As we finish our series on 1 John, we are going to examine why we need Jesus, not only for avoiding sin, but for experiencing love.
God has created a truly diverse and amazing world. On Saturday I shared about the Japanese puffer fish that creates complex and beautiful sand art on the sea floor to attract a female using only its fin.
Another creature that astounds me with their innate skills is the tailorbird.
“If anyone claims, ‘I am living in the light,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness” (1 John 2:9 NLT). What does it mean to live in the light? Explore with us as we continue our series on the book of 1 John.
I hear a lot of people say, “Kids pick up languages so much faster than adults.” Now that I have a small child, I think one of the reasons why is because of their tendency toward repetition.
How fast would anyone learn a language if they were repeating the new words over and over and listening to the same thing a hundred times? Little kids can watch the same video 317 times and still want to watch it again. [FYI, this works really well for kids’ Youtube channels!] You can read them the same book every day for a month and they will still want you to read it again. I have to sing the same song over and over and over.
My childhood friend, Thian, who I knew since elementary school in Bangkok, visited me from Canberra recently. We had some good catching up to do and spent much of our time in our usual light-hearted talks. It is such a blessing to have genuine friends who you can catch up with after a long period and still feel like you’ve never spent years apart.
Attention all parents: Please take comfort in the fact the the Victorian Government is investing in the state’s teachers. The days of mandatory Professional Development for government school teachers are steadily increasing each year. I have recently been enrolled in a professional development program that spans eight unspeakably gruelling days.
As a beginning teacher I would relish the prospect of the latest research-based approach to teaching, learning or school operation. I would also look with disdain upon the more experienced, some would say jaded, teachers. They’d seen it all before and knew that this new whizz bang theory wouldn’t change their practice one iota (there’s my mandatory Greek for the week).
What are the scientific and spiritual effects of confession? Why is being vulnerable so healing?
I remember three sisters who attended my primary school growing up. Sadly they were victims of horrendous bullying and I shudder to think of the long term psychological scars. I don’t know the exact trigger for the bullying, but I guess they came from a poorer family and spoke and dressed differently.
The youngest sister, Mary, was in my class. On one occasion, I remember the mother of the girls having an angry outburst at a school BBQ and running across the playground. Many of the children and their parents were pointing and laughing, some exclaiming, “She isn’t even wearing a bra!”
I recall feeling bewildered, and thinking “I am not perfect, will they laugh at me too?”
We’re continuing our series on “Reasons to Believe.” Part 2 will look at the question of origins.
I recently had fraudulent activity on one of my credit cards. The person went on a shopping spree, purchasing at various cell phone stores, online stores, grocery stores, etc. All in all, over $2500 worth.
I had to call my credit card company and explain that I had not authorised those transactions; they had been purchased “in my name” without my consent.
Have you ever wondered about the meaning of the third commandment, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7 NKJV)?