Your weekly guide to the Bible and prayer
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Do you know someone who's not on the top of anyone's "have to meet" list? He stands in a lonely corner of life because he doesn't think he looks or acts good enough to belong, having failed in the past or falling short now. In order to befriend him, stand up for him, and spend time with him, you may need to stick your neck out, risk your reputation, put other friendships in jeopardy, open yourself to suspicion, or let others think you're just a little bit crazy. Read on!
Until next week,
![Harry Genet]()
Harry Genet, Men of Integrity managing editor
Your feedback is welcome at [EMAIL PROTECTED].
![This Week's Devotions]() The Reaching-out Risk
And why you'll be glad you took it.
Sunday: How Dad Reached Out
Mark Buchanan pastors New Life Community Baptist Church on Canada's Vancouver Island. He is also an author who majored in creative writing at the University of British Columbia. His latest book is The Holy Wild.
Mark enjoys gardening and woodworking at their Duncan home, plus fishing and cycling. With his wife, Cheryl, and their three children, he can often be found swimming in Vancouver Island's clean, clear, warm rivers.
| Read what Mark has to say … |
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Marbles Matter
By Todd Wilson
Hey Dad,
I'm not a math guy. I don't do well with fractions, quadratic equations, or pi. I'm okay with counting, but that about does it. But, here I am writing to you about math and fathering … definitely, a Familyman first. In fact, I've been pondering math all week. It all started as I was tooling down the road listening to the radio.
| Read the rest of this article |
Loving Military Enemies
War does not exempt Christians from the second-greatest commandment.
By Stephen L. Carter
The war in Iraq has divided American Christians much as it has divided the rest of the nation. Whatever our view of the war, however, we should be consistent in our view of the enemy. He is a human being and a part of God's creation. As difficult as the task may sound, our obligation, always, is to look on him with the eyes of love.
Centuries ago, Augustine of Hippo argued that a Christian may not harm another person, even in war, unless he does so with love in his heart. Augustine did not oppose Christian service in war—pacifism was widely preached at the time—but supported it. He believed war is sometimes necessary. He did not quarrel with Christians who chose to fight. But he insisted that the Christian fight out of love, not hatred. His advice was solidly rooted in the Gospels, for Christ's teaching that we should love the enemy was offered without any exceptions (Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:35). Arguing that this world is less important than the next, Augustine struggled to explain how a Christian, acting out of love, could nevertheless kill. Although his argument is too complex to encapsulate here, I will say that Augustine's position, especially as refined by Thomas Aquinas, became the basis of just war theory and, ultimately, of today's international law of war.
I go over this ground not to join the fray over the justice of the war in Iraq, the war on terrorism, or any other conflict on this troubled globe. Rather, I want to remind us of the importance of acting out of love, even when, reluctantly and as a last resort, we decide to fight. To put it simply, it matters, in Christian terms, how we think about the enemy, and, therefore, how we talk about the enemy. (It also matters, of course, how we decide who qualifies as the enemy. But that is a subject for another day.)
| Read the rest of this article |
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The Five Love Languages, Men's Edition
Attention husbands, fiancés, and boyfriends: Do you speak
your sweetheart's love language? Do you even know what it
is? Learn to easily express your fondness and affection. |
![]()
Handbook of Church Discipline
Jay Adams presents the process of discipline that should
operate in the Christian community. Based on the five steps
of corrective discipline found in Matthew 18:15,17. |
![]()
Christian Rock Pack II, 10 CDs
Top-of-the-chart bands, including Petra, Sixpence None the
Richer, and Guardian, serve up soul-nourishing classics
that are sure to strengthen your faith. $9.99 |
![]()
Books & Culture Magazine
Books & Culture is filled with thoughtful, provocative analysis on current events, books and film, and much more. You will challenged to think beyond today's headlines and dig deeper into issues which shape our culture and our thinking. |
Sports Spectrum
John Kasay, Carolina Panthers
On Surviving a Bad Kick
With Rick Weber
When the Super Bowl was over and the confetti started pouring down, I stood near the 30 and looked for my good friend and former Panther, Ken Walter, who had just held on Adam Vinatieri's game-winning field goal. The Patriots had released him the first week of December, then brought him back. It was special for me that he could be a part of that. I wanted to see him, but we got cordoned off.
When the clock went to zero, my feeling was, "I want to keep fighting." I wanted an opportunity to maybe kick a long field goal. I wished that my kickoff hadn't gone out of bounds, giving them the ball at the 40 on their final drive. It's not what I wanted. It's not what I expected. It's not what I thought would happen in a million years. I'm disappointed because it really put us in a very bad position.
But I think people have made a much bigger deal out of it than I have personally. There are disappointments that have happened all through my life. It's another situation.
| Read the rest of this article |
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Besides my family, people I spend free time with include
- Friends from church in my age-group
- A handicapped person
- Friends from work
- An unemployed person
- Christian neighbors
- Younger or older church attendees
- Non-Christian neighbors
- Popular school classmates
- Someone who needs a second chance
Vote here, and see how your answer compares to others'.
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Looking back, what has given you the most pleasure?
- Helping out someone who couldn't return the favor: 59%
- Doing something special for a family member: 13%
- Buying an item for someone in real need: 8%
- Doing an activity you've dreamed about:8%
- Providing an item a family member really wanted: 5%
- Acquiring an item you always wanted: 3%
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Wind of Terror, Wind of Glory
We cannot know God's majesty without his terrible holiness.
Stephen King's Redemption
Much more than "just" a horror writer, author Stephen King has long delivered stories of faith and hope—perhaps best personified in The Shawshank Redemption.
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