She had a reputation no woman would ever want: she was a harlot, a prostitute. But she was also a woman whose courage and faith in God would transcend her reputation and place her in the lineage of the Messiah. Rahab owned a house, built on the outer walls of Jericho. When two Israelite spies […]
Read MoreTag Archives: Second Corinthians
What Does It Mean to Be Made in God’s Image?
What does the phrase “the image of God” mean? Theologians have wrestled long and hard with this question, because the answer impacts how we think about Christ’s saving work, Christian ethics, and other important spiritual matters. Some have argued that image refers to humanity’s capacity to rule, because ruling is mentioned in connection with the […]
Read MoreFakes
2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Revelation 17-18 A friend of mine ate dog food one evening. No, he wasn’t at a fraternity initiation nor a hobo party . . . he was actually at an elegant student reception in a physician’s home near Miami. The dog food was served on delicate little crackers with a wedge of […]
Read MoreGiving with Gusto
“When the heart is right, the feet are swift.” That’s the way Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States put it many years ago. There are other ways to say the same thing. A happy spirit takes the grind out of giving. A positive attitude makes sacrifice a pleasure. When the morale is […]
Read MoreSurviving “Survival Mode”
The book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst is a humorous children’s story about a boy named Alexander who has “one of those days.” Nothing, I mean nothing, goes right for him. From the time he pops out of bed in the morning until he crawls back into […]
Read More“Lord, Are You Sure?”
Recently, my son Jonathan began asking a particular question after almost everything I said. He asks his question, then follows my answer by asking, “Are you sure?” “Mom, can I go outside?” “Sure.” “Are you sure?” “Yes.” “Mom, can I eat breakfast?” “Absolutely; dive in.” “Are you sure?” “I’m sure.” “Mom, can I play X-Box?” […]
Read MoreTaking Off the Gloves and Making Up
Derrrriiiick!” The yell of my daughter penetrated the walls, entered my ears, and put my nervous system into a headlock. “What happened now?” I thought to myself as I walked upstairs. Just as I reached the top of the landing, both son and daughter zeroed in on me—like stink on a skunk. Then began the […]
Read MoreGhosts and the Gospel
Be silent in that solitude, Which is not loneliness—for then The spirits of the dead who stood In life before thee are again In death around thee—and their will Shall overshadow thee: be still.1 For many, Halloween is a fun time of telling ghost stories, passing out candy to little ghouls and goblins who come […]
Read MoreFinding a Middle Way through the Midway
With excitement in her eyes, Sarah kissed her parents goodbye. John and Judy’s decision to let their sixteen-year-old daughter attend the girls’ summer art camp wasn’t difficult. They had heard great things about the program and believed it was an excellent opportunity. Then John and Judy learned the famous art camp was a magnet for […]
Read MoreCultivating a Tender Heart and a Tough Hide
For as long as I have been in the ministry I have asked the Lord for a balance between a tender heart and a tough hide. It isn’t an easy balance. In fact, the latter is more difficult to cultivate than the former. In order to be fully engaged in ministry, job number one is […]
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