Charlie Brown asked, “Does anyone know what Christmas is all about?” And Linus replied by rehearsing for Charlie Brown the account of the angels’ visit to the shepherds as found in Luke 2. It’s a sweet moment in a favorite holiday classic. And many people know that...
Although he was a fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes' observation about what one stores in one's "brain-attic" is quite insightful. "I consider that a man's brain originally is a like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you...
There are a couple of prominent “myths” about reading the Bible that seem to get in the way of Christians becoming good readers of Scripture. The first myth: “The Bible is very difficult to understand.” This myth summarizes the idea that the Bible is so difficult...
It is so interesting to sit and read Scripture with others and discover, as we read, that we can easily import into the passage something the Biblical author wasn't communicating. It isn't that the thoughts we import are necessarily (or always) unbiblical or...
It is impossible to ignore what is going on in the Middle East. Israel has (again) been attacked. Hamas has invaded the Jewish homeland, engaging in a horrible terrorist raid. Much is yet to be seen in how this will play out, what Israel will do, and what impact...
If you've spent time in the Gospels, you have probably noticed Jesus' fondness for questions. He asks a lot of them; He asks a variety of questions in conversation with a variety of people. Have you ever thought about why Jesus asks questions? Sometimes, it seems...
If you've walked with Jesus for any length of time, you probably have heard something about "persecution." Whether recalling the words of Jesus when He affirmed that because He had been persecuted, His followers would also face persecution (John 15:20) or Paul's...
Walking with the Lord for these many years, I can recall times when my heart was filled with passion and my longing to pursue Him and experience life with Him seemed so much greater. I have moments when such times seem only to be vague memories–when my Spirit-given...
It was in a recent ad, put out by a Christian publisher. Sadly, it modeled a very common misreading of a passage. You’ve probably heard the verse or seen it quoted in various places. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am” (Matthew...
It can be challenging. Two-thirds of the Bible is narrative–passages that recount what happened in someone’s life. The challenge comes when we want to make application from a narrative passage or find meaning in what is reported. As we seek to find something...
