MARTHA VANCISE

Writing for 21st Century Pilgrims

Big Event

Big Event

I've watched Big Events on TV—Super Bowl, World Series, Indianapolis 500, Rose Bowl Parade, Olympics, World Cup, Academy Awards, and weddings of world figures—but I have never attended one of these events. Yesterday, in the Sunday morning worship service, words from...

Helping God

Helping God

  I could never understand why God struck a man dead for trying to keep the sacred ark from falling off an ox cart (II Samuel 6: 1-7). In Streams in the Desert, however, I found the following Old Signpost posted by A.B. Simpson. A life was lost in Israel because...

A Thousand One …

A Thousand One …

  “So he made a whip out of cords…” A thousand one plaitA thousand two plaitA thousand three plaitA thousand four plaitA thousand five plaitA thousand six plaitA thousand seven plaitA thousand eight plaitA thousand nine plaitA thousand ten plait “Get these out of...

TRUST

TRUST

    Trust in You is paralyzing I cannot worry I cannot spend time imagining the outcome I cannot act on my own understanding Trust in You is demanding I must rest I must be quiet I must wait Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (I Peter 5:7...

Πνεῦμα (pneuma)

Πνεῦμα (pneuma)

  A breath of air has stirredand moved over mein a soft refreshing touch.And now … it is gone.I did not see it.I don’t know where it originated,or why it came,or where it has gone.It came as a welcome and refreshing surpriseon this humid, sweltering morning....

The Greatest Outlet of Power

The Greatest Outlet of Power

  According to S.D. Gordon in Quiet Talks on Prayer,* the outlets of Power are Being, Speaking, Doing, and Giving, but the greatest outlet of Power is Prayer. Gordon writes, “The power of a life touches just one spot, but the touch is tremendous … yet its power...

Is it Worse Now?

Is it Worse Now?

 Jesus mentioned that an increase in wickedness would mark the End of the Age. Is wickedness increasing or do we just have better media coverage? Some friends say they don’t watch the news anymore because it’s too depressing, but part of my morning routine is checking...

We Won’t Be Going Back

We Won’t Be Going Back

At the close of World War II, Paul Rees, minister, and writer, told his congregation, "You must have the grit to face the truth about our age." He said that they could not ignore the changes that had come:  women working outside the home, rising divorce rate, ...

Care of Our Time

Care of Our Time

Many consider lack of time for prayer and Bible study as the greatest obstacle to their spiritual growth.  Christians of all generations have struggled with time management. In 1650 Jeremy Taylor left simple, common-sense advice on time management that is worth...

The Chalice

The Chalice

When I pass Your Truth to the next generation, there must be no "me" to contaminate the message. There can only be the faint print of my unique perspective on the chalice as I hand it on. My prints must be so faint, that only those who study the chalice will...