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…
Category: The cross
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…
Fallen, We Divide
Recently, Facebook shut down pages disseminating disinformation. The disinformation was about issues that Americans divide over. The point of disinformation? More division. It is believed that Russian hackers are to blame. It’s the old divide and conquer approach. A divided America is a weaker America. This makes sense. Jesus said something about a divided house…
Staying Buried
In Genesis 34, Leah’s daughter, Dinah, is raped by Hivite Prince Shechem. Infatuated, Shechem bargains with Jacob and his sons to make Dinah Shechem’s wife. Jacob’s sons tell Shechem he can’t have Dinah unless he and their men are circumcised. The Hivites agree. They will benefit by mingling with the Hebrews: flocks and possessions will…
This Is the Day…
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps. 118:24). The verse above is famous. I can’t count (even on my fingers and toes) how many times I’ve heard it quoted. Most of us have heard the popular song as well (complete with echo: “This is the day, This…
Seeker-Sensitive or Seeking to Save?
Recently, a friend sent me an article which criticized a high profile church. Some of the church’s current and former members are celebrities. The former celebrity members were interviewed in this bit of “investigative journalism.” (I use quotes because this was for some online rag. Not exactly Woodward and Bernstein). Those interviewed complained that the…
Struggling and Prevailing (Part 2)
Please read part one before continuing… Jacob named the place he wrestled with God, “Face of God,” adding that he saw God’s face and was delivered (Gen. 32:30). In a sense, seeing God’s face and dislocating his hip were of a piece. Said another way, Jacob’s hip was dislocated because he saw God’s face. We…
Struggling and Prevailing (Part 1)
In fear of meeting his brother, Esau, Jacob sent his family away. That night, alone, he wrestled with a man until daybreak (Gen. 32:24-32). The man touched Jacob’s thigh at the hip and put it out of joint. He told Jacob to release him but Jacob refused, saying he wanted a blessing. The man told…
The Person of the Tree of Life
A friend of mine, Cameron Fultz, has been translating the book of Revelation. A month or more ago, he read his translation of Revelation four to a group of friends. What follows are verses two and three of chapter four. I had never before considered John’s vision in the light of Cameron’s translation. It is,…
Parting Ways
As Jacob increased in wealth, he came into conflict with Laban (Gen. 31:1-2). We’ve seen that Jacob’s increase was the increase of what is spiritual and that this leads to escalating conflict with what is fallen and fleshly. God doesn’t let this conflict go on indefinitely. God told Jacob to leave Laban. He brought separation…
