What I Learned About Reading Scripture From My Dog
It is fascinating watching my dog as I bring her a meal. The same dish, the same place, the same food. And she can’t wait to dive in! It’s not that we don’t give her something special or something different from time to time. It’s not that we don’t have a good...
Watching Him Run
I saw a mother run toward her child in the mall. The boy was middle-school aged. He was with a friend. They had shopping bags in their hands. And when the mother saw the boys she ran toward them. And what she did next gave me pause. She screamed at them. There in...
And There Was Joy!
As Paul and Barnabas were on mission sharing the good news about Jesus, they encountered resistance among some of the Jewish population while Gentiles were giving them more of a hearing. Luke reports on this response from Gentile who had grasped what Paul and...
And Jesus Asked . . .
Have you noticed how a conversation can be shaped by the question that gets asked? (I just did it! I set you thinking along a certain line of thought by asking a question.) Because of that, the question asked can often drive the answer. Just by asking the question...
Don’t Think About Reading . . . Just Read.
It's a very common habit–making "New Year's Resolutions." Lots of people do it. Lots of people don't keep the resolutions they make. In spite of the good intentions, they just never seem to follow through. This doesn't mean making such resolutions is a bad thing,...
No Need to “Tame” Christmas
It's tradition. Lots of people who don't typically go to church or wouldn't sing about Jesus will do that for Christmas. They'll show up, they'll sing, they will enter in to what they think Christmas is "all about." And lots of churches will seek to cater to...
Living in the Truth as True
I will readily affirm the truth of the Gospel. When asked--even when not asked but simply given the opportunity--I am glad to state that I believe that the good news about Jesus is "the power of God" bringing life and salvation (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18)....
The Author Was Intentional
Everything The River does is anchored in a simple idea: God inspired His Word to be read and understood. By the Spirit, the Biblical authors communicated to their hearers and readers (and to us) in ways that we can understand. Whether in the "Reading Scripture"...
Don’t Argue, Just Read!
Most of those who have helped a couple in the midst of a struggle have seen it. The helper offers a comment or a word of clarification; one of the couple affirms the rightness or helpfulness of the comment. The other immediately speaks up: "I've been saying that...
Pick up a (Real) Book
It’s convenient. You see it everywhere. People aren’t reading print books; they are reading electronic books—looking at words on screens, whether on a cell phone, a tablet, or an e-reader. Should that raise a question for a Christian—for the person who believes...