Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act, legislation promoted by President Trump that would repeal and replace Obamacare. Marking the National Day of Prayer, the president also issued an executive order strengthening religious liberty.

Meanwhile, a third news story involving Mr. Trump has received less notice: he is coming to Israel. A US delegation sent to prepare for an upcoming visit arrived in the Jewish homeland yesterday.

I have been to the Holy Land many times over the years and am leading a tour of Israel this week. If I were in charge of the president’s schedule, there is a surprising site I would urge him to visit.

Our group traveled yesterday to Caesarea Philippi. The area was home to the worship of Pan, the Greek half-man, half-goat. His worshipers believed that Pan was born in a massive cave at this site. A spring brought water into this cave from a depth the ancient world was never able to measure. As a result, they called it the “gates of the underworld” or the “gates of hell.”

Standing here, Jesus told his disciples, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Why did he begin his church here?

Fourteen temples to Baal worship were scattered throughout the area. A massive white marble temple for the worship of Caesar stood at the mouth of the cave. A giant temple for the worship of Zeus stood adjacent to it. Niches carved in the rock wall held every idol imaginable. Worshipers of Pan engaged in unspeakable sexual sin.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Israel site I would advise Donald Trump to visit →

I am writing this morning from the Sea of Galilee. This small lake, only fourteen miles long by seven-and-a-half miles wide, is one of the most strategic bodies of water on Earth.

Jesus performed ten of his thirty-three miracles on this lake. He preached the most famous sermon in history on its northern shore. He performed three-quarters of his public ministry on lands I can see from my hotel balcony.

A movement that began with twelve men now comprises 2.2 billion followers. As one small example, this Daily Article is going to 112,000 subscribers in 203 countries. Christianity’s global reach was inconceivable when it began here twenty centuries ago.

God so often uses small places for big purposes. He used a bush in the wilderness to call Moses; he used a slingshot to defeat a giant and elevate a king; he used a cave on a prison island to give the world his Revelation.

First Corinthians 1 comes to mind: “Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (vv. 26–29).

As Paul later noted, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

These are challenging times for followers of Jesus. An Arizona college student was ordered by his professor to leave the classroom because he was reading the Bible before class began. A recent survey shows that most Americans have read little or none of the Bible. In the midst of genocide, 16,000 South Sudanese Christians have sought refuge at a cathedral compound. A priest explained: “People said if they were going to be killed, they preferred to be killed in the church because this is the place where Jesus is present. They wanted to die in the church rather than die in their homes.”

When our faith is challenged, it is important to remember that God measures success not by circumstances but by obedience.

The Lord said to Baruch, the servant of the prophet Jeremiah: “Do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go” (Jeremiah 45:5). Rather than seeking “great things” for ourselves, we should seek God’s will for today, secure in the knowledge that his will for us is better than our dreams for ourselves.

1. S. Lewis notes that our culture sees us as individuals of infinite value for whom God serves as a kind of employment committee working to find the best “job” for us. In fact, the reverse is true: God has a purpose for our lives, then he creates us to fulfill that purpose. Only our Creator knows why he made us and what purpose most fulfills his will for us.

I am at the Sea of Galilee today because of what Jesus did here twenty centuries ago. God is able to use your life for future purposes you cannot imagine today. Will you let him?

Denison Forum

I am writing this week from the Holy Land, where I spent yesterday watching Israelis celebrate their independence. Huge crowds gathered on the Tel Aviv beach to watch an air show performed by their nation’s military. Families filled every park I saw. The mood was upbeat and energetic.

I was especially moved by our visit to Independence Hall, the building where David ben Gurion read a statement in 1948 declaring the existence of the State of Israel. At the time, he and those who met with him knew that the nations surrounding their tiny sliver of land were likely to respond by declaring war. The country they created could be annihilated before it began. Meeting just a few years after the Holocaust, the people in the hall that day knew that their future was tenuous at best.

But they acted with courage and faith, believing in their cause and willing to sacrifice their lives in its service. Sixty-nine years later, the nation they birthed continues to thrive.

It can be hard to believe in ideals the world rejects. When fear and faith are at war, how do we choose faith?

One: Remember what matters most.

It is tempting to value the material over the spiritual. But as Alfred Lord Tennyson so famously noted, “Nothing worth proving can be proven.” Paul succinctly described the Christian’s response to our visible world: “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). While we live in the present, it is hard to envision eternity. But one day soon, eternity will be all there is and we will be forever grateful that we chose faith.

