“The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.” Mark 4:19 In His parable of the sower, Christ specified the things that are dangerous to the soul. As recorded by Mark, He mentions the cares of this world, the deceitfulness […]
Why should I live on less than what I make? Why should I keep a budget when I’m doing fine? Why should I save more money than I’m already saving? Why deprive myself when I can afford to live a little? These are all good questions. After all, what’s the point of “saving the crumbs”1 if […]
Confusion about what happens to a soul at the time of death has led many sincere Christians to believe they can assist their departed loved ones towards a happier and holier state in the next life through prayer, almsgiving, and mass. Some religions teach that most people don’t finish getting ready for heaven in this […]
In 2007, the story of 17-year-old Francesca Zackey, a South African girl who claimed to have had a series of encounters with Mary, the mother of Jesus, made international news. Francesca described her first encounter to reporters: “I smelt the strongest fumes of roses and it just hit me, and I fell to my knees […]
A Buddhist form of meditation called “mindfulness meditation” has taken the mental health field by storm. It has produced many well-documented positive effects and has been basically touted as a panacea for most psychological ills. In terms of popularity and buzz, mindfulness is to mental health what organic coconut water is to physical health—a somewhat […]
My husband learned to love the game of curling as a young boy when his father would flood an ice rink in their Manitoba backyard and create “rocks” by freezing water in old jam cans. Curling teams would be organized in the neighborhood, and my husband’s father was the self-appointed skip (captain) of the family […]
I’ll never forget the time I had to find my way to the airport in Bangkok, Thailand. The city felt like an ant hill with its constant hubbub. Vehicles veered everywhere on the streets, honking in the chaotic traffic jams. At the metro station, I pulled my bags tighter to myself as I squeezed my […]
“He causes all to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, so that no one may buy or sell, except they that have the mark of the beast.” Rev. 13:16, 17. What is the mark of the beast? Is it a tattoo, credit card, microchip, or genetic material inserted by a […]
Jesus values frugality and economy. His crumb-saving frugality was most clearly demonstrated in the feeding of the 5,000. (See Matthew 14, Mark 6, and John 6.) In summary, a huge mass of people numbering 5,000 men, plus women and children, thronged to hear Him speak. It was getting late, everyone was getting hungry, but instead […]
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12. But the Jews hated Christ’s teachings because He exposed the secrets of their hearts and reproved their sins. “This is the condemnation,” said […]