Begin Again

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1  NIV Teach us – Heschel wrote: “Prayer as a way of speaking is a way that leads nowhere.  The text must never be more important…

All in the Family (2)

Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household….

All in the Family (1)

Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household….

Head of Household

He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 1 Timothy 3:4  NIV Family – The NIV translates the word oíkou as “family.”  The NASB uses “household.”  The Greek term is quite flexible, stretching from “family” to “house”…

Family Matters

Yesterday I wrote about the family in Alezio honoring the grandmother.  I think it’s worth seeing some pictures.  Did you notice that this all happens on the street?  The neighbors came over too.  It was really wonderful.  A weekly event for this family for more than 100 years. As I reflected on my emotions during…

One More Gust of Wind

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, Romans 8:16  NASB Spirit Himself – I thought we’d resolved this.  When we examined verse 12, we came to the conclusion that the Greek pneúma should be read as “vital force.”  The apparent conflict about who does what to whom was over.  It is…

Shout Out!

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.  Romans 8:9  NASB If indeed – eiper (εἴπερ) is an exclamation point in Greek.  It is used to intensify an expression.  Paul…

Emotional Homelessness

These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations.  Genesis 10:31  NASB Families – Italy.  Ah, imagine the life.  Beautiful scenes.  Amazing architecture.  More amazing food.  Our images of life here aren’t just shaped by travel brochures.  They are formed by movies like…

Hitchhiker’s Guide to Babylon (4)

“Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce.   Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.   Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you…

All in the Family

Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household….