Why would anyone turn their back on leisure and luxury? Right-minded people only do that when they are convinced that a better life awaits. To Moses’ friends, his departure from Pharaoh’s household must have looked like the craziest investment decision. Moses didn’t even have a hunch that it would pay off big time. He acted […]
Our western culture has a guarded approach to personal opinions: the right to express an opinion is fiercely defended, but unwanted opinions are quickly tossed aside with a brutal, “Oh, that’s just your opinion.” In some church circles opinions have begun to usurp the authority of Scripture. How often do you hear people explaining their […]
How do you feel when you know that someone is watching you? Notice your reaction next time a police car happens to be following you or driving alongside. Initially, I experience that strange phantom guilt that comes when we believe that we are completely innocent but anxious that some unknown fault will be detected. Then […]
Now and then, just for fun, I choose to write with my left hand. It’s a mess! I’m far from ambidextrous. My right arm is the strongest and the best coordinated. When David said that God answered him with the saving strength of His right hand, it was a statement of faith in God’s goodness […]
You might know the saying, “a text without a context is a pretext.” In the case of Mark 16:18 it can be a pretext for dangerous practices. On February 15th, Pastor Jamie Coons of Kentucky died from an untreated snakebite. Determined to stand on his faith in a promise found in Scripture, he refused medical […]
Free Brain Transplants! Well, not exactly, but an equally radical transformation happens when we make Jesus our Lord. We receive the Spirit and the mind of Christ.1 Paul lays it out at the beginning of a letter to Corinthian Christians. It might as well be a brain transplant; the change is so extensive. Paul contrasts human […]
“The man in the boat was such fun. I loved his stories! He told them so well. What did they say his name was?” “I forget his name, but he’s great. I especially liked the one about the seeds and the birds that gobbled most of them up. Let’s find out where he’s speaking next […]
I rarely lose things, except my memory. When I forget a person’s name or misplace my keys, I am grateful for the times when God answers my prayers and reminds me of a name or shows me the lost object. God longs to show us greater things. Like Daniel, we are in relationship with the […]
Until recently, I had no idea that Abraham was the first prayer warrior. Unless we count the generic phrase, “call upon the Lord,”1 the first two mentions of prayer in the Bible are of healing prayer for barrenness. The story of Abraham’s prayer time is quite the eye opener.2 After watching Sodom and Gomorrah vanish […]
I love old maps, especially the ancient ones with a helpful warning in flowing medieval script, “Here be dragons.” Thankfully, enough explorers ignored the warnings and pressed on to discover the blessings that lay beyond the tattered edges of the map. But how many of us would ignore the notice on the hotel toilet tank: […]