The observance of the seven Days of Unleavened Bread are intended to increase the understanding of God’s way and His plan of salvation. Interestingly, there were monumental events that occurred on the seventh day during the history of the ancient nation of Israel. Paul recites two major events in the book of Hebrews: “By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians attempting to do so were drowned. By faith, the walls of Jericho fell after they were encircled … [Read more...] about Lessons of the Days of Unleavened Bread
Godly Attributes
Staying Awake
Are we awake spiritually? Or are we too caught up in our daily tasks? Let’s consider the periods of slumbering and awakening in our lives, and how we can learn to stay awake. God’s Holy Spirit is active, but our human spirit, the “spirit in man” (Job 32.8), which makes us each a unique individual, can slumber if we prevent God’s Spirit from working in us. Just like when we are driving along, mind wandering, and find that we’ve lost track of how we got to where we are, so a slumbering spirit … [Read more...] about Staying Awake
Sneaking Suspicion
It all started when Satan and his angelic followers allowed a sliver of suspicion to enter their minds. It ended in defiant rebellion against the family of God. Satan then planted the seed of suspicion that God was holding something back from Adam and Eve, leading them into disobedience. Cain became suspicious that God preferred Abel’s offering. His anger precipitated murder. Suspicion is a primal fear that someone will take what we think should be ours. And suspicious mistrust has challenged … [Read more...] about Sneaking Suspicion
Being Tenderhearted
Having served in the army during the Vietnam era, each time I see that poignant image of Vietnamese children screaming in panic as they flee from a napalm attack, it transports me back to my own experience in a very visceral way. I feel their anguish and their pain. A few years ago, when I saw a photograph of a little boy named Aylan, killed trying to escape the mayhem that tore apart Syria and looking so similar to my own grandson of the same age, again, I felt that same sense of loss and … [Read more...] about Being Tenderhearted
Encourage One Another
How many times have we been reminded by life experience that the path due to our calling is not always simple and easy to follow? We are instructed to enter the Kingdom of God by “the narrow gate” (Matthew 7:14). Yet Christ was aware of the challenges that His followers would face. He left us, from the apostles forward, with encouragement through a solid focus on the big picture. Encouragement is a vehicle to strengthen relationships and build bonds. We, as part of God’s family, have a … [Read more...] about Encourage One Another
Conquering Doubt with Discernment
The internet is a strange place. Filled with all sorts of information, it's possible to get lost for days in the vast chasm of witty memes, Instagram food photos, and stark news articles proclaiming the fall of western civilization. In this chaotic landscape of data all is not what it seems, and we can easily grow dubious. “Is that really an epically muscular guy picking up a car?” “Did she actually cook a meal using nothing but a matchstick, a cotton swab, and a tin can?” We all know … [Read more...] about Conquering Doubt with Discernment
Expressions of Tribalism
It is difficult to escape the feeling that our world is becoming more divided by the day. For example, we are hearing more about political identity. While it has been quite customary to identify with some political party in terms of general policy, the term has now developed a sharper edge. Amy Chua writing in The Guardian newspaper notes: “When groups feel threatened, they retreat into tribalism. When groups feel mistreated and disrespected, they close ranks and become more insular, more … [Read more...] about Expressions of Tribalism