Posts by John Staiger (Page 40)

There was a time when some Christians believed that movie theatres were no-go zones for good church folk. Of course, with Television bringing those same films into the home, the “Faithful Christians don’t go to Movie Houses” movement quickly died out. This did not mean that the godly film critics were wrong. On the contrary, it just meant that the sinful language and behaviour that people once travelled to and paid for was now freely piped into their living rooms.…

Humourist, Jay Leno, tells the story about a house he sold. A single mum and her son came to the door saying she loved the house and the area and asked if they were interested in selling. Jay and his wife really liked the lady, and because she was a single mum, reduced the price by $50,000. His wife even insisted that he get the blinds dry-cleaned as a special gift to them. After the Leno’s had moved into their…

Soap operas thrive on envy and jealousy. They are indeed the stuff of drama. But unlike soap operas, the lives, families, and businesses crushed under the sins of envy and jealousy, cannot be written into the following plotlines as if no real evil was intended. The sin of wanting that which is “Not yours to want” is called coveting in the 10 Commandments. God did not put it in last place as if to be a soft-landing from an otherwise…

It is not for nought that Jesus remains the ultimate hero. He has continued to inspire the world for 2000 years as the Divine Saviour who humbly submitted to evil. Ray Overholt reminds us of Jesus’ options in song: “He could have called ten thousand angelsTo destroy the world and set Him free.” Jesus persevered through the midst of utter horror, all the while having the power to punish those who brought the pain upon him. Seven weeks later the…

In my youth, I met a missionary couple who were polar opposites in temperament. He was soft-spoken and very measured in all he did and said. She was excitable and spoke what was on her mind. I learned a lot from them. She used to often say, “Christians need to bear fruit for Jesus, and that, I believe is winning souls.” As the years went by, I wondered if she had “toned her approach down” a little. I had the…

“The cemeteries are filled with people who thought the world couldn’t get along without them.” What man doesn’t want to feel indispensable? A man often defines himself before other men by his work, and he wants to be proud of what he does. There is a lot of good in this according to Solomon:“Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labour in which he toils under…

Those whose hearts long for a way to preach to the masses look with saintly envy on the “Platforms of Influence” on which men like Elvis stood. Elvis Presley, arguably the most recognisable face and voice of the twentieth century, sang hymns and spiritual songs honouring God. But even he would have said that that was not his primary mission. By contrast, Bob Dylan, and Cliff Richard, have concentrated their efforts on sharing their beliefs. They have preferred to suffer…

Temptation is the currency of Hell, and the devil was in the wilderness looking for a bargain. “If You are the Son of God,” he told Jesus, “command that these stones become bread” (Matthew 4:3). How many of us have gone without food for 40 hours, let alone 40 days? The Son of God had fasted for 40 days, and his body was crying out for food. Who wouldn’t be tempted? But Jesus was not about to sell his inheritance…

“Went home,” not “sent home,” ended up being the same thing for John Mark. His turning back at Pamphylia on the First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:13) spelt the end of his missionary work with the apostle Paul for a long time (Acts 15:36-41). One of the theories posed is that John Mark took issue with having to preach to Gentiles. This is not an impossible scenario given that the conversion of the first Gentile, Cornelius, by Peter caused more than…

Have you ever met someone who is obviously not sorry for his sin? Whether he minimises it as “a small sin” or dismisses it as “a foolish act of yesteryear,” he resolutely claims forgiveness, but reluctantly claims guilt. Though unlikely to admit it, none of us is really above such attitudes. Even seemingly trivial episodes of bitterness and jealousy can speak of sins left half-heartedly repented of. Search your heart. Our desire to win souls is a desire to bring…