Think for a moment about a trip you have taken. You left home, traveled to your destination, and had various memorable experiences. Perhaps you experienced a culture different form your own and found that the greater the cultural difference between home and destination, the greater the effort needed to communicate and to learn in your new environment. Yet you persevered, experienced new people and places, and were enriched by it all.
Continue reading THE BASICS OF SOUND BIBLE STUDY
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Continue reading SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (ROMANS 3:21-31 “CHRIST TOOK OUR PUNISHMENT”)
A yoke was a wooden collar placed on the neck of an ox to which plows and other farming implements were attached (Hosea 11:4). Jesus used the yoke in this passage as a metaphor for commitment to Him and His teachings.
Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS & CURIOSITIES (AN EASY YOKE)
Guilt is bad, many counselors and therapists tell us. Guilt is therapeutic, we learn from the counsel of the Bible. Which is right? to feel guilt is to:
Continue reading WHAT IS THE POINT OF FEELING GUILT?
In the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel, we meet a woman named Hannah. She was married in a man named Elkanah, of the tribe of Ephraim. They lived in the hill country, in a little town with a big name-Ramathaim-zophim.
Continue reading WOMEN OF THE BIBLE (HANNAH “THE MOM WHO LET GO”)
The Romans appear to have at least two types of whips for flogging. The more serious of the two, the flagellum, consisted of a handle with leather straps attached to it. Knots were tied into the straps with bone or sharp metal bits tied onto them. This was the device used prior to crucifixion to brutalize those condemned so severely that they would be incapable of effective resistance. There was no limit to the number of blows that could be struck, and the beating often continued until the flesh hung down in bloody strips.
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (FLOG,WHIP,SCOURAGE PT2)
Personal name meaning “lady [of the house]” or “mistress.” Sister of Mary and Lazarus of Bethany and one of Jesus’ best-loved disciples. True to her name, Martha is portrayed as a person in charge: she welcomed Jesus as a guest in her home (Luke 10:38); she was concerned with meeting the obligations of a hostess, whether preparing food (Luke 10:40; John 12:2) or
Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (MARTHA)
Solomon’s list of times and “seasons” must be viewed within the larger context of life an history. He is not necessarily saying, “Hey, it’s twelve o’clock, time to kill-so go out and bump someone off.” Rather, Solomon insists that human life takes place within a larger framework of events that repeat down through history: laughter, tears, killing, healing, destruction, building, death, birth.
Continue reading AGAINST SO MANY BIBLICAL COMMANDS, HOW CAN SOLOMON ADVISE THAT THERE IS A TIME TO KILL, TO TEAR DOWN, AND TO HATE?
Supplying wood for priests to use in offering burnt sacrifices on the altar was a task assigned to the Nethinims, or temple servants (Ezra 2:43). But not enough of these servants returned from the exile in Babylonia and Persia to handle this task.
Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS AND CURIOSITIES (WOOD FOR THE ALTAR)
None that makes much military sense, if using traditional tactics is the key to victory. The genius of God’s ways is that they are not our ways. Tactics that should fail do in fact succeed as God’s way of showing His power in our weakness. At Jericho, the victory was preceded by priests blowing horns and circling the city seven times. Against the Philistines, David’s single slingshot led to an amazing victory.
Continue reading WHAT SORT OF BATTLE PLAN HAS A CHOIR LEADING AN ARMY?