Two: Refuse to quit.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Fear and faith at war in Israel →

I am writing today from Israel, where the nation is celebrating her sixty-ninth birthday. Independence Day in this land is an amazing experience. On Monday, Israelis completed their annual Memorial Day, a solemn tradition dedicated to their fallen soldiers and civilian victims of terrorism. They are following it today with a nationwide celebration of their independence.

There will be parades, air shows, family barbecues, and speeches. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that the first Independence Day “was a moment of triumph for our people. We had been scattered around the world for millennia. And then we returned to our native homeland, to build a safe haven where we could live and thrive.

“Now, many doubted that this tiny State of Israel would survive. We were surrounded by hostile enemies who attacked us again and again. So perhaps, for some, this skepticism was warranted. But survive we did. Much more than that. We thrived.”

The people of Israel have indeed thrived. It’s been a year since I’ve been here. In that time, the Mediterranean Sea beachfront in Tel Aviv where we are staying has continued to expand. There are new recreational areas, restaurants, and sidewalks. Skyscrapers dot the horizon. The people of Israel are remarkably industrious and courageous. They embrace life in the knowledge that the future is guaranteed to no one. And they’re right.

Last Thursday evening, Janet and I were privileged to attend the tenth-anniversary celebration for Orphan Outreach, an outstanding ministry we are grateful to support. The featured speaker was former First Lady Laura Bush. We were honored to meet her beforehand; she was so very gracious and kind. Her remarks on behalf of orphans and the disadvantaged were truly inspirational.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Greetings from Independence Day in Israel →

Donald Trump’s “first 100 days in office” officially ended at noon last Saturday. Nearly all the media coverage leading up to this milestone, ranging from The Simpsons to late-night comedians, has been uniformly negative.
A study of the evening news on ABC, CBS, and NBC found that 89 percent of broadcast networks’ coverage of Mr. Trump has been negative. Eighty-four percent of Republicans and 54 percent of Independents say the media has “assumed the role of the opposition party in their coverage of President Trump.” Even 30 percent of Democrats agree with this assessment.
Most media reports of the president’s approval rating claim that it is the worst of any president at this time in his administration. However, a professional marketer who polled for President Clinton for six years has a different view. According to Mark Penn, Trump’s approval is likely higher than the 40 percent rating cited in the media. The major network polls survey “US adults” rather than people who voted in the last election or expect to vote in the next one. They include eleven million undocumented immigrants, many people who liked neither candidate and chose not to vote, and younger people who have lower rates of participation.

In addition, while only 42 percent say that Trump has accomplished either a great deal or a good amount so far, 37 percent said the same about President Clinton in 1993. When all the congressional votes from the last election were tallied, Republicans got three million more votes than Democrats and won a majority of both the popular vote and of the seats in Congress.

According to a Washington Post survey, 46 percent of respondents said they voted for Hillary Clinton and 43 percent for Trump, mirroring her national vote margin. But if the election were held today, 43 percent would vote for Trump and 40 percent for Clinton.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Why is the media so critical of President Trump? →

Kenneth Williams was serving a life sentence for killing a cheerleader. He escaped in 1999 and was involved in a traffic wreck which killed a man named Michael Greenwood. Williams then killed another man, Cecil Boren, while on the run. He was executed last night by the state of Arkansas for murdering Boren.

Michael Greenwood’s daughter, Kayla Greenwood, learned a few days ago that Williams had a twenty-one-year-old daughter he had not seen for seventeen years and a three-year-old granddaughter he had never met. Kayla’s mother then bought plane tickets so Williams’s daughter and granddaughter could fly from Washington state to Arkansas to see him a day before his execution.

Kayla Greenwood sent a message to Williams through his attorney: “I told him we forgive him and where I stood on it.” When Williams found out what they were doing, “he was crying to the attorney.”

Here’s the rest of the story.

Williams told an interviewer that he has been “stabilized and sustained by the inner peace and forgiveness I’ve received through a relationship with Jesus Christ.” He chose to appear before a prison review board, not because he expected to receive clemency but “so I could show them I was no longer the person I once was. God has transformed me, and even the worst of us can be reformed and renewed. Revealing these truths meant more to me than being granted clemency. I’m still going to eventually die someday, but to stand up for God in front of man, that’s my victory.”

