Silent presence is kindness. It is practicing the fear of God. Dr. John Mark Hicks’ blog post about Job 6-7 begins, “Is this how you react, Job asks, to a ‘despairing man’? Whoever withholds ‘kindness’ from a friend, according to Job, ‘forsake[s] the fear of the Almighty’ (Job 6:14). Job did not give up the [...]
Archive for January, 2012
Day 153: Job 5-7
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Grief, Job, tagged comfort, fear of God, life, ministry, mourning, presence, silence, spirituality on January 31, 2012 | 2 Comments »
Day 152: Job 1-4
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Job, tagged devil, evil, fallen angel, Satan, Theology on January 30, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Who is Satan? Is he a fallen angel? If so, why is he listed as separate from the angels? Did God throw him out of heaven before the creation of humanity? If so, how is he in heaven in the story of Job? Is Satan always evil? If so, why does the Job story tell [...]
Day 151: Esther 6-10
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Esther, Relationships, tagged life, spirituality, superstition, what goes around comes around on January 29, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
“What goes around comes around.” So I’ve heard. Haman learns it the hard way in today’s reading. His attempt to destroy Mordecai results in his own dishonorable demise. I like to jokingly say that my only superstition if that it’s bad luck to be superstitious. I’m not afraid to walk under a ladder or to [...]
Day 150: Esther 1-5
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Sexuality, tagged beauty, heterosexuality, homosexuality, life, sexual orientation, spirituality on January 28, 2012 | 1 Comment »
A reader of Dr. Richard Beck’s blog recently commented with these words: —————————————- When you say homosexuality is a sin, you are saying I am a sin. That all of us that are queer are sins. I exist. I am queer. Those two statements can’t be separated. There is no straight ‘I’ to exist. There [...]
Day 148: Nehemiah 10-11
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Nehemiah, tagged life, ministry, repentance, responsibility, spirituality on January 26, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Repentance brings responsibility. In yesterday’s post, I wrote, “Scripture’s examination of us leads to confession.” We saw that confession leads to repentance. In today’s reading, we see repentant people accepting various ministerial responsibilities. We don’t deal in shekels. Christian worship doesn’t include burnt offerings. But ministers still have responsibilities, and God calls all Jesus-followers to [...]
Day 147: Nehemiah 8-9
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Campus Ministry, Nehemiah, Sermons, Spiritual Disciplines, tagged attention span, confession, life, preaching, repentance, scripture, spirituality on January 25, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Scripture’s examination of us leads to confession. Ezra stands before his people and reads the law book out loud for a long time. What intrigues me is that the people ask him to do that. What surprises me is that they listen. One of my preaching professors told me a sermon should last around 22 [...]
Day 146: Nehemiah 7
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Leadership, Nehemiah, tagged faith, integrity, life, spirituality, virtues on January 24, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
One of my relatives was a part-time member of a church staff that was looking to add a minister. When she recommended me, the lead minister was skeptical at first. He thought something like this: “A family member. Unlikely. Who knows what this guy’s like?!” After learning some about me, he welcomed me to a [...]
Day 145: Nehemiah 4-6
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Leadership, Nehemiah, tagged Conflict, life, opposition, Poverty, spirituality on January 23, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
When attempting to accomplish important tasks, even in the face of severe opposition, we need to care for people in need. Nehemiah is leading the worthy task of rebuilding Jerusalem. Between opposition in chapter 4 and more opposition in chapter 6, he cares for the poor in chapter 5. Noble tasks can consume us leaders. [...]
Day 144: Nehemiah 1-3
Posted in Bible in a Year 2011-2012, Church, Leadership, Nehemiah, tagged life, rebuilding, spirituality, Theology on January 22, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
“Let us start rebuilding.” Some officials say these words in today’s reading after Nehemiah casts a vision for the work. Jerusalem is in shambles, and the rebuilding begins. Is your life falling apart? Has your faith faded? Has your spiritual resolve dissipated? Is a relationship in ruins? Are you conquered by career chaos? Start rebuilding. [...]
