There

After Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, he asked them to bring his father, Jacob, and the rest of their family to Egypt. Jacob was stunned and didn’t believe his sons at first.  But when he at last accepted their report, he couldn’t wait to see Joseph (Gen. 45:26-28). His first night on the…

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He Is Risen in Us

The following appeared in our local paper last weekend. I adapted it from something I posted last fall *** What does it mean to witness Christ’s resurrection? We might wish we were present when Jesus rose from the dead. But would this make us witnesses of Christ’s resurrection? Matthew 28 helps us consider these things….

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Rising Sun

“All Sons and Daughters” is a music group my family has come to cherish. The Spirit of God just steps past whatever walls I have as I listen to their words and music. “Rising Sun” is a song we love doing at church. It is full of the joy and beauty of the Lord. A…

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Seeding and Seeing

I assure you : Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop (John 12:24). The other night, I was reading John 12:24 to my son. I was struck by the context. A few verses earlier, some Greeks come to Jesus’s…

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No Mistake

This is something the Lord said to me years back that I’ve been thinking about: “You are not your mistakes. You are my son.”

Process

“God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.  Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen. 45:7-8). Joseph said the above words after revealing his identity to his brothers.  It is striking that he absolves…

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The Inward Journey—Gene Edwards

Last month, someone sent me a couple books. One was, The Inward Journey by Gene Edwards. The book is a work of theological imagination. A young man, Chris (short for “Christian”), finds himself thrust into a painful season. As Chris cries and prays one day, he has a series of visions guided by a figure…

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Easter Wings—George Herbert

George Herbert (1593 – 1633) was a Welsh poet and Anglican priest. He is one of the “metaphysical poets,” whose ranks include John Donne. The metaphysical poets are so named because their poems often took up spiritual themes and meditations. Several of Herberts poems are favorites of mine. Below is his poem, “Easter Wings.” The…

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No Harm?

Psalm 91 talks about living under God’s protection.  It details various dangers the believer will be kept from.  In sum, “Because you have made the LORD—my refuge, the Most High—your dwelling place, no harm will come to you” (Psalm 91:9-10). Similar sentiments are expressed in other verses.  Some take these verses at face value: if…

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Dead in the Water

Not long ago, I was going about my day when a bit of pride strutted through my soul. I can’t even remember what it was about. But my reaction was, Ugh. Every thought of my mind is only evil all the time! I realized I was paraphrasing Genesis 6:5, where God is grieved he made mankind because…

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