Continue reading Denison Forum – Family buys tickets for condemned inmate’s family →

A diary kept by a young John F. Kennedy while he was a journalist after World War II has sold at auction for $718,750. The diary was mostly typed but includes twelve handwritten pages. In it, the twenty-eight-year-old Kennedy reflects on the devastation he saw in Berlin and questions the potential of the fledgling United Nations.

Few knew that fifteen years later he would be president of the United States.

Following his service in World War II, for which he received the Navy and Marine Corp Medal for leadership and courage, Kennedy considered becoming a writer or teacher. After his older brother’s tragic death, however, his father convinced him to run for Congress. His victory in 1946 led to two terms in the Senate and his election in 1960 as the youngest president in our nation’s history. His unwavering focus on his goal explains his political success and his enduring legacy.

Greg McKeown’s bestseller, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, notes: “Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done. It doesn’t mean just doing less for the sake of less either. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.” He notes, “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.”

McKeown encourages us to refuse the frustration of doing everything that is popular now, choosing instead to do the right thing for the right reason at the right time. He notes that a Non-essentialist thinks almost everything is essential, while an Essentialist thinks almost everything is nonessential. To this end, he cites Socrates’ warning, “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”

Are you struggling with such barrenness today?

Your materialistic culture measures success by activity. The less we sleep and the more we work, the more applause we receive. But God measures our temporal activities by their eternal results. That’s why he calls us to fulfill his unique purpose for our lives at all costs:

“We do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18).

Missionary C. T. Studd prayed,

Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Greg McKeown quotes Anna Pavlova, the Russian ballet dancer: “To follow, without halt, one aim: there is the secret to success.” Will you be a success today?

Denison Forum

Smartphones are changing us.

According to recent research, 94 percent of us have one, demonstrating the device’s status as an essential tool for living today. Forty-six percent of men and 55 percent of women check their phone before getting out of bed each morning. More than half do the same when trying to fall asleep at night. The younger we are, the more likely we are to spend much or all of our free time on the phone. More than half of millennials admit that their phone makes them more distracted in life.

Here’s an antidote: according to Science Daily, engagement with the natural environment is a significant contributor to life satisfaction. Hiking regularly in a forest or otherwise spending time in nature is a proven factor in overall happiness.

Clearly, we need help in dealing with our chaotic culture. Consider a new transgender “fact sheet” produced by Harvard University. According to the document, the concept of gender is “fluid and changing,” can be expressed a number of ways, and can change on a daily basis. The office that produced the “fact sheet” hosts several annual events at Harvard, one of which is a “Queer Prom.”

Of course, sexual issues are not limited to homosexual or transgender concerns. New research indicates that 68 percent of men who attend worship services regularly also view pornography on a regular basis. In addition, 76 percent of religious young adults, ages eighteen to twenty-four, actively seek out porn. A ministry devoted to freeing men from pornography concludes, “Never before has such a large portion of the Church lived in contradiction of what we believe.”

Our culture is convinced that all truth claims are personal and subjective, elevating tolerance as the apex value of our day. Anything you do that doesn’t hurt me is now acceptable morality. Obviously, we cannot find truth in a society that doesn’t believe truth exists.

How should we respond?

Continue reading Denison Forum – The ancient antidote for smartphone distraction →

Today’s New York Times announces: “No Longer a Dream: Silicon Valley Takes on the Flying Car.” Uber is beginning the Elevate Summit today in Dallas, a three-day conference focusing on “the future of on-demand, urban air transportation.” Speakers include senators, governors, NASA scientists, and industry pioneers.

The Aeromobil was unveiled in Monaco on April 20. The flying car will cost more than a million dollars and is due out in three years. Other options are expected to be much less expensive.

Innovation proceeds at a breakneck pace, but human nature remains the same.

Sirens sounded across Israel yesterday as the nation paused for Holocaust Remembrance Day. I have been in Israel on this solemn day. Cars stop; business ceases; the entire nation remembers the “Shoah” (Hebrew for “catastrophe”) in which a third of the world’s Jews were annihilated.

Most of the world’s leaders routinely condemn anti-Semitism, yet violence against Jews continues to rise. In the US, assaults against Jews rose 50 percent over the last two years. Anti-Semitic incidents at colleges and universities nearly doubled last year. Anti-Semitism is rampant in Europe as well, where Jews were murdered in Paris and Copenhagen and synagogues were attacked by mobs and firebombed.

