INSPIRATIONAL VOICES ...

UNDERDOGS ONE OF THE TIMELESS APPEALS of the Bible is that it is good news for underdogs. What could be more inspiring than true stories about Davids in a world of Goliaths? That's not ignoring the fact that the same book can also bring us to the end of ourselves. Some chapters sound like bad news for "long shots." Some are often bothered, for instance, by Jesus' seven "promises to overcomers" ( REVELATION 2- 3 ). In a series of seven letters to seven churches at the end of the first century, the resurrected Lord offers reassurance only to those who overcome the challenges facing them. In His first letter, Christ warns those in Ephesus that, because they have lost their first love, they are in danger of losing access to the tree of life ( REVELATION 2: 4- 7 ). In the next letter, he urges citizens of Smyrna to overcome their fear of suffering and death so they can avoid being hurt by the second death ( REVELATION 2: 11 ). ( Part 2 ) ...

Dear Fellow Travelers: Some of the real reasons some of us don't spend more time with the Bible is that we're afraid of it. Makes sense to me. Why would we want to read a book that calls attention to our failures and multiplies our feelings of GUILT and FAILURE? Maybe that's why some of us don't want to go to the doctor for a checkup or don't want to balance our checkbook. If that's the way you're feeling today, I hope you'll read the accompanying column. We ALL NEED TO KNOW that BEHIND EVERY WORD OF THE BIBLE IS A WONDERFUL GOD WHO ---- IN THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES OF LIFE ---- CAN MAKE "EVERY UNDERDOG" INTO AN OVERCOMER. With Genuine Love, CW.1