Living the Bible. Why did so many of the Pharisees get straight A’s in Old Testament Survey classes but flunked the Messiah course? After all, they were scholars of Scripture, they knew every word intimately. Yet they somehow missed the prophesied Messiah when He was staring them in the face. Maybe they were more interested …
The Effective Learning Culture for Home, School and Church. There is no such thing as a “brain expert.” The human brain is so complex, the most complex piece of creation in the universe, that there is no end to the mystery of how a brain operates. We learn from the latest research, but there is …
Be Salty “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matt. 5:13) What did Jesus mean when He flatly stated that His followers were to be the salt of the earth? In other words, Christians are called to be salt. What was He getting at? Since salt has so many qualities and purposes, it seems the sky is …
Icons – Windows to Heaven Icon is the Greek word for image or likeness. All of us are living icons, made in the image of God. Jesus is also a living icon, since “He is the image, the exact likeness of the unseen God.” (Colossians 1:15). An icon is not an object to study or …
Incarnational Teaching. In the beginning was the Word… And the Word became flesh and pitched His tent with us… Full of grace and truth. (from John 1). Is there a better model for Christ-centered teachers than the Incarnation? Let’s think about this… Master teacher Jesus could have chosen any method whatsoever to communicate the truth …
Meditation on a Thorn Bush – FRET NOT “No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found.” (Joy to the World, Isaac Watts) Many years …
Walking in Wisdom – Proverbs 3:5-8. When studying the Bible, I love to peruse many different translations so I can see the many nuances and wordings of that particular Scripture. I then like to weave together the different versions of the verses to get a more complete and I think fresher version of what the Bible …
The Just War. Many of you know that I declared as a conscientious objector during the Viet Nam war. I was a pacifist, because I had a difficult time imagining myself aiming a gun at another human being and pulling the trigger, especially during an unjust. immoral war like Viet Nam. Through the years I have …
In John 5:6, we find ourselves at the pool of Bethesda, which means House of Mercy. A wonderfully prophetic name. The pool attracts people with all kinds of disabilities, because it is known as a pool of healing, touched by the occasional angel. In the crowd of disabled people is a hopeless man who has …
Goofy Dad Stories (11) – The Danger of Elastic Waistbands. This story goes way back, to when I was a mere lad of four. So, it’s ancient history, 64 years ago and counting. But it’s still funny. We were of course living in Rockford, Illinois. My parents had many friends from church, and often invited …
Christ the Prayer Warrior and Great Intercessor – The Son Bends the Ear of the Father Through the Spirit. “The prayer of intercession means uniting ourselves through faith with Christ who was raised from the dead and who lives forever to intercede for the world.” (R. Cantalamessa, Life in Christ). “There must be Someone in …
To Musica – A Love Sonnet. Who designed your soundscape wheel? Earful bliss, As color to sight, and smoothness to touch; For in combinations fresh, angel-kiss Of rhythm, pitch, scale, note.. Simple as such. Maestro eternal, bring echoes from Home, Conduct the stars again, symphony King; So ripple it out on joy’s slipstream.. Come! Lo! …