For centuries, theologians have debated the importance of two competing forces – God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. Most of us fall on one side of that or the other. This isn’t the space to debate reformed theology (although I’m happy to have that discussion another time). But I think we can all agree on…
If you want to know where you will be in five years, take a look at the habits you practice every day right now. A man a lot smarter than me said, “The strength of a man’s virtue should be measured by his habitual acts” (Blaise Pascal). An extensive research project surveyed some of the…
I hear it a lot. “Why should I take a polygraph as part of my disclosure? My wife should just trust me.” Here’s my response. The nice police officer who pulls you over for swerving all over the road gives you a breathalyzer test. Why? Because he’d be foolish to take your word for it…
Theophan the Recluse, a 19th-century Russian Orthodox, penned the following words: “Into every duty a God-fearing heart must be put, a heart constantly permeated by the thought of God; and this will be the door through which the soul will enter into active life. The essence is to be established in the remembrance of God,…
John Piper said, “Missions exist because worship doesn’t.” Anthropologists estimate that at least 18,000 different gods, goddesses, and various animals or objects have been worshiped by humans over history. Today, it is estimated that 80 percent of the global population considers themselves spiritual on some level. But that doesn’t always translate to biblical worship. Jesus…
Anthony Hopkins said, “I have three weak spots – cookies, croissants, and laziness.” Let’s leave cookies and croissants for another day. Today, let’s talk about laziness. Prior to 1914, the average person worked 10 hours per day. With the Industrial Revolution, Henry Ford cut that down to eight hours a day, where it still stands…
On this date in history, April 12, 1633, Galileo Galilei’s heresy trial began. The famed astronomer and physicist had the audacity to question established axioms such as the Ptolemaic belief that the sun revolved around the Earth. For that, he was found guilty of heresy and sentenced to life in prison. He was allowed to…
Muhammad Ali told anyone who would listen (and many who would not), “I’m the greatest.” You knew that. But here’s something you probably didn’t know. He started telling people that early in his career, before he really was the greatest. You have to believe it – and say it – before you can do it. …
Imagine that you have two items on your kitchen table – a cup of coffee and an empty glove. You are thirsty, so what do you do? Try this. Tell the glove to pick up the coffee mug and lift it to your lips. You probably know the likelihood of the empty glove performing this…
In 1998, Case Western Reserve University conducted an interesting study on self-control. Participants were surrounded by fresh chocolate chip cookies but were told to resist the temptation and eat radishes instead. While they followed this directive, it took a toll. As their activities were monitored in the following hours, it was found that they lacked…