For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. Luke 8:29 NASB Seized – What if the story of the demoniac isn’t about demon possession? What if it’s about an ancient…
She weeps bitterly in the night and her tears are on her cheeks; she has none to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies. Lamentations 1:2 NASB Weeps bitterly – Someone sent me a quote from Tzvi Freeman: “The first job of a teacher is to…
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23 NASB Fall short – Maybe we’re just not prepared to deal with the implications. Maybe we just haven’t seen enough. But I’ve seen a lot. And I’m tired. The more I travel, the more I see men and women interpreting their…
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Psalm 25:16 NASB Lonely – Look up this verse in Hebrew and you will immediately be surprised. The word translated “lonely” is yāḥîd. It means “only,” as in “only begotten son.” Its root is yāḥad, a verb that means, “to be united,…
“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.” Acts 20:22 NIV Not knowing – Today I leave for Manila. I’ll be in the Philippines area for the next two months. Then, after a return to the USA for some teaching commitments, Rosanne and I will…
If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. Exodus 23:4 NASB Return – The instructions that accompany citizenship in the Kingdom of YHVH are fundamentally different than our view of political affiliation. In systems based on Western thought, individual rights and privileges are at the…
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 NASB What is good – Want to know how to live in this world? The prophet Micah provides YHVH’s answer. Just three…
Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, Philippians 2:1 NASB Fellowship – Ah, the “church” word. No, it’s not ekklesia (which should be translated “assembly,” not “church”). It’s koinonia, the word that means “in…
This last weekend Rosanne and I drove to Port St. Joe to teach on Friday and Saturday. We met with the group that gathers under the direction of David and Cindy Fernandez at a place called “The Altar.” It was an enormous pleasure to be with about 40 people for the two days. The reason…
“May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel!” Ruth 4:11 NJPS Woman – Who are you? That’s the question that faces Ruth when she enters the Bethlehem community. First, she is a Moabite, a foreigner, an outsider. Even…
