Religion
People and pets love it
By Submitted Article on June 27th, 2020
Faith, love, hope Second of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl Babies of mammals and birds receive much loving care until their independence. Species growing up without this care do not show it later in life. Many species enjoy mutual grooming, especially primates. We can call it gentle touch. For the same reason, we enjoy ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Superstition vs. saving faith
By Submitted Article on June 20th, 2020
Faith, love, hope First of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl Whatever the circumstances are, all people need faith, love and hope (1 Cor. 13:13, 1 Thess. 1:3). A man and woman feel mutual attraction, share time together and develop trust in each other. Friendship becomes love; they marry and hope for a long and ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Make-believe on screen
By Submitted Article on June 13th, 2020
Deception Last of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl One kind of business that benefitted from the lockdown is online movie suppliers. Most of us have probably spent more time on television entertainment during the pandemic than before. Whether it is newscasts, talk shows, documentaries or fiction, all movement on screen and sound from loudspeakers ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Genuine or pretending?
By Submitted Article on June 6th, 2020
Deception Second of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl Magicians use deception to change our perception; they use illusion to fool our vision. Dexterous make-believe is the trick of the trade. Some people can tell a lie with the truth. What they say is quite feasible, but they depict it in such a way that ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Spinning the facts
By Submitted Article on May 30th, 2020
Deception First of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl A popular form of deception is spinning facts in such a way that either a bad situation looks better, or an innocent situation looks terrible. When a notorious train robber and horse thief was hanged in the 19th century, his obituary read, “John Doe was known ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Sailing against the wind
By Submitted Article on May 23rd, 2020
Frustration Last of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl In the personal faith of Christians, the main frustrations are unanswered prayers, unfulfilled ideals, unsuccessful efforts, unacceptable miseries and unrestorable losses. Jesus promised that when we ask in his name and according to his will, we will receive (John 15:7, 15). When we pray in that ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Divine disappointment
By Submitted Article on May 16th, 2020
Frustration Second of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl The facts and feelings of frustration are not sinful, because the Bible shows that Father, Son and Spirit got frustrated, too. What we do with our frustration determines whether it leads to sin or not. After God had declared seven times that his creation was good, ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Unfulfilled objectives
By Submitted Article on May 9th, 2020
Frustration First of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl Frustration is mounting about the limitations on human freedom caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Protesters in America apparently prefer the virus above the hardships of the lockdown and its consequential unemployment. They feel that the cure is worse than the illness. Widespread frustration about lockdowns may ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Moving toward New Earth
By Submitted Article on May 2nd, 2020
Pestilence and disaster Last of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl There is one pestilence that cannot be evaded by lockdowns and isolation; all are infected already. Adam and Eve’s fallen nature has been inherited by all their offspring (Rom. 5:12). When the Son of God accepted a human body, God created in Mary a ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Persistent human vices
By Sulz, Dave on April 25th, 2020
Pestilence and disaster Second of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl Over millennia, humanity suffered persistent pestilences other than those caused by microbes. Violence, greed, injustice and carelessness spawned many evils that have cruel egoism as the root. The United Nations organization was founded after the Second World War to prevent war by timely intervention ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Biblical catastrophes
By Submitted Article on April 18th, 2020
Pestilence and disaster First of three parts Jacob M. Van Zyl Biblical and secular history recorded many deadly plagues and disasters. A flood annihilated humans and land animals, except those saved by Noah’s ark. God gave a timely warning through Joseph to the Pharaoh of Egypt about a seven-year famine. In the preceding seven years ... Read More »
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