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...
Good Friday. Easter. Jesus' death and resurrection. Every Christian church celebrates. All believers look to a wonderful time of worship with others. But I have been thinking. Are we missing something? I've wondered if our perceived familiarity with the "Easter...
Because of the Covid pandemic, there's been a lot of discussion about natural immunity. Regardless of where you find yourself in that conversation, that concept is understandable. The basic idea? The person with natural immunity has a kind of in-built resistance to...
There are times when our familiarity with a Gospel story might prove to be a hindrance when we come to reading a passage. Our sense that we already know what the account is about and why the Gospel writer recorded it for us can leave us inattentive. And the result?...