The next time you experience one of those difficult times that take you close to your breaking point, remember the bamboo: bend but don't break.

There is a substantial error in the common use of the term "acts of God." Why?

There is an old saying that fits foolish people: "Out of the frying pan, into the fire." The actions of an impulsive, non-thinking person fit this statement. All too often in life we think we are escaping one predicament only to put ourselves into another one—one that is worse. Peter explained that some had escaped the corruption of the world only to be entangled again and more deeply (2 Peter 2:20).

Advisers in money matters often find that once people get their house in order, they go right ahead and slip into a mess again. It seems our guard is lowered. The most dangerous time seems to be the moment at which the first problem vanishes. Then we can become complacent again. It is not always easy to maintain our guard, but it is vital that we do. In time, when better habits are formed, we can relax our guard a little. It is great to get out of the frying pan—but if we don’t look carefully, we can land in the fire.

Humans have long searched the heavens for signs of other life. Is there life out there? Is there a way to know for sure?

“The human heart, at whatever age, opens only to the heart that opens in return,” stated Maria Edgeworth, a 19th-centurty writer. And certainly we have each experienced, from others or within ourselves, a closed heart. It is difficult to remain open because of the trust that is required from both sides. This element of trust we must have toward our fellow man is an important lesson and challenge we all face. Our life is built on trust in many small ways. Opening up to someone is one way to practice the trust we must feel for God and Christ.

To open one’s heart does not mean complete exposure of all we are to everyone we meet. Instead, it means being friendly, ready to talk, smiling and inviting. In its purest form it means showing respect and concern to others. The Scriptures tell us that we will reap as we sow (Galatians 6:7). And truly, when we open our hearts to others with wisdom and discretion, they will come toward us. Give trust a try.

A popular book claims that there is a secretly embedded code in the Bible, discernible by computer calculations. Is this true?

Is the book of Enoch an inspired writing that Christians should study like the Bible?

Sesame Street has done a lot in its 40 years to strengthen important life skills in younger generations.

Sin often comes dressed in an adorable appearance. Don't be fooled by sin.

How can you get control of your life, behavior and money? The answer comes from a surprising, yet very wise source.

Can we really know what Jesus looked like?

Keep your eyes on the Middle East. Bible prophecy indicates it will be the center of strife and troubles, leading up to the coming of the Prince of Peace. Only He will be really successful in bringing true peace.

What's behind the increasing trend of rude public behavior?

Genetically modified foods reflect a much larger problem—greed in the marketplace and the powerful drive for profits. The desire for more and more money can cause producers to overlook the possible adverse effects that these products could have on consumers.

Life consists of a flurry of possible opportunities and experiences. Many chances are only available within a short time frame, and if we do not take advantage of them, they are lost. For example our young years vanish quickly and will never return. Youth is wonderful and so often taken for granted.

Just like youth, the spiritual opportunity for salvation only comes once. We cannot put our spiritual lives on a shelf until we reach the “right age.” It is throughout this life that we build for eternity. The Bible tells us to remember our Creator and what He commands before the silver cord of life is broken (Ecclesiastes 12:6).

Make the most of your time here on earth. We pass this way but once to determine our future. In our physical life, good opportunities come and go and can often be replaced by better ones. In our spiritual lives, there is no replacement—there is only one true opportunity. God invites us to the wedding supper. Whether or not we have excuses, He does not extend the invitation the second time (Matthew 22:2-13).

Information abounds and is transmitted, shared and absorbed instantly by a variety of means. Nothing is secret and information cannot be controlled. All this puts a greater responsibility on you and I, to make sure our words and communication are responsible, true and gracious.

What does habitual and rampant adultery tell us about a person and a nation?

In the Bible: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).

On the Internet: “Believing there is no God means the suffering I’ve seen in my family, and indeed all the suffering in the world, isn’t caused by an omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent force that isn’t bothered to help or is just testing us, but rather something we all may be able to help others with in the future. No God means the possibility of less suffering in the future” (Penn Jilette, “There Is No God”).

This excerpt encapsulates the way many around the world view the God of the Bible: an all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful being who either doesn’t care about His creation or who wantonly subjects it to cruelty. Such a being, many atheists conclude, could not exist.

To their credit, they are right. No such God exists. What Penn Jilette—and countless others across the globe—doesn’t understand is that all the suffering in this world is in fact caused by a near-universal rejection of the true God and His commandments. God did not turn His back on us; rather, we as a world have turned our back on God.

God promises, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Suffering will end only when humanity learns to place God first in their lives. Won’t it be great when the First Commandment is finally kept?

The Bible clearly states that Jesus Christ did not sin. But during His physical life as a man on earth, could He have sinned?

Several verses in the Bible talk about a spirit of man that is described much differently from what many religions envision as an immortal soul. What is this spirit in man?