The following article appeared in our local paper last weekend. It is adapted from my booklet, Despising the Lamb: Contempt for Christ in First Samuel. *** Hophni and Phineas were priests in Old Testament times (1 Sam. 1:3). The Bible says Hophni and Phineas were wicked men (1 Sam. 2:12). Why? When someone brought a…
Category: Discipleship
Fair and Balanced
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). I don’t know how many times the chill of impossibility has traveled up my spine as I’ve read this verse. PERFECT. BE PERFECT. No way, Jose. (Or in this case, Haysoos). While I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read this verse with…
Life out of Death
Joseph embodies the key reality of spirituality: life out of death. God is a God of life out of death. This is His way. Everything He does or creates expresses it. If we would truly know the Lord, our experience will be marked by life out of death. Joseph’s brothers threw him into a pit…
Not My Own
I have been meditating lately on verses that say I am not my own; I belong to Jesus, body and soul. One example is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20–“You are not your own, for you were bought at a price.” This particular verse addresses sexuality. Christians do not have the right use their bodies in any way…
Too Strong for Me
He reached down from heaven and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me” (Psalm 18:16-17). I have been meditating on Psalm 18, especially the verses above. There are a couple levels…
The Pain of Childbirth
After leaving Bethel, Rachel goes into labor. It is hard labor. She dies while birthing a son. Scripture says, “With her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni, but his father called him Benjamin” (Gen. 35:18). Ben-oni means, “Son of my sorrow,” while Benjamin means, “Son of my right hand.” This turn of names…
Learning Lessons or Letting It Be Christ
The following is by a friend who loves Jesus and wished to be anonymous. *** King Nebuchadnezzar had an amazing experience (Dan. 4). The Lord showed him his future. The Most High wanted to deal with the king’s pride, to show he was a tool to bring about what would please God’s heart. The vision came to pass…
He Is Risen in Us!
What does it mean to be a witness of Christ’s resurrection? People often wish they could’ve been present when Jesus rose or could’ve seen Him bodily after rising. But would either make us witnesses of Christ’s resurrection? Matthew 28 helps us consider these things. Roman soldiers were at Jesus’s tomb when He rose. They saw…
The Beauty of Jesus—George Elliot
A few years ago, a family member gave me a book called, The Beauty of Jesus (published in 1904). It is a compilation of sermons preached by Reverend George Elliott in the Central Methodist Episcopal Church, Detroit, Michigan. Since receiving the book, it has sat on a bookshelf. But I found that the title caught my…
Once and for All—Lauren Daigle
A couple weeks ago, the song, “Once and for All” by Lauren Daigle shuffled onto my i-Tunes playlist. I have been unable to get it out of my head since. It is a vulnerable song about resigning to the Lord. Songs like this are always meaningful but I find it particularly relevant at this season…
