Struggle

But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her: ‘Two nations are in your womb; two people will come from you and be separated. One people will be stronger than the other,…

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Seeing God through the Ashes

Months ago, my wife’s friend plugged a book on social media, The Book of Job: Seeing God through the Ashes, by Melissa Lees.  I felt curious for some reason (God?). Perhaps the topic piqued my interest.  (People aren’t exactly rushing to exposit Job).  Whatever it was, I downloaded a copy to my Kindle. I rarely read modern Christian…

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Away

Photo by James Bellwood *** Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac. And Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines, but while he was sill alive he sent them eastward, away from his son Isaac, to the land of the East” (Gen. 25:5-6). Isaac was the promised heir from Abraham’s own body (Gen….

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Heart View

I have mentioned that I’m in a season of rest. The Lord has limited projects and study. Sometimes this has left me feeling bewildered and directionless. Now and then I ask the Lord if there’s something else He wants me to start doing since most of what I used to do has stopped. I haven’t…

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Resurrection: Transformation and Increase

Illustration by Patrick Murphy This past weekend, a piece of mine was published in our local paper.  Below is an excerpt with a link to the full article.  The article was adapted from a section of my booklet, Christ in the Feasts. *** Easter Sunday is just past. Christians celebrated Christ’s resurrection from the dead. (We…

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The Hebron of God

“Burial of Sarah” by Dore Genesis 23 opens with the death of Sarah. Abraham, being a foreigner, asks the Hittites to sell him the cave at Machpelah for a burial site. The Hittites offer to give Abraham the land because he is “a mighty prince” but Abraham insists on paying the full price (Gen. 23:6,…

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Overlooking and Undervaluing

As a “baby Christian,” I attended a discipleship/ministry school. As we prayed to end class one day, the Spirit fell. Prayers and worship erupted spontaneously. During the joyful pandemonium, I felt a hand on my shoulder. A friend had a prophetic word for me. The Lord said He was putting a spirit of Stephen on…

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Life through the One New Man

Early in my walk with the Lord, I attended a prayer meeting at church. As we prayed, Adam’s formation came to mind: I imagined particles of dust swirling together, sculpting Adam’s body in mid air (Gen. 2:7). When the body was formed, God breathed life into the whole of him. Adam rose to his feet….

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The Gospel of God

“[T]he good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God…” (Mark 1:1). Jesus Christ is the gospel. The Corinthians thought it was about spiritual gifts and supernatural manifestations.  While encouraging them in the gifts of the spirit, Paul pointed the Corinthians to something even greater: Jesus Christ and Him crucified, the wisdom and power […]

On Loving God–Bernard of Clairvaux

Bernard of Clairvaux was a monk in the 11th and 12th centuries. Bernard enjoys wide appeal.  After reading his classic, On Loving God, I understand why.  This book has a refreshing, simple focus on loving God.  It is not a work of dazzling theological argument but evokes 1 Corinthians 8:2-3: “If anyone thinks he knows anything,…

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