While science increasingly confirms that life begins at conception, abortion advocates continue to press their position. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez declared recently that “every Democrat” should be pro-choice. “That is not negotiable and should not change city by city or state by state,” he claimed.

Even Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders disagreed, contending that Democrats could have varying opinions on this issue. Republican Sen. Ben Sasse tweeted a picture of a baby in the womb and the note, “@Tom Perez Your profile says you fight for the little guy. Please check out this little fella—special, isn’t he? (He’s 12 weeks old.)”

Continue reading Denison Forum – Flying cars and the reason for our existence →

Happy Days was one of the most popular shows on television when I was in high school. The sitcom idealized American life in the mid-1950s to mid-1960s. Ron Howard (“Richie Cunningham”) was the star; Erin Moran played his kid sister, “Joanie.” Now the actress has made headlines once again, but for a tragic reason: she was found dead last Saturday at the age of fifty-six. Moran had reportedly been living in a Holiday Inn Express after struggling with homelessness.

The death of a Happy Days star feels like a sign of the times, but there’s more to the story.

While Erin Moran’s life came to a tragic end, Ron Howard has become a very successful movie director and actor. Henry Winkler (“Fonzie”) is a multi-millionaire with regular television appearances and multiple credits as a director, producer, and author. Tom Bosley (“Mr. Cunningham”) frequently appeared on television; Marion Ross (“Mrs. Cunningham”) has been nominated for several Emmys and continues to act at the age of eighty-six.

How we choose to see the world is usually how we see the world. Consider three examples in today’s news.

One: The French elections

The New York Times calls Sunday’s vote a “full-throated rebuke of France’s traditional mainstream parties.” Since the country moved to a direct popular vote in 1965, the French presidency has been won each time by a candidate representing either the major center-right or the major center-left parties. For the first time, neither party survived to the second round of voting. The outcome would seem to presage more political turbulence for the global economy.

However, US stock futures rose sharply after the results came in. Centrist Emmanuel Macron is widely expected to defeat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the May 7 runoff. According to one analyst, yesterday’s outcome is “a solid vote in favor of a more solidly integrated Europe.”

Two: American politics
Continue reading Denison Forum – Erin Moran and the pivotal decision of life →

Rob Gronkowski is many things. Selected four times as a Pro Bowl and All-Pro player, he is the first tight end to lead the NFL in receiving touchdowns. He is also known for his pranks. For instance, after quarterback Tom Brady’s Super Bowl jersey was stolen and then recovered, Gronkowski stole it from him during opening day ceremonies for the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Now he might be adding White House Press Secretary to his list of achievements. Gronkowski and many of his New England Patriots teammates were in Washington this week to be honored for their latest Super Bowl win. He dropped by a press briefing being conducted by Press Secretary Sean Spicer, a well-known Patriots fan. Gronkowski emerged from a door behind the podium and asked, “Sean, need any help?” Spicer grinned and replied, “I think I got this but thank you.”

Even though you probably didn’t make Time magazine’s list of the “100 Most Influential People” in the world, it’s still a good day for good news in the news. For instance, NASA tells us that an asteroid the length of six football fields came closer to us than at any time in four hundred years but nonetheless missed our planet. Research indicates that happiness is crucial to learning for teenagers, the function of a demonstrated connection between well-being, belonging, and achievement. Even if you’re not happy, you can be happy about your lack of happiness: research shows that women who are “less cheerful and more proud” at work are more likely to be promoted to management positions.

Joy is a frequent theme of Scripture. We are taught to “rejoice in hope” (Romans 12:12) and to “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2). We can do this when we are “filled” with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) because joy is one of the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22).

Continue reading Denison Forum – Rob Gronkowski for WH Press Secretary? →

On Easter Sunday, Robert Godwin was walking down a street in Cleveland, Ohio. Steve Stephens gunned him down, then posted a video of the killing on Facebook. Before the shooting, he demanded that Godwin say “Joy Lane,” the name of Stephens’s ex-girlfriend. “She’s the reason this is about to happen to you,” he told Godwin.

Two days later, Lane and two of Godwin’s daughters met for the first time. There were no accusations, just hugs and mutual grief. The sisters told her that the killing was not her fault and they hold no ill will toward her. In an interview with CNN, several of Godwin’s children said they held no animosity toward Stephens, either. They explained that their father taught them the value of hard work, how to love God, and how to forgive.

The same day Lane and Godwin’s daughters met, Stephens shot himself.

