“Thy Kingdom come.” It’s a phrase I’ve repeated 1000s of times in the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4). From personal devotional times to the chorus of prayer in worship services, my lips have uttered these words. Many a time I’ve prayed this prayer at 3:00am when all is quiet but my mind is not. The words comfort…
bible
Emerging out of the Christian Bubble
I don’t remember making the choice to be in the Bubble. I just remember looking up and finding myself reclining comfortably in the Christian bubble. I listened to Christian music, read Christian novels, subscribed to Christian blogs, attended Christian conferences, and wore Christian jewelry. I had become a valuable consumer of all things Christian. Don’t…
Visual Story of Jesus
Through a powerful movie filmed mostly in Tunisia and Morocco, here is the biography of Jesus from Matthew’s point of view. The film opens with a brief narrative, then launches into the 4+ hours of word-for-word NIV translation of the first book of the New Testament. So grab a cup of coffee, get comfortable, and click…
Week Four: Inductive Study of Mark 5 and 6
Welcome to Week Four in How To Study the Bible series! (To begin the series click here.) As you explore Mark 5 and 6 this week, you will… 1) learn how to do inductive Bible Study 2) learn how Jesus heals and mentors 3) learn how to use maps and Bible dictionaries Review of Week Three: (more) Parables & Translations in Mark…
Week Two: Insights and Tools for Mark 1-3
Welcome to Week Two in How To Study the Bible series! (To begin the series click here.) This week, as you explore the first three chapters of Mark, you will learn 1) the most critical component of Jesus’ ministry 2) how the similarities and differences between the book of Mark and the other three gospels inform each…
Week One: Understanding the Bible
Welcome to Week One in How to Study the Bible series! We begin the study of Mark by considering how this book fits into the overall story of the Bible. Reading a book of the Bible without understanding its context is like reading chapter 21 in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and expecting to understand why…
How to Study the Bible
I recently came across my first “real” Bible…green leather-like cover with my gold-embossed name on the cover. My parents gave it to me when I was 12 years old. My green Bible traveled to summer camp with me during middle school, participated in high school youth group, then went to college with me. I didn’t really…
Pictures of Peace from Psalm 133
“How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! It’s like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, Flowing down Aaron’s beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.” (Psalm 133)…
Why so worried and upset?
Amber rays of the setting sun pierced the low hanging clouds. Still no sign of Jesus and his travel companions. Martha went back inside the house. During the past week, she glanced frequently down the dusty road that meandered through the middle of her village. Rumors were circulating that Jesus may be coming. Martha longed…
How to Not Be Deceived
“God helps those who help themselves.” “What goes around, comes around.” “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” “Hate the sin, love the sinner.” “Money is the root of all evil.” “Eat to live, not live to eat.” “He who hesitates is lost.” Many a times these phrases are repeated as if they are biblical truths. They…
