Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, which dominated the Ancient Near East for about 300 years (900 -605 B.C.). It began its rise to world power about the time of the division of the Hebrew kingdom, at the close of Solomon’s reign. It gradually absorbed and destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel.
Continue reading JONAH (AN ERRAND OF MERCY TO NINEVEH)
Mary had a front-row seat for an unbelievable life full of amazing stories: the angel Gabriel showing up out of the blue to tell her that she, a virgin, was pregnant (Luke 1:26-38)-and not just expecting, but expecting the Son of God; the baby’s birth in an animal shed far from home (Luke 2:1-7); the odd parade of well-wishers saying beautiful and occasionally frightening things (Matt 2:1-12; Luke 2:8-38); the mad dash to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath (Matt 2:13-14).
Continue reading WOMEN OF THE BIBLE (MARY “THE MOTHER AND FIRST DISCIPLE OF JESUS”)
Ephesians 4:13: Be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
We can measure our height and weight. But how can we measure our spirit? How can we gauge the maturity of our faith? Paul doesn’t give us a scale to let us know when we’ve arrived at the “full and complete standard of Christ.” Perhaps that’s because most of us never get there in this lifetime. Paul himself confesses in another letter, “I don’t mean to