Days of Our Lives

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.  Luke 18:1 Not To Lose Heart – When do you give up praying?  That’s the question that Jesus answers with this parable.  You know the story.  There is a judge who is implacably…

Why Walls Won’t Work

History shows that the growth of who followed Jesus was faster during the first three centuries after His death than any other period.  Of course, since that time a larger number of people have claimed Jesus as their Savior, but even though the total numbers are bigger, the rate of growth has never been the…

What Appeals in the Dark

“Watch out!  Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”   Mark 8:15 Leaven of Herod – Seeking the praises of men was the sin of the Pharisees.  There’s plenty of that around today.  We just have a different name for them – celebrities.  But Jesus differentiates these glory-seekers from another kind…

Second Thoughts

to the only wise God through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. Amen.    Romans 16:27 Glory – What is the doxology of your life?  What is the final line that describes your reason for being?  Paul leaves no doubt about his last line.  It is glory to God forever.  I wonder if we could…

Power Applied

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ   Romans 16:25 To Establish – There is a grammatical secret here.  When an infinitive (like “to establish”) follows the verb dynamai (is able), the sense is a continuous action, not a one-time event.  Let that sink…

Resident Reluctance

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ   Romans 16:25 Is Able – God is the power.  If I am in His will, then He directs that power through me, not to me.  God is in the power distribution business.  He gives in order…

May The Force Be With You

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ   Romans 16:25 Is Able – Star Wars is Greek.  The idea of an impersonal cosmic force presiding over life and death is as old as Pythagoras.  George Lukas might have been enthralled by the concept, but…

Wilderness Politics

I just can’t stand it anymore.  Aren’t you sick and tired of the constant accusations, lies, finger pointing and platitudes in this election?  I can’t remember when it was so vitriolic and so insistent.  Maybe there is a point to it all, but as far as I can see, the only purpose is power.  And…

Prayer and Consequences

because having known God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful   Romans 1:21 Glorify – Thankful – Some ancient Jewish scholars translate Genesis 2:7 about the creation of Man with the words, “and Man became a speaking being”, rather than our common, “and Man became a living being.”  If Paul was…

Family Prayer

Yet not as I will, but as you will  Matthew 26:39 Yet Not – These two tiny Greek words (plen ouk) contain everything you need to know about prayer in God’s family.  You might object, “Wait!  Haven’t we just spent days looking at all the nuances of Hebrew and Greek words for prayer?  How can…