A Gray-Beard's Thoughts
A Gray-Beard's Thoughts
As I pondered this Advent and Christmas season, I focused on looking for the small things in our Biblical stories, through which God reveals the really big things, sometimes in subtle ways. So, how does one seek clues about the…
OKAY, this will offend some: that is OK. It is exploration time, so — Ponder NOT a GOD that demanded a horrible death for His Son to appease God, but rather a God who loved us so much that HE…
Let us examine the very Name God declares is HIS NAME. Maybe we will gain a better sense of awe for God, and a better appreciation for His ability to add an ironic twist to a heavy subject. So the…
What things are revealed when we consider the language and culture of Biblical times as we study God’s Word? The author of the Gospel of John refers to Old Testament teachings, and provides other cultural clues intended to make the…
Situational awareness –“How do you know who is the most dangerous person in the room?” Is it: • The biggest guy? • The person who is obviously armed? • Is it the loudest person? • The obviously agitated person in…
As our Christian beliefs are rooted in the Judaism, often we can gain some insight for our reading of the Bible by looking at the languages and cultures of the Bible. For example, what did Jesus mean when he stated…
I learned to shave with a safety razor, a “butterfly” type where spinning the bottom of the handle opened up the top (like butterfly wings) to allow changing the safety razor blade. When I was attending US Navy Boot Camp,…
Western Christianity often provides us with a mental image of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as an unwed pregnant teenager. This clearly has roots in modern Christians not understanding the Hebrew marriage practices of the time. Such a misunderstanding may…
What is faith?Where does faith come from?Can I increase “my faith”?Is “my” faith “enough”?Will “my” faith ever be as big as a mustard seed? Luke 17: 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 The Lord said,…
Have you ever warmed yourself outdoors on a chilly morning by a fire? Ever looked into the burning embers and have a remembrance of a similar time rise to the surface, bringing with it the feelings of that past experience…