Heads Up

American Puritanism has its beginning in sixteenth-century England. King Henry VIII (1509-1547) shook the Church in England loose from its Roman Catholic moorings. The two brief reigns that followed muddied the waters: during the reign of Edward VI (1547-1553) the nation veered sharply toward Protestantism; in the reign of Mary I, nicknamed “Bloody Mary” (1553-1558),…

On October 31st, 1517, when Martin Luther, a German monk, posted 95 theses for debate on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, an unimaginable reformation had been set into motion – a reformation – the consequences of which we still observe today. The theses were about matters of love and forgiveness, but the…

Bereavement is a very poignant human experience. However firm our Christian faith may be, the loss of a close relative or friend causes a profound emotional shock. To lose a loved one is to lose a part of oneself. It calls for radical and painful adjustments, which may take many months. When his 21 year…

What, then, is the secret of flourishing? What does flourishing consist of? Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for…

We must realize by His own definition Jesus was Himself most happy, most blessed, and most flourishing. In His study on the Beatitudes Billy Graham has written, “If by happiness [blessedness] we mean serenity, confidence, contentment, peace, joy and soul-satisfaction, then Jesus was supremely ‘happy.’ We never read of His laughing, though I am sure…

Sometimes God gives an unbeliever more insight into the lives of Christians than most Christians have. For instance, someone once said to Hannah Whitall Smith, the author of the book, The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life, “You Christians seem to have a religion that makes you miserable. You are like a man with a…