Mother’s Day, Childless Women, and the Mother of Jesus
When I ponder Mother’s Day I realize how immeasurably blessed I am. I have a living mother, soon to be 89, whose life was dedicated to raising her children with following Christ as her ultimate focus. In addition, God overlooked my flaws and gave me the most marvelous wife, Rebekah, who is celebrating her first
Babbling and God’s Glory
The Bible is a narrative and must be read and studied that way. The stories of the Old Testament are not isolated but are critical components in Scripture’s redemptive drama. The account of Babel (from which we get the English word “babble” – like in, “Linden’s a babbling idiot”) is but one example of how God,
An Anonymous Envelope from God
Recently I reconnected with an old friend, Les, with whom I hadn’t spoken to in almost a quarter of a century. The Prouty’s were some of the finest people I had ever met. And still are. As we were catching up, I was reminded of a story he told me all those years ago. A
Sacrifice, Murder, and Mercy
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will
Book Review: “I AM A CHURCH MEMBER” by Thom Rainer
Description: “In what started as a 500-word blog post that drew an exceptional response, I AM A CHURCH MEMBER: Discovering the Attitude That Makes the Difference (B&H Publishing Group; hardcover; May 1, 2013, bestselling author and LifeWay CEO Thom Rainer takes a hard look at the unfortunate state of church membership – self-serving, disengaged, and
The National Day of Prayer: How Are We To Interpret 2 Chronicles 7:14?
“…If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Since this is the verse so often associated with the National Day of Prayer,
Jonah: Lessons in Hermeneutics and Repentance
A recent conversation reminded me of some of our challenges in interpreting Scripture. The discussion centered on the fact that Jonah’s recorded words to the Assyrians did not include the word “repent.” This is true and my dialogue friend was correct in why the prophet would be unwilling to preach repentance to this cruel crowd –
