The pet names that lovers use often fall into one of three categories: food, flowers, or cute animals.1 They might sound strange or trivial to an eavesdropper, but they are names of endearment—names that only the lovers know and understand. God used a different category—prophetic. Four times in the Bible, God whispered an intimate pet […]
Do you cover your mouth to muffle the words as you use God’s name, “Jealous God”?1 It is probably the name that we are most uncomfortable with. What about explaining to people why following other gods is such a poor choice? In his final speech predicting spiritual decline, Moses faced the nation of Israel with […]
The evil queen in Snow White was shocked by the mirror’s answer to her question, “who’s the fairest of them all?” Tyrannical deception had blinded her to any possibility of a rival beauty. God’s name, “Most High (‘Elyon),” has a similar story, which begins with a mysterious priest-king, Melchizedek. It is likely that ’El ‘elyon […]
The European Cuckoo fascinates British people. The male bird heralds summer with his distinctive “Cuck–coo” call. Meanwhile, the female cunningly deposits her egg in the nest of an unsuspecting surrogate species. Far from becoming like its adoptive mother and father, the chick takes over. As the nestling grows larger than its tiny hosts, it rolls […]
What a beautiful picture Moses paints at the beginning of his parting speech. I’m sure we would all like our words to settle on people gently and reach as broadly as a rain shower. But pay attention to the subject of Moses’ proclamation—the name of the Lord. Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak; […]
I will tell of Your name to my brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. (Psalm 22:22, see also Hebrews 2:12) One rainy day during a childhood family vacation, we visited a museum that featured a gigantic dolls’ house. My sister was enthralled. I pretended boyish boredom. But that dolls’ house […]
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 […]
Jesus spoke at least twice about the harvest but He never explicitly defined it. In Luke chapter ten He said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (v. 2).1 Then He sent out His disciples. Jesus instructed His followers […]
Mr Mussel was probably a completely harmless and respectable man, but the minds of me and my school friends made him frightening. We told each other to run whenever we saw him riding toward us on his squeaky bicycle. None of us dared whisper his nickname when he was within earshot, but privately we called […]
Lordship has become soft and elastic in the warmth and comfort of many of our churches. Yet when we truly make Jesus Lord over our lives, it results in great blessings. But as lordship becomes flexible and flimsy, the blessings vanish. True lordship is clear and solid. Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, “Jesus is either […]