Daly Focus Blog
The Bible may be the best selling book in America, but that doesn’t mean we read and retain its content.
Consider:
At least 12 percent of adults believe Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife.
A survey of graduating high school seniors revealed that more than 50 percent thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife.
A considerable number of respondents to one poll indicated that the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham.
Two stories struck me yesterday. In one way, they’re unrelated and yet at the same time, very much connected.
LaChanze Sapp-Gooding is the widow of Calvin Joseph Gooding. Mr. Gooding was killed on September 11th as he worked inside the North Tower of the World Trade Center. At the time of the attack, LaChanze was 8-months pregnant with their second child.
Meriam Yehya Ibrahim is a Sudanese Christian who was sentenced to death yesterday for refusing to renounce her faith and embrace Islam.
No one can make a grown man cry with humble appreciation like a mom.
Take Kevin Durant, the 25-year-old winner of the 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player award. During his emotional speech that took place just in time for Mother’s Day, Durant reflected back on the uphill road his single mother, Wanda Pratt, walked with her two young sons.
From finding a way to make ends meet to cheering him on at his basketball games growing up, Durant’s tears are a testament to his mother’s powerful impact on his life.
A 9-year-old Atlanta boy had a unique response to being kidnapped from his own driveway last month: he sang praises to God.
Willie Myrick, now 10, repeatedly sang Hezekiah Walker’s “Every Praise” during the three-hour ordeal. Eventually, his abductor – who had been cursing and telling the boy to shut up – pulled the car over and kicked him out.
One can’t learn of a story like this without thinking of Bible verses that promise God’s protection, like Psalm 46:1, which says, “God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble.”
The song itself references the theme of deliverance in its chorus:
God my Savior
God my Healer
God my Deliverer
Yes He is, yes He is
Thank God that those lyrics proved prophetic for Willie Myrick – and thank God for a family and church community that influenced his young faith.
I’m in New York right now on a whirlwind trip. In a matter of a few days, I’m meeting with representatives of the media, giving interviews on Focus’ new movie, “Irreplaceable,” (out May 6) and my newly released book, “The Good Dad.” (Watch for me on Fox News Channel’s “Huckabee” this Saturday and Sunday.)
I’m also here to interview two important thought leaders for the Focus on the Family daily broadcast: my conversation with author Dr.
“He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
The New York Times ran an interesting opinion piece this weekend: “Raising a Moral Child.” It was a good piece filled with interesting advice. The principles the author gleaned from various studies easily translated into practical action items parentscould implement in their homes:
Praise the character behind the action.
Teach children to feel guilt, not shame, when they misbehave.
Model good behavior.
And yet, something felt… incomplete. Not with the article itself, mind you – but for us as believers.
A couple of months ago I blogged about marriage and joy. In that post, I encouraged Christian couples to live out a marriage that exemplified the goodness of God’s design by enjoying each other and having fun together. One sentence summed up the crux of that post:
“It does the culture and the Church a world of good when Christians mix joy and pleasure into the message of commitment and sacrifice in marriage.”
Today I want to introduce you to a husband and wife who can show us all a thing or two about applying that simple truth.
Toss a pebble into a lake, and the resulting ripple impacts the entire body. In the same way, you have the ability to positively influence your family by taking small steps that create big impact.
I know I’ve seen this principle in my own life.
My childhood story is not a pretty one. It involves divorce, death, and a lot of dysfunction.
I was only 5 when my father, who was an alcoholic, abandoned the family.
Do you ever feel spiritually stuck?
If so, you’re not alone. Research suggests that 80 percent of North American Christians spend three to four months of the year feeling disconnected from God. As a result, they might become frustrated with the church and they might stop growing in their faith.
If we’re being honest, we’d admit that this spiritual malaise can be an easy place to get to. We’re so easily distracted and overwhelmed by our technological gadgets and our busy lives that it’s all too easy to stop reading the Bible.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
