Many of our generation probably know little more about a legendary African missionary, doctor, and explorer than the smile of “Dr Livingstone I presume?” While some question the historicity of those actual words, they apparently were reported by the New York Herald Newspaper in 1869. The Herald had sent Henry Morton Stanley to Africa to [...]
The conversation around the last post was good. It is so important for us to be reminded that in so many ways we are neither alone, nor alike, in our struggles. My guess was that on the question of what makes a good day, we would weigh in somewhere between the thoughts that we have [...]
This question is important not only for followers of Christ, but for people of all religions and points of view. Ultimately, it is not just about God’s promise to Abraham that he would bless those who blessed him, and curse those who cursed him (Gen 12:3). It also raises the question of what the Apostle [...]
The announced prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas appears to have broken a 5 year stalemate in negotiations. The Jerusalem Post confirms that Israel and Hamas have agreed to exchange 25 year old Jewish soldier Gilad Schalit for 1027 “security” prisoners. Have been thinking about the guarded sense of deep emotion that families on both [...]
One of the books we’ve talked about in the last couple of posts, Why Men Hate Going to Church, is hard to do justice to by quoting a few of the author’s emphases. Murrow’s chapters are full of irony that, as I read, kept me off balance from beginning to end. He had me arguing [...]
We’ve been thinking together about how Jesus is not only wisdom personified (1Cor 1:30), but also our best reason to pursue more of what it means to live wisely in him rather than less (James 3:13-17). While trying to flesh out the thought that James is actually telling us how to find and recognize the [...]
What’s going on when a church puts up a large billboard publicly acknowledging itself to be among those who have been acting like jerks? A friend sent me a link to a CNN interview about a Texas billboard that “shouts out” to passing traffic “What a Bunch of Jerks“. The billboard is accompanied by an [...]
Woke up today feeling mentally tired and spiritually cool. Started reading from the 18th chapter of proverbs with a shaky prayer for God’s help. Suddenly found my imagination captured by statements like: A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment (18:1). The name of the LORD is a [...]
Some of the most gruesome events of the Iraq war involved the beheading of enemies by terrorist cells. Yet long ago, David did it to the Philistine giant, Goliath (1Samuel 17). The Philistines later beheaded King Saul and hung his headless body on the city wall of Beth Shan (1Sam 31:9). John the Baptist suffered [...]
It takes effort to be at peace with ourselves, with our God, and with others. That may be one reason the New Testament author of Hebrews encourages us to work to rest in the living Word of God. Used to think that the reference to the Word of God as a two-edged sword referred only [...]