Sometimes our culture influences our approach to God. Have you noticed? God commanded the construction of a courtyard in which the Tabernacle or dwelling of God would be housed. Importantly, there is one courtyard. There is no Court of Women or Court of Gentiles. Nope. Not even a hint of these other courtyards which seemed… Read More ›

Should you drive through flowing water? Hm, well . . . where and under what circumstances? If we’re talking about a flash flood flowing over a street and you are not in immediate danger, don’t drive through it. Too many have been swept off of roads under those circumstances. But if you are going to… Read More ›

When I was a child, my family moved around quite a lot. I don’t think I went to any school more than two years. I was always leaving behind friends. For awhile, we went to the same church and that was cool because some of my cousins also attended that church. But then we moved… Read More ›

On our trip back from Washington State, we stopped to explore the Lewis and Clark caverns in Montana. After descending into the mountain, our guide asked us to turn off anything that might produce light. Then she turned off the lights in the cavern, with only a lantern being lit. It was considerably darker, but… Read More ›

When I was little I heard my mother say on occasion, “Why, that guy thinks he’s God’s gift to women.” You know the type, don’t you? They strut around women acting as if their mere presence is enough to cause women everywhere to swoon and drop to their knees thanking God for such a wonderful… Read More ›

The wedding ring, a circle with no end, symbolizes unending relationship. Right? What about the gold? Can the gold represent purity within the relationship? I’ve heard it both ways. Can it also symbolize commitment and promise? Well, yeah! And if we try to narrow the symbol down to one thing, will we miss some of… Read More ›

Think of the most important, powerful, and well respected person in the world. Let’s say this person is so wealthy and powerful and good, that you are a bit awed by them. Now, what if he or she told you that they are coming to live with you; camping out in your house for as… Read More ›

As the Israelites camped at the foot of Mount Sinai; as their leaders were somewhere up on that mountain; as Moses had climbed even higher up, they witnessed a cloud cover the mountain and then from their vantage point it looked as if a consuming fire was consuming and devouring the top of the mountain…. Read More ›

I could be wrong, but it seems that some people spend much of their time trying to tame God; to make him more palatable for the masses. The earliest extant list of the Bible was composed by a man named Marcion. Marcion believed that the God of the Old Testament was evil and that Jesus,… Read More ›

I have been in churches where, when the Bible is read everyone stands. I like that. I don’t think it should be a law or anything, but it does communicate respect. You see God’s communication is more than a nice story. It is more than instructions. It is deserving of our reverential respect.