by David Parker

Is it possible to be familiar with the Bible and its stories and yet not really "see" what God is communicating? I think, yes.

Consider Jesus' disciples in just two incidents. On the Emmaus Road, the disciples are unloading on a "stranger" concerning how their leader was mistreated and murdered. Their tone was one of despondency and defeat. Then they revealed their underlying motivation for following Jesus (Luke 24:21), "We were really counting on Him to deliver Israel" (my words).

The second incident was at the Lord's ascension. Right before Jesus heads for heaven, the disciples push their question (Acts 1:6), "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" He responds in effect, "Forget about that right now, and focus on being my witnesses." Their repeated questioning along these lines reveals their underlying motivation - they saw in Jesus someone who could deliver them from the Romans. They interpreted all His miracles and messages through the filter of their own agenda. And the tragedy of seeing Jesus through the filter of your own agenda is that you don't see His agenda, and you miss what's really going on.

The disciples' inclination to superimpose their agenda as a part of Jesus' program is a tendency we are prone to practice as well. When we see God as the fulfillment of our agenda (whether spoken or only imagined), we actually become blinded to His program. God's program is God. God is out for His own glory. God does what He does to bring Himself glory. This is where everything is headed (read the Revelation).

A person who does not begin his Bible study with this all-important paradigm about God will not perceive God's true message. In every story of the Bible, God's glory is the ultimate theme; it is the primary agenda. It was the stated focus of Jesus' own mission (John 17). People who fail to note the theme of God's glory think that the primary concern of God is the comfort and safety of humanity. God is God- centered. To come to any other conclusion is to miss the point. God is the Point: don't miss Him!

by Melissa Roe

During his presidency, Ronald Reagan visited a school for the blind. His reputation as being the Great Communicator was appropriately fulfilled when he greeted each student.

Knowing that the blind see with their other senses, the stalwart political leader of the free world dropped to his knees and requested each child to file past him feeling his facial features in order to give them a proper greeting.

Here's one of many ways:

Consider giving your missionary a raise this year.