One hazy late August morning a few years ago, I nearly lost my way in the desert. I was so dehydrated, deflated and defeated, that I nearly gave up the hike. For nearly a year I had been trekking through the Torah week by week for my morning Bible study, taking part in the centuries-old […]
Peace Within Your Walls
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. Psalm 122:6-7 (KJV) Throughout the past several thousand years, Israel has often been the center of international controversy. It seems as if spiritual battles over that land are still triggering events in world […]
What was the “Good Portion” that Mary Chose?
Women have always cheered at the story of Mary of Bethany in Luke 10:38-42. Mary wanted to sit and learn from Jesus, in spite of Martha’s bossy reminders that a long list of chores had her name on them. Despite Martha’s protests, Jesus took her side. I’ve written before about how Jewish culture sheds light […]
Taking My Thumb Off the Scale
[An excerpt from Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus (Zondervan, 2012)] My keys clattered onto the countertop, a relieved sigh escaping from my lips as I slipped off my Sunday coat. The morning had been filled with small irritations: the coffee I splattered on my new sweater, the nosy prayer chain coordinator who grilled […]
What does “Christ” actually mean?
What does it mean to speak of Jesus as the “Christ”? This word is one of the most important, basic words in a Christian’s vocabulary. But it isn’t until you dig into the Bible’s ancient context that you that see its surprising imagery and some of its most important implications. First of all, the word […]
Tongues of Flame at Pentecost – What for?
I recently wrote an article called “What Really Happened at Pentecost?” It was about where the scene in Act 2 occurs, when the believers were first filled with the Spirit. I explain that the likely setting is in the Temple, rather than in an upper room. At 9 AM in the morning, their attendance was […]
Finding Christ on Mount Sinai
Leviticus is a tough read for modern Christians. We groan at its restrictions and wince at its sacrifices. Many a preacher has used its lines to impress a congregation with how much they should celebrate their freedom from the unbearable Old Testament laws. But what if we turned back the clock to stand beside the […]
Remembering Our Redemption
When we celebrate Passover and Holy Week, we are reminded once again to celebrate God’s amazing acts of redemption on our behalf. First he redeemed Israel from slavery in Egypt, and Christ redeemed us from death through his atoning sacrifice for our sins. What are the implication of these holy days for the rest of […]
God’s Image Stamped in Dust
The words of Genesis 1 express a profound paradox: Though we’re as insignificant as dust, we reflect the glory of God himself.
Jesus Liked a Little Chutzpah
On a bus in Jerusalem, I encountered the passionate Middle Eastern attitude that colored Jesus’ parables and his attitude toward prayer.
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