Dr Paul Allen

Justin the Philosopher (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The young philosopher walked along the seashore, his mind active, always active, seeking new truths. He had studied the teachings of the Stoics, of Aristotle, and of Pythagoras—now he was following Plato ’s system.  Plato had promised a vision of God to those who delved deeply enough into truth. That is what Justin the philosopher wanted. As he walked, he came across an elderly Christian man. Justin was struck by his dignity and humility. The man quoted from Jewish prophecies, showing that the Christian way was indeed true; Jesus was the true expression of God. That was Justin’s turning point. Poring over those prophetic writings, reading the Gospels and letters of Paul, he became a devoted Christian. For the remaining thirty or so years of his life, he traveled, evangelized, and wrote. He played a crucial role in the church’s developing theology, in its understanding of itself, and the image it presented to the world. ...

While busyness is categorically the norm for the vast majority of people in the Western world , the solution is never about having more time. We know this, but still we forget such an essential truth. People often say to me (and I’m guilty of saying it as well), “I wish there were more hours in the day; if only I had more time!” And why do we want more time? What would we do with it? We want more time to do the important things that aren’t getting done. This list might include time to rest, time to spend with God , or simply time to enjoy our families and loved ones. But let’s be honest with ourselves. What if God suddenly said, “I’m giving you one extra hour a day? You now have twenty-five hours in a day?” Or better yet, what if he decided to give us an eighth day of the week — which amounts to over three extra hours each day? How would you spend that time? Would you use it for an afternoon nap or to get caught up on last month’s expense report at the office? Would you use it for a...