Archive for August, 2012

Socializing and Ministry

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Dr. Jerry Rankin

We have been sharing travel experiences from Central Asia and candid photos of grandkids for the last three weeks. As we move on to a full calendar of socializing and ministry opportunities at home, I want to share one final picture of our daughter and family who have been serving among unreached peoples in one […]

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Blessing Without Responsibility

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Dr. Jerry Rankin

“God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us–that Thy way may be known on the earth, Thy salvation among all nations.” (Psalm 67:1-2) This initial verse of Psalm 67 expresses a familiar refrain. I have often heard it pronounced as a benediction at the close of a […]

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Intolerance of Tolerance

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Dr. Jerry Rankin

One of the most unique aspects of our American way of life is the freedom to be different. A person is not constrained to conform to a particular political ideology as in many totalitarian countries around the world. One does not have to adhere to proscribed religious doctrine as it is imposed in most Muslim […]

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Adjusting Back Home

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Dr. Jerry Rankin

We used to readily adjust to the jet lag induced by international travel. Before the trip we would stay up all night in order to sleep timed to our destination clocks and fast for two days to force our digestive system to adapt. Maybe its our age, being out of practice, or simply the 37 […]

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Seeking Elusive Rest

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Dr. Jerry Rankin

“O that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” Psalm 55:6 The Psalmist captures an attitude that seems so prevalent in our hectic pace of life. The demands of family, work and over-committed schedules put us in bondage to lives with little margin. We wilt under the burden […]

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Life in Another World

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Dr. Jerry Rankin

The glare of the sun reflected relentlessly off the barren rocky mountains that surrounded this remote Central Asian city. Fed by the fast-flowing runoff of melting snow from the previous winter, the narrow valley appeared lush with a band of green as trees and gardens sought to claim the diminishing source of moisture that eluded […]

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Being the Person God Desires

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Dr. Jerry Rankin

“And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season. And its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:3 Every Christian has a pretty good idea in his mind what their life should be like. It is usually an […]

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Aversion to Piety

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Dr. Jerry Rankin

One of the unfortunate characteristics of church life seems to be an aversion to piety. We value conformity in the practices of worship and the Christian life, and, in fact, this may be a more prominent factor in the choice of which church we attend than doctrinal distinctives. Piety, understood as holiness, is a deep […]

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Other Side of the World

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Dr. Jerry Rankin

When we left for the mission field 42 years ago, we went by ship. It took us three weeks to get from America to Indonesia–time to leave the familiar behind and anticipate adjustments to a new culture. The jet age has radically diminished global distances so that in a matter of hours one can be […]

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