The first line of the prayer of Jabez, is: “Oh, that you would bless me, indeed…” First of all, the word “indeed” is a way of adding emphasis, much like we would do with an exclamation point. It wasn’t enough for Jabez to merely make his request, he made it passionately and emphatically. The request […]
Fall is a colorful time in Michigan. Even so, the colors in our area of the state do not seem to be as vibrant this fall as most. In my yard, for example, is a “burning bush,” which typically turns a deep fire-engine red in the fall. This year the shade is muted, more akin to ruby […]
The prayer of Jabez is a short prayer and is found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10; it is also the subject of a recent popular book by the same name. After a short, very short, bio of Jabez, his equally short prayer is given, followed by a concise commentary. Jabez’s five line prayer is: Oh, that […]
By Donald S. Whitney (reviewed by Peter DeHaan) As stated in the book’s title, “Spiritual Disciples for the Christian Life,” this work discusses spiritual disciplines for those who follow Jesus. Spiritual disciplines are willing and intentional actions that promote spiritual growth, making us more like Jesus. They should not be thought of actions that earn […]
You may think that I was AWOL last week, having not posted anything since October 3. Actually, I have been extremely busy. At the beginning of last week, I was at the ATA (American Teleservices Association) convention in New Orleans. It was a great convention, but the preparation for the trip, the travel, and the […]
What gender is God? Although I’m not sure how important the answer is in the overall scheme of things, it is nonetheless often debated and speculated. Here is a smattering of responses to this query: Although I refer to God in the masculine, it is more out of convention and for ease of communication. In […]
It’s interesting that we tend to equate writing prolificacy with profundity. After these three, the reminding New Testament authors, especially those of shorter letters, fade into obscurity and are barely noticed by most readers of the Bible. Such is the case of Peter, whose two short letters comprise but 2.5 percent of New Testament content. […]
When I went to my bank last week, there was a commotion at the car wash next door. A number of trucks were parked haphazardly around the building and a couple of fire trucks were along side. The folks at the bank confirmed there had been a fire. Apparently, someone had carelessly flung a cigarette. […]
To Heal and to Save Jesus came to heal and to save; that was his mission and his purpose. At that time, the people largely accepted Jesus’ healing ministry, but not so much his saving ministry. Today, it is the opposite, with his followers accepting his saving ministry, but not so much his healing ministry. […]
Moses gave a curious command: “Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” This seems to be an excessive response when one is wronged, but given the culture of that day, it was actually a move towards moderation. For example, when Jacob’s daughter Dinah was […]