The elderly priest Zacharias, chosen from a large group of priests for this privilege, entered the Temple to burn incense at the hour of prayer. A multitude of worshipers gathered outside, praying, as he entered the Holy Place and began the ritual of burning incense, symbolic of the prayers rising upward to God. Suddenly, “…Continue reading “On the Way to Bethlehem – Part Two”
Along the Way to Bethlehem
Part One As the new year begins, and thinking back on the Christmas season, I noticed a couple of things. One, the New Testament began with a connection to the Old, a continuation of God’s story. Secondly, I noticed that the very first chapter of the New Testament revealed the greatest reason of all forContinue reading “Along the Way to Bethlehem”
A Friend of Sinners
John the Baptist, in prison, sent some of his followers to ask Jesus an important question (Mt 11:3), “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” Jesus answered them and they departed. Then Jesus spoke to the crowds about John and ended with these words: “For John came neither eating norContinue reading “A Friend of Sinners”
What He Said to John the Baptist
Mt 3:15 “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” What did Jesus mean about fulfilling “all righteousness”? Is there a message here for you and me? In the days before Jesus came to John, God had sent John the Baptist to preach a strongContinue reading “What He Said to John the Baptist”
What He Said as a Twelve-Year-Old
Luke 2:41-52 The only recorded words of Jesus spoken during His childhood were spoken as two questions. “Why were you looking for Me? … Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” (Or “… about My Father’s business?”) He seems surprised that His parents had been searching for Him, thatContinue reading “What He Said as a Twelve-Year-Old”
Influence and Cultural Transformation
When enough people in a society accept a certain behavior as normal, their influence is powerful. Other people are then given “cultural permission” to consider, to experiment with, to participate in, and then to give further acceptance or even approval to that behavior. Many will then even begin to celebrate that behavior, giving further freedomContinue reading “Influence and Cultural Transformation”
Cultural Chaos
Oct 08, 2024How did our society get to this place? “Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand,Continue reading “Cultural Chaos”
Tempted?
Part One: What on earth was Eve thinking? Genesis 3 When asked about a second piece of apple pie, we might reply, “That’s tempting.” But later when we feel stuffed, we might ask, “What was I thinking?” Ever wonder about Eve? What was so tempting about the fruit of that particular tree? And later? WhatContinue reading “Tempted?”
A Short History of Marriage, Family, and Sexuality in Scripture
On every subject of importance, we first need to know God’s thoughts since He is the creator and designer of everything that exists. Searching for God’s plans for humanity, we must begin where the Scriptures begin, with the creation. What can we learn from those beginning pages of the Bible about the most basicContinue reading “A Short History of Marriage, Family, and Sexuality in Scripture”
Notes on Marriage
Genesis Two – Notes on Marriage Lots of wedding ceremonies refer back to the story of Adam and Eve, specifically to Genesis 2:24-25. God had previously stated (in 2:18) that “It is not good for the man to be alone,” and spoke of His intention to make a helper for Adam. Then, Adam was givenContinue reading “Notes on Marriage”
Everything is About God 