Posts by John Staiger (Page 69)

Jimmy was a good-looking 70s guy. To meet him was to be charmed. When asked about his occupation he would speak of small businesses that he had built and recently sold. One day when seen working on a rubbish collection truck, he said he was standing in for a sick friend. Though he never owned a car or house, he would generously offer his expertise to negotiate with used car salesmen and real estate agents; the long test drives and…

Years ago, I met the son of a well-known missionary. He told me with great sadness that his father had left the faith, divorced his mother, and had taken on the religion of his new wife. He said that he hadn’t seen his father for years and didn’t know where he was or if he was even still alive. With him, I prayed in hope that his father’s heart was changed. And with you, I pray that all hearts are…

Have you noticed that most Christians believe that they have a moral duty to change, or maintain societal standards? Though we do not see this command written anywhere in the New Testament, it most certainly hasn’t stopped any of us from trying. There are vital issues to speak out against, but curing the issues does not cure the real problem; the sin-sick soul. Wise was the man who said, “Everyone has the same cross-shaped hole in their heart, and only…

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Eph.3:20-21). If God’s starting point for our life is that He is “able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,” then why are we approaching this ocean of blessings with…

When I want to add a driver’s name to my third-party car insurance, they seem to only have one question for me: “Is the licenced driver under 25 years of age?” I am assured that this act of legal discrimination is based on science. It is reasoned that the average boy’s brain is not sufficiently developed before the age of 25 for him to be trusted to drive without taking unreasonable risks. Thus, for me, the excess payment is $300,…

All my heroes are preachers. Men I have looked to for strength and inspiration since my teens. None of them perfect, but all of them easily recognisable as “having been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). I still marvel at their understanding of God’s Word and am humbled at their faith during the toughest of times. No one raises their son to be the most hated man in the church. But the men I know would rather wear that title than compromise…

If I am not at church, give me a call. Fear not, doing so will not make you an ‘Attendance Policeman.’ Not that I have come across too many of them in recent years. Those are the guys who have Hebrews 10:25 tattooed on the inside of their eyelids. They seek out reasons to correct, accuse, and abuse anyone who might contravene their interpretation of the passage. However, it is not so much their interpretation of the passage that concerns…

The prophet Amos had the unenviable job of delivering prophecies of wrath and gloom upon Israel and its surrounding nations. When in the town of Bethel, Amaziah, the local priest confronted him. He accused him of peddling his prophetic wares for profit and told him to go back to where he came from. Amos informed him that he didn’t have much say in his mission, insisting: “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for…

Having misplaced my debit card, I decided to retrace my steps. My first stop was the gas station. The guy there reached into a drawer, produced a fist full of credit cards, and asked me inane questions as he flicked through the pile. However, his fascination with the abandoned cards seemed to trump any desire to find an owner for any of them. I couldn’t spot mine, and he couldn’t care—It was not his problem. My second stop was Kmart.…

I love the old preacher story about Jim, a guy who became so downhearted that he couldn’t motivate himself to do anything. So, out of sheer boredom he decided to end it all by jumping off a nearby bridge. His friend, Tom, who had become suspicious, followed Jim, and jumped into the river after him to save him. Neither man had thought things through. Jim didn’t factor in his excellent swimming skills, and Tom didn’t factor in his complete inability…