Facing Life Articles Archive

When Planning Your Career

This Facing Life article, based on Romans 12:3, examines the path we take when striving for success. The Rev. John R Gunn writes that it is good for people "to aim high. But they need also to guard against being led away into vain pursuits through an exaggerated notion of their ability and gifts."

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When a Sinner Repents

In this Facing Life article based on Luke 15:10, The Rev. John R. Gunn writes about taking pride in repentance. "Be ashamed of your sins, but do not be ashamed to repent of them and confess them. It is the only way back to self-respect, the only way back to God and the better life."

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When Earthly Supports Fail

In this Facing Life article based on Psalms 123:1, The Rev. John R. Gunn writes about the stability and peace which trust in God provides. "It gives us a sense of security and permanence, to know that we can always look to him who dwelleth in the calm and unshaken heavens"

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What Do You See In Life?

In this Facing Life article based on James 4:14, The Rev. John R. Gunn writes, "We are here to make ourselves into Godlike beings, and to make ourselves useful. We are here to build character, and to help build a better world. To live selfishly and frivolously, is to live a meaningless life."

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We Still Need Fools

In this Facing Life article, The Rev. John R. Gunn suggests that one generation's foolish notion may lead to great breakthroughs in the next. "We still need men bold enough to dare the impossible, to go beyond the Pillars of Hercules that have been set up by the conservative and fearful."

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Watch Your Spirit

In this Facing Life article, The Rev. John Gunn addresses attention to spiritual health. "When we find ourselves in an uncongenial environment, or being unusually tried by any sort of depressing or vexing circumstances, we need to be all the more on our guard to keep our spirit in a healthy condition and right attitude."

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Watch Your Good Points

In this Facing Life article based on Deuteronomy 11:16, The Rev. John R. Gunn warns to beware of not only our bad traits, but that our good traits can also lead us astray. "There is nothing by which we can be more easily deceived and led astray, than by faults that originate in good qualities."

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Walking in Darkness

In this Facing Life article based on Isaiah 50:10, The Rev. John R. Gunn addresses the darkness many of us face in our lives and the hopefulness we can find in the Lord. He writes, "Go on believing in God's goodness and wisdom. Night means morning will come."

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Visions of the Night

In this Facing Life article based on Job 4:13, The Rev. John R. Gunn considers the often concealed path we must follow in the darker times of our lives. He writes, "In God's Word there are promises and eternal truths that shine out in their full-orbed glory only on the brow of some night of disappointment, misfortune and sorrow."

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Uncrowned Kings

This Facing Life article, based on John 6:15, addresses the perception of eminence and power in our lives. The Rev. John Gunn writes, "We attach too much importance to thrones and high positions, to crowns and purple robes, to wealth and social station as instruments of power and influence."

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Truth Makes Men Free

In this Facing Life article based on John 8:32, John R. Gunn discusses fear and truth. "Ignorance is enslaving. It makes men the slaves of fear. Truth kills fear. The light of scientific knowledge has swept the world clear of many of its superstitions-superstitions born or ignorance. And thus men have been freed from many of those superstitious fears which for long ages have enslaved the race."

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True Men Will Not Run

The Rev. John R. Gunn discusses how, like David, we should not run from that which we fear or that which distresses us. Instead, we should stand with God and do our best.

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Tried and Untried Paths

The Rev. John R. Gunn adresses the tendency to feel we no longer need God's guidance and ponders how such vain notions may affect the morality of society at large.

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Those Respectable Philistines

The Rev. John R. Gunn reflects on the Philistines and how our own vain sense of "respectability" can be the downfall of our society.

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The Worth of a Good Man

This Facing Life Article, based on Acts 11:24, examines the qualities and value of being a good person. The Rev. John R. Gunn writes, "A good man is the world's noblest blessing. He is worth more than all the gold locked up in our bank vaults. Indeed, there is no way of measuring the worth of a good man."

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