learning
- Learning from Your Mistakes
- Legacy
- Legalism
- Leisure
- Lent
- Liberation
- Lies
- Life
- Life after Death
- Life of Faith
- Life of Purpose
- Life Story
- Limitations
- Listening
- Listening to God
- Living
- Living for Christ
- Living Humbly
- Living Life
- Living Sacrifice
- Loans
- Loneliness
- Longing
- Longings
- Losing Control
- Losing Yourself
- Loss
- Love
- Love of Money
- Loving Kindness
- Loving Other Christians
- The Law
- The Lord's Prayer
- The Lord's Supper
- The Lordship of Christ
M
- Making a Difference
- Mammon
- Management
- Manna
- Marital Problems
- Marriage
- Martyrdom
- Mercy
- Message of the Bible
- Messages
- Mind
- Mind and Body
- Ministry
- Miracles
- Mission
- Missionaries
- Mistaken Identity
- Mistakes
- Misunderstanding
- Modern Life
- Modernity
- Monasticism
- Money
- Moral Choices
- Moral Failures
- Moses
- Motivations
- Motives
- Music
- Mystery of Life
- The Meaning of Life
- The Military
- The Mind of Christ
- The Morning
N
O
P
- Pain
- Palm Sunday
- Parenting
- Parents
- Passion
- Pastors
- Paths
- Patience
- Peace
- Peacemaking
- Penalty of Sin
- Perfection
- Perfectionism
- Performance
- Persecuted Church
- Persecution
- Perseverance
- Perseverance of the Saints
- Persistence
- Personal Agendas
- Perspective
- Persuasion
- Pharisaism
- Philosphy of Life
- Place
- Plans
- Play
- Pleasing God
- Pleasure
- Politics
- Poor
- Poor in Spirit
- Poverty
- Power
- Power and Weakness
- Power of Prayer
- Power of Sin
- Praise
- Praise Music
- Prayer
- Prayer Life
- Prayers for Funerals
- Preaching
- Preaching Christ
- Preparation
- Presence
- Preservation
- Presidents
- Price
- Pride
- Priesthood of All Believers
- Priorities
- Prisoners
- Private Faith
- Problem Solving
- Problems
- Procrastination
- Productivity
- Products
- Professionalism
- Progress
- Promises
- Prosperity
- Protection
- Proving the Existence of God
- Provision
- Pruning
- Psychology
- Public Faith
- Public Witness
- Punishment
- Punishment for Sin
- Purity
- Purpose
- Putting God in a Box
- The Passing of Time
- The People of God
R
- Rain
- Reading the Bible
- Real Estate
- Reality
- Reason
- Rebellion
- Receiving
- Receiving Forgiveness
- Receiving Gifts
- Receiving God
- Receiving Grace
- Receiving Love
- Receiving Thanks
- Receiving the Gospel
- Receiving the Word
- Recognizing our Sin
- Reconciliation
- Redeemer
- Redemption
- Reflection
- Refugees
- Rejection
- Relationships
- Reliance on Others
- Religion
- Religion and Public Life
- Religions
- Religious Conflict
- Religious Liberty
- Religious Persecution
- Religious Practices
- Renewal
- Renewing our Minds
- Renouncing Faith
- Repentance
- Rescue
- Resilience
- Resistance
- Resisting Temptation
- Responsibility
- Rest
- Rest in God
- Restoration
- Resurrection
- Resurrection from Sin
- Resurrection of the Dead
- Retirement
- Retreat
- Returning to God
- Revelation
- Rewards
- Rhythms
- Rhythms of Rest
- Right and Wrong
- Right Relationships
- Righteous Indignation
- Righteousness
- Rock of Ages
- Role Models
- Roles
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Routines
- Rule of Life
- Running from Your Problems
- Running to God
- Rural Areas
- Ruthlessness
- The Resurrection and the Life
- The Rich
- The Risen Lord
S
- Sabbath
- Sacred vs. Secular
- Sacrifice
- Sacrificial Giving
- Salt and Light
- Salvation
- Salvation History
- Sanctification
- Satan
- Satan's Lies
- Saved by Grace
- Saving Faith
- Savior
- Schedules
- School
- Science
- Science and Religion
- Screens
- Scripture
- Search
- Searching for the Truth
- Seasons
- Secularism
- Security
- Seeds
- Seeking God
- Seeking Happiness
- Self-Acceptance
- Self-Achievement
- Self-Centeredness
- Self-Deception
- Self-Discovery
- Self-Expression
- Self-Glory
- Self-Importance
- Self-Improvement
