Our Spiritual Marathon of Hope (September-October 2005)

September-October 2005
Volume 14, Number 8

Between April and August 1980, amputee Terry Fox ran his amazing Marathon of Hope. As Christians, we are engaged in our own spiritual marathon, a lifelong process of overcoming and growth that builds character and ends as victors in the Kingdom of God. How is our pace?  (Boris Spremo/Toronto Star)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh
Amos 5 and the Feast of Tabernacles

How can we evaluate whether our Feast of Tabernacles is a "good" one or not? Using God's criticism of Israel's feasts in Amos 5, John Ritenbaugh shows that the ancient pilgrimage locations of Bethel, Beersheba, and Gilgal provide instruction about what God wants us to learn from His feasts.

Ready Answer
The Refuser of Festivities
by Ronny H. Graham

Have you ever observed someone acting churlishly, throwing a wet blanket on an otherwise enjoyable time? Ronny Graham discovers that the Bible confronts such party-poopers, condemning their killjoy attitudes and commanding us to rejoice appropriately.

Prophecy Watch
The Zeitgeist of Suicide (Part Three):
Answers That Miss the Mark
by Charles Whitaker

The numbers do not lie—birthrates are declining. But what are governments planning to do about this imminent problem? Charles Whitaker examines the two main proposals, concluding that both are wrongheaded. Sidebars address why demography is important and the work of two famous demographers, Thomas Malthus and Paul Ehrlich.

Our Spiritual Marathon of Hope
by Staff

During the spring and summer of 1980, Terry Fox pursued his "Marathon of Hope" to raise money for cancer research, running in effect 143 consecutive marathons. His experience contains similarities to a Christian's life, and we can extract lessons that apply to our long journey to God's Kingdom.

WorldWatch
Stats and Sin:
Measuring Peoples' Morals
by Charles Whitaker

"Stats and Sin: Measuring Peoples' Morals" compares Canada and the United States in terms of morality, particularly regarding marriage and abortion. Using various statistics, Charles Whitaker illustrates how immoral beliefs ultimately produce destructive results.

Bible Study
Parables of Matthew 13 (Part One):
Introduction
by Martin G. Collins

Matthew 13 contains more parables than any other chapter in the Gospels. What many fail to realize is that they are related in theme and organized to teach Christians specific lessons. Martin Collins explains that they provide a prophetic summary of the development of the church.