I’ve worked at home for over twenty years. With a home office, it’s critical to have a professional, work-like environment. This is especially true when you are on a phone call (or video call). There can be no household noises, such as blaring TVs or radios, crying children, barking dogs, or talking spouses. These sounds […]
At a church I recently visited, members shared prayer requests as part of the service. One lady raised her hand and simply said she had an “unspoken request.” Though I’ve not heard that phrase in a long time, it was a common utterance at a church I once attended. It was almost always said by […]
Several of the Psalms are attributed to “the sons of Korah.” These sons of Korah could have been the writers of those songs/prayers or perhaps the ones tasked with sharing them with others; that would effectively make them performers. It makes me wonder if the group called “The Sons of Korah” ever performed to standing-room-only […]
In my post on Korah’s rebellion, I noted that Korah had some progressive ideas about God and the people’s relationship to him. While these views are widely accepted today (thanks to Jesus), they were quite radical in Korah’s day. However, I don’t think that Korah’s rebellion was theological in nature, that is, it was not […]
The Connections Between Faith and Writing Last weekend I attended the Festival of Faith and Writing conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although the words “faith” and “writing” both appear in the conference name, I expected the benefits of attending to be primarily writing related. While my expectations to learn more about the art and craft […]
We know Cain to be a murderer—and we vilify him for it. What we often fail to consider is that Cain had a relationship with God. Consider that Cain gave an offering to God that wasn’t requested or expected. (Cain lived centuries before God instructed Moses about the need to give him offerings.) Also, consider […]
Cain kills Abel because he is jealous, jealous that his brother’s offering to God is accepted and his isn’t. God knows what Cain is thinking—and urges caution. God directly tells Cain that he must rule over his sinful thoughts, the temptation to do wrong. But Cain doesn’t heed God’s advice and kills his brother. The […]
Peter DeHaan attended the recent Festival of Faith and Writing conference held at Calvin College in Grand Rapids Michigan on April 19 through 21. The three-day event was attended by 2,000 from across the United States and around the world; it featured 64 presenters. At the Festival, attendees were treated to an array of presentations […]
A good friend was all excited. He had something he couldn’t wait to share. “God revealed something to me,” he announced. “I’ve not yet found it in the Bible, but I know it’s there somewhere.” I completely missed what God had revealed to him because I was so taken aback contemplating his statement. I have […]
The account of Cain is well-known. The Bible records his story as the world’s first murderer. It is out of jealousy—and possibly premeditated—that Cain kills his brother, Abel. But what are the events that lead up to this tragedy? Cain and Abel each bring an offering to God. Abel’s is accepted but Cain’s isn’t. There […]