Koinonia of a Different Color

I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” Revelation 18:4-5  NASB Participate – Leave Babylon behind.  For that matter, leave Sodom…

A Request from Dr. Joe

Dr. Joe Arvay of Colorado asked me to post this request about marriage and families. I thought it would be good for all of us to think about it. “This is not one of those gross emails. This is a serious challenge to all the men out there. This is a challenge to save your…

Simply Synonyms?

and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. Ephesians 5:2  NASB Offering/ Sacrifice – Paul does tend to be verbose at times.  His Greek is complicated and filled with allusions (typical of a rabbinic midrash).  But…

If and Only If

When a person presents an offering of meal to the LORD, his offering shall be of choice flour;  . . . Leviticus 2:1  JPS When – God never commanded sacrifices.  Let’s say that again.  God never commanded sacrifices.  Even when Abraham was asked to take Isaac to the altar, it was not a command.  The…

Only in Hebrew

Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hands of the Egyptians . . . Exodus 14:30  NASB Saved – If you’ve never asked yourself why God chose Hebrew as the language of His personal revelation, this verse should raise the question.  Oh, it seems so straightforward on the surface, but that’s because we…

The Boss-man?

It is a trustworthy statement; if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 1 Timothy 3:1  NASB Overseer – If any man?  But what about Carol or Ann or Linda or Jan?  What if they desire to be “overseers”?  Ah, if only Paul weren’t so…

Stalking

Wouldn’t it be nice to see this out your front door every morning?  photo by Riaan Erasmus, South African friend and companion when we shot this.