FrontLine
The Highest Form of Selfishness
Morris D. Hunsucker Sr. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:1). Not long ago, I heard a friend of mine say, “There is no prohibition in the…
Read MoreRising Above Familiarity with the Sublime (2)
Mark Minnick (This is Part Two – Part One is Here) Part One introduced the subject of over-familiarity with the Bible as a hindrance to profitable Bible reading in personal devotions. Dr. Minnick offers notes on a sermon preached by Thomas Watson as a guide to keeping our devotions fresh and our heart warm in…
Read MoreRising Above Familiarity with the Sublime
Mark Minnick (Part One) Early morning . . . the warm glow of the lamp falls on the opened Bible in my lap. Steam curls up invitingly from the mug in my hand. It’s the quietest it will be all day, and something deep in my spirit reaches out expectantly toward these treasured moments with…
Read MoreThe Gospel Is What Really Matters
John C. Vaughn God uses crises to redirect our lives. Bad news can open hearts to the Good News. The economy, the election, the erosion of the collective will of the West to face the threats to its future should wake us up to what we should have been doing all along and what we…
Read MoreThe Biblical Approach to Disaster Relief
Gordon A. Dickson On December 26, 2004, the largest earthquake in four decades ruptured the Indian Ocean and produced the deadliest tsunami in history. Fatalities: More than 225,000. August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina decimated parts of Mississippi and Louisiana. Fatalities: 1800. April 16, 2007, at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, a murderer killed 32 people.…
Read MorePeter: the Portrait of a Fallen but Recovered Disciple
Bud Talbert Sometimes Satan surprises us and attempts to overwhelm us with a sudden onslaught of temptation. Usually, however, if we look back and examine our pattern of smaller choices and analyze our inner responses to the Lord’s Word and voice, we may become aware of the process through which sin can gain a foothold…
Read MoreCharacteristics of Contentment
Randy Shaylor The Destruction of a Nation My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:1-7). The recently elected president and both political parties have focused attention on the need to improve education. [Comment refers to the election of 2000.] Though they all recognize the danger of the lack of knowledge, few are aware…
Read MoreHow to Handle Suffering
Scott Williquette and Steve Thomas Christianity promises no immunity from adversity. Believers experience pain and suffering like anyone else. The Bible is filled with suffering saints. Hardship takes many forms: physical, financial, social, emotional. The question that naturally arises in such circumstances is, “Why am I hurting and suffering?” The larger question is “Why does…
Read MoreI Am the Chaplain
Gary Fisher It’s quiet. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is black. The world is yet asleep. The day is coming, but the dawn is hours off. The calm of solitude in my morning drive will be replaced by the pounding feet of soldiers on a race to morning chow. They know they…
Read MoreFaithful Ministry within the US Military Chaplaincy’s Pluralistic Environment
by Scott M. Bullock Have you heard about the Muslim imam, Buddhist monk, Jewish rabbi, Catholic priest, and Baptist pastor who all joined together for the same ministry class and coffee? An Open Minefield Does this sound like a joke opening, or does it describe a rare interfaith gathering? Possibly both, but where I serve…
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