- Self-Indulgence
- Self-Justification
- Self-Knowledge
- Self-Love
- Self-Promotion
- Self-Reliance
- Self-Worth
- Selfishness
- Sending
- Sense of Humor
- Sense of Smell
- Sermon on the Mount
- Servant Leadership
- Servanthood
- Service
- Sexual Immorality
- Sexual License
- Shalom
- Shame
- Sharing the Gospel
- Sickness
- Signs
- Sin Management
- Sin Nature
- Sinfulness
- Sinners
- Sinners and Saints
- Sins
- Sins of the Church
- Slavery
- Sleeping In
- Sloth
- Slowing Down
- Social Justice
- Societal Problems
- Society
- Soil
- Soldiers
- Solitude
- Solutions
- Solving Problems
- Sorrow
- Sounds
- Sowing and Reaping
- Sowing Seeds
- Speech
- Spiritual Disciplines
- Spiritual Formation
- Spiritual Growth
- Spiritual Leadership
- Spiritual Nurture
- Spiritual Practices
- Spiritual Problems
- Spiritual Transformation
- Spirituality
- Sports
- Spring (Season)
- Staying Humble
- Steadfast
- Steadfast Love
- Stewardship
- Stillness
- Storms
- Stranger
- Strength
- Stretching Experiences
- Stronghold
- Structures
- Struggles
- Struggles with Prayer
- Stuck
- Success
- Suffering
- Summer
- Sunday
- Surgery
- Surrender
- Sustainer
- The Saints
- The Sick
- The Soul
- The Spiritual Life
T
- Tabernacle
- Taking God for Granted
- Taking Stock
- Taking Up the Cross
- Targets
- Tasks
- Taste
- Taxes
- Teachers
- Teaching
- Team
- Teamwork
- Technology
- Temptation
- Ten Commandments
- Tenderness
- Terrorism
- Thankfulness
- Thanksgiving (General)
- Thanksgiving (Holiday)
- Theological Division
- Theology
- Theology of Work
- Thinking
- Thirst
- Thoughtfulness
- Thoughtlesness
- Throne of Grace
- Time
- TIme Management
- Timekeeping
- Tired
- Tithing
- Tongue
- Town
- Tradition
- Training
- Transformation
- Transgressions
- Transitions
- Translation
- Treasure
- Trees
- True Worship
- Trust
- Trust in God
- Truth
- Turning a Blind Eye
- Turning People Away from Jesus
U
W
- The Weak
- The Work of the Holy Spirit
- Wages of Sin
- Walls
- Wandering
- War
- Warning Signs
- Warnings
- Waste
- Wasting Time
- Weakness
- Weakness of Will
- Wealth
- Weariness
- Weather
- Weekend
- Weeping
- Welcoming
- Western Culture
- Wholeness
- Wickedness
- Wilderness
- Wine
- Wisdom
- Witnesses
- Wittiness
- Women
- Words
- Work
- Work and Rest
- Work-Life Balance
- Workaholism
- Workmanship
- Works-Righteousness
- World
- World Leaders
- World Peace
- Worldliness
- Worship
- Wrath
Y
Top_level_categories by Reference
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Deuteronomy
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Esther
Psalm
- Ps 1 (3)
- Ps 2 (3)
- Ps 8 (1)
- Ps 9 (2)
- Ps 13 (1)
- Ps 15 (4)
- Ps 16 (2)
- Ps 18 (1)
- Ps 19 (2)
- Ps 23 (5)
- Ps 25 (1)
- Ps 27 (4)
- Ps 30 (1)
- Ps 31 (1)
- Ps 32 (2)
- Ps 33 (1)
- Ps 34 (9)
- Ps 37 (4)
- Ps 41 (4)
- Ps 42 (5)
- Ps 46 (9)
- Ps 49 (2)
- Ps 51 (12)
- Ps 56 (1)
- Ps 60 (1)
- Ps 62 (2)
- Ps 63 (1)
- Ps 65 (2)
- Ps 67 (1)
- Ps 68 (1)
- Ps 72 (2)
- Ps 73 (5)
- Ps 78 (4)
- Ps 82 (2)
- Ps 85 (3)
- Ps 90 (11)
- Ps 91 (3)
- Ps 92 (1)
- Ps 95 (2)
- Ps 100 (5)
- Ps 103 (7)
- Ps 104 (3)
- Ps 106 (1)
- Ps 110 (1)
- Ps 115 (4)
- Ps 116 (2)
- Ps 118 (3)
- Ps 119 (12)
- Ps 121 (1)
- Ps 122 (2)
- Ps 126 (3)
- Ps 127 (9)
- Ps 128 (2)
- Ps 130 (2)
- Ps 131 (2)
- Ps 133 (4)
- Ps 136 (3)
- Ps 139 (16)
- Ps 141 (2)
- Ps 145 (1)
- Ps 146 (1)
- Ps 147 (2)
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Ezekiel
Joel
Amos
Zephaniah
Zechariah
Matthew
- Matt 1 (1)
- Matt 2 (2)
- Matt 3 (1)
- Matt 4 (10)
- Matt 5 (19)
- Matt 6 (20)
- Matt 7 (7)
- Matt 8 (2)
- Matt 9 (3)
- Matt 10 (2)
- Matt 11 (2)
- Matt 12 (3)
- Matt 13 (5)
- Matt 14 (4)
- Matt 15 (1)
- Matt 16 (8)
- Matt 17 (2)
- Matt 18 (5)
- Matt 19 (5)
- Matt 20 (1)
- Matt 21 (2)
- Matt 22 (2)
- Matt 23 (7)
- Matt 24 (1)
- Matt 25 (18)
- Matt 26 (1)
- Matt 27 (1)
- Matt 28 (2)