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Every morning I ’m in the office, between 8:05am and 8:13am, the phone rings from the same “1 -800” number. I picked up the phone for about the first month it rang and realized it was either a spam -caller, a fax -machine ’s wrong number (do people still use those?), or someone who just wants to mess with me (bravo for persistence in the joke if that ’s the case). Now when it rings, I simply lift the receiver…

Everyone gets tired from time to time. Often tiredness leads to exhaustion. When exhaustion is full and there ’s still work to be done, it can lead to burnout. With burnout comes an increased distance from job or family responsibilities, negativity, cynicism, and an abiding feeling of needful change. The thought is that if I move, or change jobs, or drastically change immediate things in my life, I’ll be renewed and no longer feel like giving up. Solomon would say,…

In early November, we had the blessing of going down to Corpus Christi to cheer our Bible Bowl participants on as they competed in a friendly tournament of Bible knowledge and study skills. The time there was special, and all of our kids did a great job! Let me share with you some key takeaways upon reflection of the event: God ’s Word is Inexhaustible. The section of scripture for the 2021 Bible Bowl was essentially the second half of…

Near the end of each year, or the beginning of a new year, it is not uncommon for newspapers, magazines, or television news programs to focus on highlights, events, and people who made news during the previous twelve months. Such reports may also include predictions about what will happen in the future. As you would expect, some of the predictions are way off track. Here is an example from one, some years ago. It was predicted that, by this time,…

One of the most disruptive things to me about COVID -19 has been the Lord ’s Supper. For more than forty years, I’ve had a structured meditation for the Lord ’s Supper. There are reflections while I’m eating the bread and another series of thoughts for the fruit of the vine. During the year, we’ve visited other churches that use the individual packages with the bread and fruit of the vine. In many of those, the one presiding provided very…

To put your finger on the pulse of the Old Testament, look to Deuteronomy! Last month we noticed two foundations in understanding this great book. The Theological Foundation emphasizes God and His writer, Moses. The Geographic Foundation sets the stage for a nation on the border of the promised land. Consider two more foundations in brief. Historic Foundation – “It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb …In the fortieth year…” (Deut. 1:2 -3). Notice the time difference between verse 2…

In the heart -felt book of John, Jesus has several confrontations with the Jews to prove to them His deity (John 8). The hardness of heart of these people broke the Savior ’s heart as they claimed allegiance to God, to the things of God, and to God ’s faithful servant, Abraham. However, Jesus cuts to the core of their hypocrisy and powerfully says in 8:44, “You are of your father, the devil….” What things betrayed their “true father ’…

The book of Deuteronomy is often referred to as the “heartbeat” of the Old Testament. If you can wrap your mind around Deuteronomy, the message of the historical books and the prophets will come alive! The opening verses of Deuteronomy help orient the book in the direction it ought to be read. This month we will consider two foundations for Deuteronomy. 1. Theological Foundation – “These are the words that Moses spoke” (Deut. 1:1a). This was no mere retelling of…

You might have seen this picture floating around in social media streams. The picture is of a poster (probably in a locker room) that is appropriate to share here and draw some applications: Hard Coaching = Love When a coach takes it easy on you, they ’re setting you up for a hard life ahead. Don ’t take the coach for granted that ’s constantly holding you accountable. They might seem annoying to you in the moment, until one day…

My kids are into asking me who I like more in movies and literature (ex. Anakin Skywalker or Obi -Wan Kenobi; Harry or Hagrid, etc.). We ask questions like this and compare names occasionally, but usually it doesn’t involve a comparison of one who has a good reputation with someone who doesn’t. It ’s kind of a no – brainer in that situation. With the names given in the title above, one name conjures good feelings and a striking reputation…

James 3 is the “classic” passage when anyone wants to discuss how Christians ought to speak. In rapid -fire succession, James gives picture after picture to help us understand the danger of an out -of-control tongue! A horse obeys because of a bit in its mouth, and a rudder guides a ship. Forests burn because of a small fire. He says the tongue is full of deadly poison and contradiction. Imagine a spring that contains fresh water and salt water,…

In the letter Paul wrote to the Colossians, he stated his goal was to “. . . present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (1:28). How serious was he about that? The next verse tells us. He wrote “I also labor” and used a word meaning “toil resulting in weariness, laborious toil.” But, he also added, “striving,” a Greek term that gives us our word “agonize. ” The next chapter begins with him expressing deep concern for them (2:1). The…