J.D. Trout says we need to be our brother’s keeper. The Loyola University philosopher is leading the charge these days for “empathic policies” that will narrow the divide between the rich and the poor. Trout agrees with current sentiment that the United States government has an “empathy deficit,” and he’s written a book called The Empathy Gap to call us to a new era of empathy. He writes a blog called “The Greater Good” that calls for things like putting more supermarkets in poor neighborhoods. Oh, and he hasn’t spoken to his brother in about six years. Trout’s view of brother love was explored in a short but to-the-point interview in New York Times Magazine. Trout argues in the interview for a social policy in which Americans move away from the “hedonic vomitorium” of ...

Since the first hour in which goodness came into conflict with evil, it has never ceased to be true in spiritual experience that Satan hinders us. From all points of the compass, all along the line of battle, in the advance party or in the rear, at the dawn of day and in the midnight hour, Satan hinders us. If we work in the field, he seeks to break our implements; if we build a wall, he tries to cast down the stones; if we are serving God in suffering or in conflict—everywhere Satan hinders us. He hinders us when we are first coming to Jesus Christ. We had fierce conflicts with Satan when we first looked to the cross and lived. Now that we are saved, he tries to prevent our growth in Christian character. You may be congratulating yourself: “So far I have walked consistently; no one can ch...

Israel is a name used 2,431 times in the Bible. It is included in 34 out of the 39 books in the Old Testament. And in 13 of the 27 New Testament books as well. Clearly it is an important name. But who, or what, is Israel? How come it is the most significant name in the Bible apart from God? The primary thread throughout the Bible is the redemption of humanity. The first three chapters recount the creation and fall of humanity. The remainder of the Scripture primarily deals with the story of our restoration. And Israel is at the center of that story. Meaning of Israel Israel is the Hebrew name Yisra’el, meaning God contends, or one who struggles with God. God gives this name to Abraham’s grandson Jacob after he spends a night wrestling with God (Genesis 32:28). Later, Israel is the na...

What does the horn of salvation mean? In his “Exposition of the Bible,” John Gill illustrated the horn as being the force used to push, scatter, and destroy Israel’s enemies and save them from harm. In Psalms 18:2, the power of the horn is described as “[t]he Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”  Through this Scripture, we are able to see God’s stability and strength to protect: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David” (Luke 1:68-69). In order to understand the early significance of the “horn,” it is helpful to study its usage in the O...

According to research, almost half of all American college students will abandon their Christian faith during their undergraduate years. Half. The reason why? It seems to be far more than simple rebellion against an upbringing, or honest intellectual exploration. It seems that the school environment itself is the culprit. The Fuller Youth Institute found that almost a third of college students say their institute of higher learning is not helpful to them in keeping or growing their faith. Most universities would say that examining one’s faith in an intellectually stimulating environment such as a college or university should lead to a deeper understanding of the theological moorings of a childhood faith. But that’s not what is happening. According to the research of political scientists Ro...

Loneliness Is Longing for Relationship with God By Rick Warren “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18b NIV). What you often call loneliness is really homesickness for God. You’ve just never recognized it. You were made to have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, a relationship that God is dying to have with you. In fact, his Son did die so you could have it. Nothing is ever going to compensate for that — no person, no experience, no drug, no success, no thing, no possession. Nothing is going to fill that aching hole in your heart that God created for himself. He wants you to know him. How do you get to know God? 1. Open your life to Jesus Christ. Say, “Jesus Christ, I want to get to know you. I want to learn to love you the way you loved me, even before I k...

My grace is sufficient for thee (2 Corinthians 12:9). It had pleased God to remove my youngest child under circumstances of peculiar trial and pain; and as I had just laid my little one’s body in the churchyard, on return home, I felt it my duty to preach to my people on the meaning of trial. Finding that this text was in the lesson for the following Sabbath, I chose it as my Master’s message to them and myself; but on trying to prepare the notes, I found that in honesty I could not say that the words were true; and therefore I knelt down and asked God to let His grace be sufficient for me. While I was thus pleading, I opened my eyes and saw a framed illuminated text, which my mother had given me only a few days before, and which I had told my servant to place up...

Animism means all things, whether animate or inanimate, contain a spirit or soul. Animism believes in the existence of good and bad souls, and ancient religions often used spells and incantations to ward off evil spirits and invite the company of good ones. To receive the good favor of the benevolent spirits and to escape the grasp of harmful ones, humans must, according to animism, worship such beings and offer sacrifices and rituals to appease such spirits. Like the Ancient Greek religions, it was appease or face the consequences. No love, grace, or forgiveness existed in such things. I was first introduced to the idea of animism when I turned six years old and watched Disney’s rendition of Pocahontas. In one of the songs, the lead character sings about how every rock, every tree, every ...

EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re happy to announce that, coming soon, this devotional will be available in audio version as the Your Daily Bible Verse Podcast! Stay tuned for updates… BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness…” – 2 Corinthians 11:25-27 NKJV Does God Promise Safety? By Jennifer Waddle This devotional was ta...

Origin of the Serenity Prayer: Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr is universally attributed as the author of what we know as “The Serenity Prayer.” Its dissemination was likely from a diary excerpt from Niebuhr’s student and collaborator Winnifred Crane Wygal. Wygal placed the prayer in newspaper articles as early as the 1930’s and then, in a somewhat altered form, in a book of worship in 1940.  Over the years, different versions of the prayer have been published. The Serenity Prayer can be found in either the common shortened form or the longer, full version with portions of language altered. The most popular version is as follows: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. The most we...