John Woodward
The Virgin Birth of Christ (Part 1)
When the movie, The Nativity Story, was released in theaters years ago, Anne Graham Lotz of AnGeL Ministries also commented about it: “From what I have observed, THE NATIVITY STORY is Biblically accurate, historically authentic and visually stunning. Written with heart, directed with sensitivity, produced with excellence and performed with artistic grace, it is destined…
Read MoreA Banquet of Blessings
As The United States observes the annual Thanksgiving holiday, many will take this opportunity to remember the pioneering faith and original Thanksgiving meal of the Pilgrims of Plymouth colony. A story from the pages of the Old Testament exemplifies the nature of God’s grace and the incentives believers have to give thanks to God continually.…
Read MoreCome and Dine
Imagine getting an invitation to dine with a celebrity, like your favorite recording artist, actor or author. What if your nation’s leader invited you to the capitol to have lunch? What an honor to be invited by the queen (if you live in the U.K.), or the president (if you live in the U.S.A.), or…
Read MoreA Career in Modeling
When I was growing up, my dad’s stride was much longer then mine. If we were on a brisk walk, his 6′ 2″ frame would carry him swiftly as I scampered along by his side. I caught up to him in my teen years so our stride has been about equal since then … Now…
Read MoreA Fruitful Prayer Pattern
“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:11). One of the joys of summer is fresh fruit. Memory lane brings back to me a bunch of examples. When we lived in southern Ontario’s “fruit belt” we would look forward to the fresh…
Read MoreSo Long, Self
In preparing a course for our GFI Counseling Institute on The Role of Psychology, a major issue to be evaluated was that of “self esteem.” Dr. Chris Thurman’s book, Self-Help or Self-Destruction, sites and refutes some major myths of Pop Psychology; one of these is the notion, “We need more self-esteem…” An example of what…
Read MoreSelf-Esteem
A Test Case on the Role of Psychology: Self-Esteem The issue of self-esteem (overlapping with concepts of self image, self worth, and self acceptance) is a complex and controversial one. Biblical counselors may be pulled in two directions. It is obvious that pride and selfishness are sins to be repented of and renounced. However, other…
Read MorePrayer: From Duty to Delight
How is your prayer life? If that question triggers a sense of guilt and failure, you’re not alone. Perhaps no query about spiritual disciplines causes more concern than that of the quantity and quality of one’s praying. Prayer is a vital aspect of Christian living that is usually viewed as a duty rather than a…
Read MoreSpecial Places, Special People
Memory Lane Some places have been locations for special, meaningful events in my life. I recall: *Orange Memorial Hospital–where I was born [1] *First Baptist Church, Bloomfield, NJ–where I first understood the Gospel and received Christ as my savior *The little house in McCaysville, Georgia where my mother’s parents and grandmother welcomed our extended family…
Read MoreAnticipating the Second Coming of Christ
According to a Gallup pole taken about 20 years ago, 62 percent of all Americans believed that Jesus Christ will return to earth someday. [1] However, judging by the increasing apostasy in Christendom and the skepticism of the western media, now the percentage is probably lower. But even of those who assent to this future…
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