When you think about it, the Israelites went through an intense program of redirecting their entire lives through the events of their exodus from Egypt. After a lengthy period of living in Egypt they went from “the people multiplied and grew very mighty” to “the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor.” The bondage of Egypt was mind destroying – at least as far as knowledge of God and His way was concerned. Did God cause this grievous situation of slavery to make a point for … [Read more...] about The Red Sea and Beyond
Repentance and Conversion
Character Is All That’s Left
It’s worth taking some time to look at what we know about the creation and what the Bible tells us about where it’s going. What really is real and what is not. What is lasting and what is temporary. In the beginning God created a physical infrastructure in order to create a family in His image and likeness. That creation is 13.8 billion years old, and two of the four main forces at work are gravity and electromagnetism. Gravity is very weak and needs a lot of mass, rocks, molten iron, etc., … [Read more...] about Character Is All That’s Left
Viewpoints from the Prodigal Son
The parable of the prodigal son, which is found in only one gospel account (Luke 15), appears to be a simple story of redemption. After a son wastes his inheritance and finds himself in a hopeless, oppressive situation, he comes to himself, returns to his father, and enjoys a joyous reception. The parable acquired its name from the one son who fell into extravagant and reckless, or “prodigal”, living. There are important lessons to be learned when we view the parable from a certain … [Read more...] about Viewpoints from the Prodigal Son
The Importance of Godly Respect
Job made an interesting observation when he was answering his friends’ accusations as to why so many bad things had happened to him: “A lamp is despised to the thought of one who is at ease; it is made ready for those whose feet slip” (Job 12:5). While the structure of this verse might at first appear confusing, it is simply warning of the dangers of being “at ease.” It is a mental/spiritual condition of being self-satisfied. The connection between being at ease and feet slipping is made in … [Read more...] about The Importance of Godly Respect
As A Little Child
In a family relationship, children play an important role and help contextualize the meaning of God’s government in the realm of human beings. We all understand, academically, that we are children of God, but adults think, reason, and act differently than children do. This is the natural progression of maturity. As adults, molded by the realities of life, we tend to value reason and self-reliance. We can also complicate things that are inherently simple, questioning what we see and hear, and … [Read more...] about As A Little Child
Crucible Experiences
The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy near the end of his life and said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7). Once Paul had been called into a relationship with the Father, he had to endure all manner of difficulty and trials. He chronicles some of the difficulties he encountered in the letter he wrote to the brethren at Corinth (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). While most of us have never been beaten with whips and rods, shipwrecked, or … [Read more...] about Crucible Experiences
Thankfulness: Antidote for Dissatisfaction
There is one subject where practically everyone in the world is in agreement. That is the idea that “everybody else has it better than I do!” Who doesn’t know someone for whom things are not going “better” than for me? Even though, in the western world, we live in one of the most prosperous societies that has ever existed on the face of the earth, many people still have a problem with greed – not only greed but also with being envious of what other people have. There is a huge problem in … [Read more...] about Thankfulness: Antidote for Dissatisfaction