Another suicide making headlines is the death of former NFL player Aaron Hernandez. Hernandez was an All-American player at the University of Florida, where his team won a national title in 2009. By 2011, he had developed into one of the top five tight ends in the NFL. He became a father and purchased a 7,100-square-foot home in Massachusetts.

In 2013, Hernandez was arrested and charged with murder in the shooting death of a friend, Odin Lloyd. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Yesterday morning, he was found dead in his prison cell. According to authorities, he used bed sheets to hang himself from his window.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Murderer’s ex-girlfriend meets victim’s family →

Two headlines are dominating today’s news. First, former NFL player Aaron Hernandez hung himself and was found dead in his jail cell. Second, Democrat Jon Ossoff fell short in his quest to win a Republican district in Georgia, a race many viewed as a referendum on President Trump.

I will write on both stories tomorrow. For today, let’s focus on four questions of global significance.

One: Why does North Korea want nuclear weapons?

In a word, survival. The regime believes that a nuclear deterrent is its only way to maintain power and prevent invasion from America or South Korea. An editorial in North Korean media explained: “History proves that powerful nuclear deterrence serves as the strongest treasured sword for frustrating outsiders’ aggression. The Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq and the Gaddafi regime in Libya could not escape the fate of destruction after being deprived of their foundations for nuclear development and giving up nuclear programs of their own accord.”

Economic sanctions cause the North Korean people to suffer but do not threaten its leaders. Kim Jong-un knows that China will not let his regime fall, lest North Korean immigrants flood China’s borders. And he knows that China does not want his country to reunite with South Korea, as this would further America’s geopolitical interests in the region.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Aaron Hernandez suicide and 4 global questions →

Did you hear about the husband and wife who went to a fertility clinic, gave DNA samples, and discovered that they are fraternal twins?

Websites around the world covered their remarkable story. Their biological parents were killed in a car crash when they were infants, and they were eventually adopted out to separate families. Due to a filing error, neither family was told that their adopted child had a twin. The couple met during college and eventually married. Now they are considering the future of their relationship.

Here’s the real news: everything you just read is fake.

A news outlet calling itself the Mississippi Herald told the story. It turns out to be part of a network of fake local news sites that recently began generating hoaxes. At a time when media are supposed to be on the lookout for fake news, this completely false story still ended up on major news websites.

I’ve been reading through Proverbs lately and discovered the only prayer in this amazing book. A man named “Agur son of Jakeh,” otherwise unknown to Scripture or history, was the author of Proverbs 30. In verse 5 he testified that “every word of God proves true.” In response to this fact, he offered his prayer two verses later: “Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?'” (vv. 7–9).

Agur recognized that both poverty and riches can tempt us into materialism and away from dependence on God, an insight that is obviously relevant in our consumer culture. But the part of his prayer that most impresses me today is his plea for God to “remove far from me falsehood and lying.” “Falsehood” translates an extremely negative Hebrew term that describes deceit, fraudulence, wickedness, and destruction. “Lying” refers to the verbal means by which “falsehood” is conveyed.

I see two important lessons here for us.

One: We cannot determine falsehood without God’s help.

Continue reading Denison Forum – Husband and wife discover they are twins →

US Vice President Mike Pence is in South Korea this morning, where he issued a warning that North Korea “would do well not to test the resolve or the strength of the armed forces of the United States in this region.” This after North Korea staged another missile test Saturday. Though it failed, their military currently has about ten nuclear weapons with enough material to make one hundred more. Intelligence agencies estimate that North Korea’s missiles could reach South Korea or Japan now and the continental US by 2026.

If you’re looking for protection from World War III, a global pandemic, or an asteroid, and you have a spare billion dollars, a “billionaire bunker” may be for you.

Developers are converting Cold War-era missile silos and military bunkers built by the US and the USSR, equipping them with water purification systems, air filtration, and food supplies for a year or more. One compound will have a community theater, classrooms, hydroponic gardens, a medical clinic, a spa, and a gym.

A development in the Czech Republic includes an above-ground estate and a 77,000-square-foot underground component. One company’s sales have grown 700 percent compared to 2015.

On the same theme, “longevity scientists” are making news these days. The New Yorker tells the story of researchers who are searching for ways to extend physical life. One doctor claims that “we can end aging forever.” Many are taking these claims seriously; one company raised $116 million from such investors as Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel.

