We first encounter Gideon in Judges 6, attempting to hide his harvest from the Midianites by threshing it in the recesses of a winepress. Because of Israel’s rebellion, God had allowed the Midianites to ravage their harvests and herds for seven years. Now God was ready to break Midian’s yoke and to use Gideon to […]
Gathered together for safety, no one slept that fitful night. It’s hard to describe how slowly the hours of darkness crept along. And yet, without sleep, everyone in the room experienced the same nightmare. The gruesome scenes of Jesus bloodied stayed at the forefront of their minds. In the quiet of those long hours, their […]
In the village of Shunem (in the northern kingdom during the nation’s split) lived a kind and generous woman whose name we don’t know. She was hospitable to the prophet multiple times. “One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he […]
Often, it’s the innocent ones who suffer. Children go to bed hungry because their parents waste the family money on their addictions. Hostile takeovers result in lost jobs and tragic consequences for hard-working innocent families. Mass shootings in schools, grocery stores, businesses, and places of entertainment kill or hurt innocent victims. Home and business invasions […]
Down through history, America has not always treated women well. Today, with the horrific things that are happening to girls and women in Afghanistan, I thought this would be an appropriate time to review how Jesus interacted with women. Adulterer (John 8): Men had set this woman up to catch her in the act of […]
Bird migration is fascinating. Feather and fowl know what time of year to begin their journey. Whether migrating north or south, even though they fly hundreds or thousands of miles, they don’t get lost or sidetracked. (Can you imagine trying to drive from here to New York WITHOUT a map or compass? Oh yeah, and […]
When I was in high school and college I went out for wrestling. I know, it’s hard to believe now, but there was a time I enjoyed grappling. I didn’t know until years later that wrestling is also an activity of angels, though I doubt they have the same kind of rules and referees I […]
What do you picture in your mind when you hear the word, banner? A high school gymnasium with flags hanging from the ceiling depicting past state championships? A business name on some fabric blowing in the wind to attract customers? A billboard with an advertisement lifted high above the nearby traffic? These days banners come […]
For people around the world, the Friday before Easter is called Good Friday. I doubt that any of the followers of Christ, watching the brutal torture of Jesus, would have thought, “This is GOOD.” In fact, it was the WORST Friday of their lives. Many followed Jesus because they assumed that He was the long-awaited […]
In September, I went to my 50th high school reunion. It was fun seeing old classmates. However, our smooth faces had become creased with a few wrinkles, the quantity and color of our hair had changed, and our bodies had different shapes to them. Reunions remind us of the brevity of life. We wonder where […]