In the Wilderness
“The Israelites traveled on from the Wilderness of Sinai, moving from one place to the next until the cloud stopped….” (Numbers 10:12) One of the first things that comes to mind when I think of Israel is her miraculous escape from Egyptian slavery and her subsequent wandering in the wilderness. The Hebrew word midbar is […]
A Sea of Troubles
And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:9–10) Throughout most of Israel’s history, the nation was essentially landlocked; […]
Chapter 1
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. (Psalm 8:1) Imagine reading an exciting novel but skipping chapter 1. Who’s the hero? The villain? What challenges must be overcome? There will be holes in the story, plot twists you can’t follow because […]
When the Foundations are being Destroyed
In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” […]
The Strategy of Legacy
“This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jonadab son of Rechab will never fail to have a man to stand before me always.’” (Jeremiah 35:19) Years ago, Stephen Covey wrote a book describing habits of successful people. Habit number two is “begin with the end in mind.” To accomplish anything […]
Being Faithful
“This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jonadab son of Rechab will never fail to have a man to stand before me always.’” (Jeremiah 35:19, CSB) Two weeks ago, we read the story of Jonadab and his descendants. They believed God’s word and built their lives on the solid foundation […]
Ordinary: The New Radical
After he left there, he came upon Jehonadab son of Recab, who was on his way to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, “Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?” “I am,” Jehonadab answered. “If so,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he did, and Jehu helped him up […]
Sabbath
“…those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31 The sabbath is God’s idea. There are six days in a week to work, and one for rest. God even carried it […]
Roofcrashers
“Some men came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.” (Mark 2:3–4) I love this story. This […]
Unveiled Faces
“And we, who with unveiled faces, all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) I’m sure you are familiar with the most popular game in the world. It is as old as the human race and is […]
Don’t Take the Bait
“He said to his disciples, ‘Offenses will certainly come, but woe to the one through whom they come!’” (Luke 17:1) The Greek word translated as offense is skandalon. Later in the NT, the word skandalon is used to describe Jesus. The idea of the Son of God dying on a cross is scandalous; it […]
Erethizon Dorsatum
“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way….” (Isaiah 53:6) “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) How do you pursue this beautiful dream of community and relationships with actual, real-life, imperfect people? Let me tell you about the North […]