Humans are motivated to defeat death because we fear what we do not know, and death is the greatest unknown of all. But if we know that death leads to life and the worst that could happen leads to the best that could happen, we turn fear into faith. We claim Jesus’ promise, “Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:26). And we testify with Paul, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Continue reading Denison Forum – Billionaire bunkers for the apocalypse →

The daughter and attorney of Dr. David Dao held a news conference yesterday morning. The attorney told reporters that when his client was forcibly evicted from the United flight last Sunday, he suffered a concussion and broken nose and lost two front teeth. Dr. Dao’s daughter stated, “What happened to my dad should’ve never happened to any human being.”

As the United firestorm continues, a dear friend shared an insight with me that I asked his permission to share with you. Dr. David Dykes is the longtime pastor of the amazing Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas. Regarding the man pulled from the flight, his first thought was, “When they are dragging this bleeding man off the plane, why didn’t someone stand up and say, ‘Let him go. I’ll take his place. Take me instead’?

“I suppose all the passengers were shocked and stunned into silence. I’m just glad that 2,000 years ago when I should have been the one rejected and bloodied, Jesus stepped forward and said, ‘Let him go. I’ll take his place. Take me instead!'”

St. Melito, bishop of Sardis (died AD 180), described well what Jesus experienced on Good Friday: he “endured every kind of suffering in all those who foreshadowed him. In Abel he was slain, in Isaac bound, in Jacob exiled, in Joseph sold, in Moses exposed to die. He was sacrificed in the Passover lamb, persecuted in David, dishonored in the prophets.”

How should we respond to such sacrificial grace?

In Psalm 101, David vowed: “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless” (v. 3). After a long discussion of foods that are suitable for eating, the Lord concludes: “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44). Paul encouraged us to “cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). He added that “God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness” (1 Thessalonians 4:7). Job testified, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?” (Job 31:1).

Continue reading Denison Forum – Inspiring insight from United Airlines firestorm →

This tweet caught my eye: “7-year-old Brody Stephens has leukemia, but that hasn’t stopped him from playing basketball and inspiring NBA stars like Steph Curry.” The tweet was accompanied by a video of Brody dribbling and shooting, along with a gallery of athletes he has met with and encouraged.

When someone chooses courage in the face of overwhelming obstacles, their decision inspires the rest of us. I believe that’s one reason why Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane on Maundy Thursday is recorded in Scripture. We don’t need to know about his prayer to know that he was arrested and then executed. His disciples were asleep and did not hear his agonizing surrender to God; either Jesus or the Holy Spirit revealed to them his decision.

Our Father wants us to know of his Son’s faithfulness so we can choose to follow his example. Jesus’ prayer is our model: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

The word “nevertheless” is found 245 times in the Bible (in thirteen translations). For instance, the Jebusites “said to David, ‘You will not come in here'” (2 Samuel 5:6). “Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David” (v. 7). The psalmist testified, “When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand” (Psalm 73:21–24).

Continue reading Denison Forum – 7-year-old leukemia patient inspires athletes →

Videos of a man being dragged off a United Airlines flight have ignited a public relations crisis that continues this morning. Workers who take a break every ninety minutes report a 30 percent higher focus than those who take no breaks or just one during the day.

What do these facts have in common?

I returned last night from five days in Cuba. This was my ninth time to visit this beautiful island nation. I have grown over the years to love the Cuban people. Each time I visit, I return more inspired by their passion for Jesus, their courageous service, and their sacrificial faith.

A spiritual awakening is continuing to sweep the Cuban nation. The Associated Press recently reported on the religious boom in Cuba, a revival that is touching other lands and churches. The news is spreading across the globe and touching more people than Cuban Christians can imagine.

A man taken from an airplane makes global headlines. Private breaks for workers lead to public success. Though most people have never seen the Cuban church, they are being inspired by their story.

Today in Holy Week is often called Silent Wednesday. On this day, Jesus did nothing that is recorded in Scripture. He spent the day with his friends in Bethany, preparing for tomorrow’s betrayal and Friday’s crucifixion.

Of all the lessons from Silent Wednesday we could discuss today, this principle is foremost in my mind: what we do that the world does not see often changes what the world does see.

Apparently, the authorities in Jerusalem did not know or care that Jesus spent this day in private. They had no idea that he was praying and resting, preparing himself for what would soon become the most public of events. In contrast to the solitude of this day, he would soon drag a cross through crowded streets and be executed in full view of the multitudes that came from around the world for Passover.

