Horror films are on the rise. A decade ago, horror movies represented just under six percent of American movies. Today, they make up 13 percent of our big-screen offerings. M3GAN, a movie about a murderous doll controlled by artificial intelligence, has now brought in more than 175 million dollars since its January 6 release. I was intrigued by a recent Wall Street Journal article announcing that movie studios plan to release—get this—29 more horror films by the end of 2023. Tension and shock are potent tools in storytelling of any kind. But celebrating gore and all things gruesome is different….
Too Familiar
Too familiar. Is that us? So familiar with the Easter story that we don't really connect? We know the facts in our heads, but they don't penetrate our hearts. Like three-year-old Emma listening to her six-year-old sister Ava: AVA: Easter is when Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Then they put him in the tomb for… EMMA: (Interrupting)…forty days and forty nights (said with rolled eyes, as if exasperated from rehearsing the story yet again). AVA: No, Emma. That’s Noah! Jesus was in the tomb for three days. EMMA: (Still unimpressed) Yeah—three days. If…
Not Pure Enough
When ten-year-old Caleb trotted in, his story tumbled out. He’d just returned from his weekly Bible club at church, which includes a game time. Judging by the look on his face, something unusual had happened—and Caleb’s siblings leaned in to hear the juicy details. "So, a boy got a scrape on his leg at game time. He got some blood on his new white shoes. He was so mad he said the 'H' and the 'D' words!" Incredulous, six-year-old Sadie responded, “Hot Diggity Dog?!” Ponder the purity of a six-year-old whose best shot at guessing the "H" and "D" words…
A Hearer and a Doer
Bumped into an awkward Bible scene this week. In Luke 8, Jesus' mother and brothers decide to visit him. The problem is that the crowd inside the house is so dense it is squashing Him. When word is given to Jesus that His mother and brother are outside wishing to see Him, He replies, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” Was this moment awkward for Christ's family? Likely. But let's allow the total weight of His words to fall on us—which is what the Savior intended. Do I want to…
The Outrageous Power of Praise
What if God filled out a monthly report card for each of us—and His sole grading criteria was how much we praised Him? Would He have plenty to comment on in your life? "Of course!" you answer. "Every Sunday, our church leads us in a powerful time of worship." Great! But what about when you're not at church? Do you praise God, then? How often? Under what circumstances? Do we praise Him only when He provides the parking spot, the cure for our cold, or the raise for which we prayed? How likely is God to hear our praise when…
Vision Problem
Do you have a vision problem? If you're like me, you easily miss some of life's poignant moments. Example? I'm in Florida, walking around Ponte Vedra’s Bird Island Park. Think palm trees, tropical bushes, and exotic birds. These are what grab your immediate attention. The wood-planked walking path sweeping the pond at Bird Island offers soul-refreshing views, especially if you have just arrived from winter-weary Chicago as we have. Inevitably, your gaze fixes on the mirrored reflection of the gazebo in the water. The glassy upside-down image is so perfect you're confident that if you had a canvas and…
No Small Gifts
Few experiences define the word "dud," like a fishing trip without fish. Even more so when fishing is your livelihood. But that’s the predicament that Peter, James, and John were in on the shores of Galilee. You know the story in Luke 5. They'd been casting their nets all night, catching nothing but a growing sense of frustration. After borrowing Peter's boat and delivering a sermon to a shoreline crowd, Jesus asked Peter to row out into the deep, where He told him to let down the nets. This after zero success the night before. Give Peter credit for the…
Caught on Camera
Do you ever wonder what kinds of critters invade your yard once darkness settles in? My wife, Diana, has found a new source of entertainment by scanning the overnight footage of our recently installed security camera. Even in winter, you'd expect to see birds and squirrels. But the camera also captured the image of a fox in our yard on two consecutive occasions. The first visit was at 2:30 am. The next night, he came much earlier—10:16 pm. But in both cases, his (her?) bushy tail made a strong statement against the blanket of white snow. Amazing what a camera…
Your One Job
The moment he said it, you knew you’d remember it. We had just finished recording a Moody Radio special with Attorney David Gibbs, Jr. His ministry, the Christian Law Association, assists Christians under fire as they live out their biblical faith. Though the list of those opposing Christians is long—and getting longer—Attorney Gibbs stressed our need as Christ-followers to be kind and gracious, even as we stand up for our legal rights. That's when he declared, "I have one job in life: to make Jesus look good." I felt my conscience rumble as I pondered a recent phone conversation about…
You Are Mine
Remember those pastel-colored "Sweetheart" candies with Valentine's messages? To meet the demands of Valentine's season, the Necco company (original makers) used to manufacture 100,000 pounds of candy hearts daily! And each candy featured a phrase like: “Cutie Pie” “Kiss Me” “Be Mine” In the spirit of the season, I offer a more ancient—not to mention substantive—valentine found in Isaiah 43:1. Directed originally to the Israelites, it’s a valentine you, too, can claim: But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called…