I was talking to a friend the other day who talked about not reading the newspaper or listening to cable news because it is too depressing. Came away wondering whether many have a natural aversion to the Bible for the same reason? Is that why some people quote only the positive, optimistic, or “feel good” […]
In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount he told his followers not to be like the religious leaders who did acts of piety, gave to the poor, and prayed—all to be seen and honored by others (Matt 6:1-8). To this he adds, “That’s what they do. Don’t be like them. They have their reward.” But are […]
In November of 1947, Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States lobbied for a United Nations resolution that would divide Palestine into Jewish and Arab States. Truman later expressed his faith in the reborn state of Israel saying, “I believe it has a glorious future before it – not just [as] another […]
In principle, what is the difference between a proverb of Solomon that says, “As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool (Prov 26:1), and a quote of Mark Twain who is quoted as saying, “It is better to deserve honors and not have them, than to have […]
Woke up today feeling mentally tired and spiritually cool. Started reading from the 18th chapter of proverbs with a shaky prayer for God’s help. Suddenly found my imagination captured by statements like: A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment (18:1). The name of the LORD is a […]
To some degree, what we have at the center of our attention has us. Those words cannot be found in the Bible. But the idea behind them shows up from Genesis to Revelation. Seems to me that one example surfaces in the words of Jesus when he said, “The lamp of the body is the […]
We’ve talked here in the past about the fact that, in our day, one of the most debated issues of the Bible is whether God has given men authority over women in the home and church. We’ve sensed that, even though we have been able to discuss many difficult subjects with candor and grace, this […]
Would God hold us accountable for something He had not given us the ability to do? The people of Israel might have wondered as much when they heard Moses say, in his farewell address, “The Lord has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear” (Deuteronomy 29:4 NKJV). […]
I’m guessing it’s one of the most helpful perspectives of the Bible. Admittedly, because all of the words of the Scriptures are God-breathed, it’s important not to emphasize one text at the expense of others. But it looks to me as though there is one statement that might help us take a second look at […]
Followers of Christ often find it easy to affirm the importance of faith, hope, and love. We acknowledge that according to the Scriptures, without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6). We hear that without love we are somewhere between noise and nothing (1Cor 13:1-2). We admit that without hope, we are just […]
