You will see in the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible that John 7:53-8:11 does not appear in the earliest copies we have of the Bible. The ESV has this whole section in brackets. The brackets signal this passage is not really there. Some translations have even relegated it to the footnotes (e.g., RSV). So why is this beloved passage excluded from the main … [Read more...] about On Excluding John 7:53-8:11
Incalculable Transformation
What would happen if the church, the people of God, began to pray daily for the spiritual needs of the world? Richard Lovelace helps us imagine what might happen: "If all regenerate church members in Western Christendom were to intercede daily simply for the most obvious spiritual concerns visible in their homes, their workplaces, their local churches and … [Read more...] about Incalculable Transformation
250
Today these United States of America celebrate 250 years of sovereign union. The founders wondered immediately how long the union might hold, and the union has certainly been severely tested. With 50 states and millions of people and various climes and challenges, it is a wobbly thing. But here we stand, 250 years old. “God bless America land that I love” When I think … [Read more...] about 250
Forgotten Prayers
An old prayer I came across. Briefly jotted in a journal. I had forgotten about the prayer, a simple prayer for my child, from 12 years ago. Seeing the prayer staring back at me, still there, reminded me that the Lord had no more forgotten this prayer than my journal had. “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? … [Read more...] about Forgotten Prayers
What Christmas Says
I threw myself my own little, personal Christmas party the other day. The family was around the house, but each person was settled into some activity of their own. So I retreated to the quiet of the dining room. We had on the dining room table a Christmas puzzle underway. Christmastime puzzle working has become a bit of a tradition for us these last few years. We get these … [Read more...] about What Christmas Says