One of the bigger challenges in getting some traction in the Scripture and its story has to do with understanding its chronology. The books in the Bible are arranged only in a general way according to the history they contain. This means that if you started in Genesis and read all the way through to Revelation, you wouldContinue reading “C-ing Your Way Through the Bible (1)”
Category Archives: Getting Started In The Scripture
C-ing Your Way Through the Bible (2)
1. Creation (Genesis 1-5) Genesis means “origin” or “beginning”—so that’s what we find in these chapters: the beginning of the universe, humanity, sin and rebellion, and redemption. God speaks the universe into existence—but it is human beings that He makes in His image and gives dominion to (Genesis 1:26-28). Other Scriptures inform us that before the creation of theContinue reading “C-ing Your Way Through the Bible (2)”
C-ing Your Way Through the Bible (3)
7. Crown (Judges-1 Kings 11/1 Chronicles 1-2 Chronicles 9; Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon) Joshua dies and the nation lapses into a loose confederation of tribes characterized by infighting and the failure to come to the aid of each other when one of the tribes is under attack (see the book of Judges). This continues until theContinue reading “C-ing Your Way Through the Bible (3)”
A Bookish Approach To The Bible
I was preaching/teaching through Revelation on Sunday nights. We had just looked at the first part of chapter 21 and talked about how although this text is commonly applied to heaven, it’s really about the exalted church that has just been delivered from Roman oppression. On the way home Janice made the comment, “That’s really not that hard to see ifContinue reading “A Bookish Approach To The Bible”
Some Thoughts on Inspiration
Paul tells us all Scripture is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and we believe that. But what does that mean? One answer has to do with origin—it means the Scripture ultimately comes from God rather than man. This is Peter’s point in 2 Peter 1:19-21. Even in instances where the writer “carefully investigated” his subject matterContinue reading “Some Thoughts on Inspiration”
Meditating on God’s Word
One of my favorite borrowed sayings goes something like this: “Our goal isn’t to get through the Scripture as much as it is for the Scripture to get through us.” I like that because I know from personal experience how easy it is to get distracted as you work your way through Scripture. You’re busyContinue reading “Meditating on God’s Word”
Staying Humble and Hungry
Most of us have heard of the John Godfrey Saxe poem, The Blind Men and the Elephant. It is based on a traditional Indian parable and tells of six blind men from Indostan who come across an elephant. As each touches a different part of the animal, they come to different conclusions about what theContinue reading “Staying Humble and Hungry”
Shaped by the Story
We are all shaped by stories, aren’t we? A tender-hearted teenager hears a speaker talk about their work as a medical missionary and they decide right then and there that’s what they want to do with their life. Someone else reads a biography of a Navy Seal and thinks, “That’s for me!” This kind ofContinue reading “Shaped by the Story”
Digging Deep And Standing Tall
Weekend Edition of NPR ran a story about the rising rate of obesity in France. It explained how this trend runs counter to the French culinary tradition of slow cooked meals of healthy foods eaten around the family table. A finger was pointed in the direction of American culture as imported through movies and television and it wasContinue reading “Digging Deep And Standing Tall”
Doing It By The Book
Have you ever seen the previews to a movie, gotten all excited about it, then watched the movie and walked away disappointed because it wasn’t anything like what the previews suggested? Welcome to the club. I suppose the people who put the previews together could tell you they were just doing their job (which isContinue reading “Doing It By The Book”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 