There is something grand about old things that are still in good shape. Old furniture, rich with the patina of age and history, is far more intriguing than the modern stuff. When you sit on it or eat off it or sleep in it, your mind pictures those in previous centuries who did the same in a world of candlelight, oil lamps, buggies, and potbelly stoves. Each scrape or dent holds a story you wish you knew.
Read MoreCategory Archives: Bible
A Year in the Word
Optimal health requires optimal nutrition. No one can deny the importance of bodily nutrition. Our energy levels, ability to cope with life’s challenges, and even mental attitudes are directly linked to the regular intake of the right foods in the proper amounts. Eat an unbalanced diet, consume too many sweets, choke down too much too […]
Read MoreBiblical Facts about Rewards, Part 2
Based on 1 Corinthians 3:10–14, I see three facts about our eternal rewards for serving God. Let’s review the first two facts I mentioned yesterday, and then I’ll complete the list with the third.
Read MoreBiblical Facts about Rewards, Part 1
Scripture not only supports the idea of eternal rewards, it spells out the specifics. In 1 Corinthians 3:10–14, I find three primary facts about rewards. We’ll look at the first two today and complete the list tomorrow.
Read MoreSuffering for Doing What Is Right
As you serve people in ministry, you will give, forgive, forget, release your own will, obey God to the maximum, and wash dirty feet with an attitude of gentleness and humility. And after all those beautiful things, you will get ripped off occasionally. Knowing all this ahead of time will help “improve your serve,” believe me.
Read MoreBe a Part of Something Phenomenal!
When God is doing something phenomenal—something extraordinary—you have to be part of it! When the Magi saw the star, they had to follow it. When Peter and John heard that the tomb was empty, they ran to see. When the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples at Pentecost, they turned the world upside down. Is God […]
Read MoreWisdom and the Unsent Letter
Rash reactions are never best. In the moment, when we’re swimming in emotions and anger threatens to pull us under, a sudden outburst feels best. But if we give in, we say and do things we wish we’d never said or done. I remember, years ago, a certain man would write railing letters to me. […]
Read MoreWhat’s In a Translation?
When I am invited to speak at a local church, I try to find out if they use pew Bibles, and if so, which version they have. I make an effort to be able to read and speak from the same translation my hosts are comfortable with. Sometimes I will use one of their pew […]
Read MoreThe Five “W’s” of Ecclesiastes
Who wrote it? Since the author didn’t give his name, but referred to himself only as “the teacher” or “preacher” (Hebrew: Qōheleth, Greek: ekklēsiastēs), we cannot be certain. However, most of the evidence suggests that King Solomon was the author. We can conclude this because the writer identified himself as a son of David and king […]
Read MoreWriting from Corinth
As Paul traipsed through the port city of Corinth, his nostrils full of the aromas from exotic spices and his ears catching snippets of conversations in foreign tongues, he likely encountered a diverse array of the people and practices—from gruff sailors and meticulous tradesmen to wealthy idolaters and enslaved Christians. The prominent Roman city provided […]
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