In the writing of Isaiah the prophet, he records the conflict between Hezekiah, the King of Judah and King Sennacherib of Assyria, the dominant world power of his day. Sennacherib sends a letter to Hezekiah that begins in this manner: 10“This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you …
Out of the Chaos
Inspiration for living outside of the chaos.
My phone whistles at me, indicating another new text message. I glance at it and read another no. No, it doesn’t work tonight. I drop my head slightly and hear the subtle, mocking voice – “you should just throw your hands up and quit.” Tempted to agree, I pause on the image that comes to …
Today the doctor called me with the results of routine blood work. Not suspecting anything to be wrong, I wasn’t surprised when the report was favorable. As many others in my family, my cholesterol wanders higher than it should be and she noted that, as well as a slight rise in my A1C level. I …
My mom tells a funny story about lemon pie. Grandma used to bake fresh bread and pie every Saturday to be enjoyed on Sunday. One Saturday, Grandma made lemon meringue pie. Now my mom didn’t particularly like lemon pie and might have skipped dessert except for one thing. Her sister invited her boyfriend over after …
. . . I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 When I read this verse, I am brought up short. Immediately, I have to ask myself a question: am I relying on the …
Apostle Paul intrigues me. His determination before conversion to do what he believed to be the right thing — get rid of Christians — and his complete reversal afterwards — telling everyone that Jesus is the Messiah, astounds me. He pursued his goal relentlessly with fervor. His strategies could easily be adapted for sharing the …
4He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to …
Considering the great commission — while you are on your way, about your every day activity, make disciples. Teach them how to follow me! (Bev’s translation) — what makes doing this complicated or difficult? The most obvious hindrance is a limited social context – everyone in my circles is already a Jesus follower! It seems …
Sunday morning our church had baptism. In two services, there were twelve people who said yes to Jesus and, in front of hundreds of others, took part in Christian baptism. It is a public testimony of an individual’s desire to follow Jesus. Before the baptisms, the individuals shared a brief testimony of their personal commitment …
Occasionally I come across something I wish would not end. It might be some food or drink that is absolutely incredible, a great movie or book, a perfect evening under the night sky or a great interaction with a friend. It seems more often I am eager for something to end. It might be a …