Continue reading Denison Forum – A surprising lesson I learned this week in Cuba →

United Airlines Flight 3411 was departing Sunday from Chicago for Louisville, Kentucky. The flight was overbooked, so the airline notified passengers that it would need four people to volunteer for a later flight. None did.

The airline offered passengers $400 and a night in a hotel, but no one accepted. They increased their offer to $800 and a hotel room. Still, no one accepted. A manager then came on board to announce that a computer was going to select four passengers randomly.

A United employee first approached a couple who left the plane without incident. A third person was chosen. He told officials that he was a doctor and was needed in Louisville on Monday morning to see patients. Three security officers confronted the man as he was talking on his cell phone to his lawyer. When he refused to get up, they pulled him from his seat and dragged him from the airplane.

A passenger recorded a video of the incident. It quickly went viral.

United Airline CEO Oscar Munoz said in a statement, “I apologize for having to re-accommodate these passengers. Our team is moving with a sense of urgency to work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened. We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve this situation.”

As many on social media have noted, United had a simple solution: keep offering incentives until someone accepts. The airline could have saved itself horrible publicity and a probable lawsuit.

Here’s an interesting fact: United did what all airlines used to do. Randomly removing passengers from overbooked airplanes was airline policy until economist Julian Simon offered a solution. A 2014 article for Fortune explained his proposal: airlines should auction off the right to be bumped by offering vouchers that go up for overbooked flights.

Simon made his suggestion in the 1960s but wasn’t able to get regulators interested until the 1970s. Until that time, airlines deliberately did not fill their planes. As a result, they had to charge customers more to compensate for their empty seats.

Continue reading Denison Forum – United removes passenger, creates Internet frenzy →

Suicide bombers attacked two Coptic churches in Egypt yesterday, killing forty-four people. It was the deadliest day of violence in the country in decades. ISIS has claimed responsibility for both bombings.

The first attack was in the northern city of Tanta at St. George’s Church. The explosion killed twenty-seven and injured seventy-eight others. The explosive device was planted under a seat in the main prayer hall close to the altar. Shortly afterward, at St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria, sixteen people were killed and forty-one were wounded in a suicide bomb attack.

Where is God when such atrocity strikes?

An all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful God would know the attacks would happen before they did. He would have both the compassion and the power to prevent them. Yet he did not.

We need to remember that God did not cause these attacks—terrorists did. God gave them the same free will he gives to us all. He intends us to use our freedom to love him and each other (Matthew 22:37–39). When we use our freedom for evil instead, he could remove the consequences of our sin. But this would, in effect, remove our freedom. Our purpose as humans made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27) would be defeated.

Instead of removing our freedom and its consequences, our Lord chose to redeem them.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem in direct fulfillment of messianic prophecy (Zechariah 9:9), knowing the authorities would respond by seeking his arrest and execution. On Monday, he overturned the moneychangers’ tables, further provoking the wrath of his enemies. On Tuesday, he defeated them again and again in public debate. On Maundy Thursday, he waited in the Garden of Gethsemane as they came to arrest him. On Good Friday, the One whose power calmed raging seas and raised the dead allowed Roman soldiers to nail him to a cross.

Here’s the point: our Lord entered our fallen condition and took the consequences of our freedom on himself. He did not remove our freedom—he redeemed it. As a result, by the sanctifying, indwelling power of his Spirit, human free will can be used to advance his Kingdom for his eternal glory and our eternal good.

For example: As Jesus grieves with the victims in Egypt and their families, he calls us to grieve. As he ministers to their broken hearts by his Spirit, he calls us to minister to them by our intercession. As he brings spiritual awakening to the Muslim world, he calls us to advance spiritual awakening in their culture and ours through prayer, worship, and witness.

It is human nature to ask why sinful, broken people act in sinful, broken ways. Such questions are completely understandable and even biblical (Isaiah 1:18). But our Father then calls us to move from speculation to action, from asking why tragedy strikes to asking how we can help its victims.

When the second ISIS bomber neared St. Mark’s Cathedral, a security officer saw him and tried to hug him to shield the crowd moments before the explosion. This brave man gave his life so others could live. He served the victims and emulated Jesus.

How will we do the same today?

NOTE: I invite you to download my latest website article, The Syrian Conflict: Causes and Biblical Responses. Also, I will be posting devotional articles on our website each day of Holy Week. For today’s devotional, click here.

Denison Forum