Building Character
Moving Day
The historical record of the patriarchs in the book of Genesis includes the account of Jacob with its timeless application. We think of current society as being very mobile, but when a relocation was ordered by God, Jacob and his family packed up all their possessions and without the aid…
Read MoreWhat Lies Buried
When touring biblical historic sites in Israel it is common to hear the labels of “traditional” versus “authentic.” Traditional sites are those that claim significance through word-of-mouth, but don’t necessarily have the physical evidence to back the claim. Authentic sights are actually very rare, and are generally a result of…
Read MoreToday’s Contrarian
Several weeks ago, our son attended a heavy metal concert with some friends. As adults with respectable careers, they decided to relive their wild days by dressing like the band in Goth clothing and make-up. Their preconcert photo featured two friends as Goths, flanking our son in the middle, who…
Read MoreCrossing the Great Divide
Great divides show up everywhere from schools of thought to geological terrains, but when a great divide occurs between friends, it can be very painful. Most of us have experienced this unfortunate circumstance. The well-intended friends who comforted Job by sitting with him in silence for seven days while he…
Read More400:1 Ratio
When Israel was divided into two kingdoms, Jehoshaphat, a king who faithfully followed the Lord, ruled Judah, while Ahab, a king who worshipped Baal, ruled over Israel. The two Israelite nations had previously warred against each other, but now were allied through a royal marriage. So when Ahab wanted to…
Read MoreWhere is the Starting Line?
“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,a stronghold in times of trouble. 10Those who know Your name trust in You,for You, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You. 12For He who avenges blood remembers;He does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.” —Psalm 9:9-10, 12 This is a…
Read MoreOn to the Next Thing
I admire people who seem to be able to get things done without a “to-do” list. I am not one of those. In fact, I often have separate lists for the major items on my master “to-do” list. Not only do my lists keep me organized and on track, but…
Read MoreLook Deeper
The longer most of us live, the more aware we are that what appears correct at first glance is not always so. It’s almost comical to remember how certain we were of “facts” in our youth that we presently know as false or at least “spin.” That is probably why…
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