Job’s Friends When people read the book of Job, it is understandable for us to relate with Job’s judgement that his friends were miserable comforters. He is in suffering and, because we have behind-the-scenes information, we know that it’s not even a consequence of bad behavior. In fact, we know that the reason trials are…
When To Answer
Rapid Response Many of us have grown up with a world of opinions at our fingertips. I’m revealing my age by admitting that I’m old enough to have lived through a childhood where you at least had to sit at a computer to access the internet (and I could only use mine when nobody was…
Not Against You
Not The Same Disagreements arise all the time in every aspect of life. We all have different life experiences which, if shared, would also be interpreted differently depending upon our natural temperaments. If we demand perfect agreement on all things than we cannot hope to get along. As I wrote in another post, unity is…
Governed Governors
Government is Good With all the corruption which can occur when power is consolidated to a few people/offices, it can be easy to think of government authority as a “necessary evil” (at best). In fact, many in Christian circles have associated the very idea of government authority to the rings from Lord of the Rings….
Forgotten Blood
Sacrifices The book of Leviticus contains rules regarding how the priests were to participate in the ritual life of the tabernacle (and later the temple). Many have expressed how they have trouble reading through this book because it’s a list of rules. While “rules” may accurately summarize this book, so does “death”. Death was constantly…
Jesus’s Wrath
Not a Carebear I have already addressed this topic, some years ago, in another post. However, it strikes me again and again how pervasive the “gospel of nice” is in the modern church. In this belief, which has deeply infiltrated the church, there is a counterfeit Jesus who, rather than being the Lord of Lords…
God Identified
The Burning Bush In Exodus 3, Moses records the account of God interacting with him in a very unique way. He had fled the life he had in Egypt when he discovered it was known he’d killed an Egyptian overseer, and is now living with a family that shepherded flocks in the wilderness. While he…
Unbelief and Rebellion
God’s Rest In Hebrews 3, the author is encouraging believers to enter into the rest of God. He references Israel leaving Egypt and heading to the promise land as a type referring to salvation in Christ as the ultimate rest God gives to his people. Along with that comes the warning of those who “will…
How to Gain Unity
Dwindling Commonality No matter the setting today, the divisions in our communities are so glaring that what consumes much of our conversation is how we are to mend this growing divide. One of the most common solutions provided by pastors, political commentators, and anyone who is looked to for a solution is to focus on…
Trusting God
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Many are familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (or Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah before Nebuchadnezzar gave them the names for which they are more often referred). In his vanity, King Nebuchadnezzar set up a statue to be worshipped as a show of fealty and required those who were of high…