"We do not know where you are going, Master," said Thomas; "so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one ever comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:5-6) Mohammed’s father had tried everything to bring his son back to Islam. Mohammed, …
"Modern" Palestine, Part II
A few years back I featured some maps of what was then referred to as "Modern Palestine" but was in reality the region under the Ottoman Empire. Below is another map from another Bible from the same era, showing both Galilee and Judea. (You can see a higher resolution image by clicking on the map.)
Month of Sundays: Defeat
But, when the full time came, God sent his Son--born a woman's child, born subject to Law-- To ransom those who were subject to Law, so that we might take our position as sons. (Galatians 4:4-5) In 387 B.C. the Gauls came down from the north and defeated the Romans at the Battle of the …
Month of Sundays: Cost
Why, which of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and reckon the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?-- For fear that, if he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, every one who sees it should begin to laugh at …
Month of Sundays: Compassion
And Jesus went forth and saw much people, and his heart did melt upon them and he healed of them those that were sick. (Matthew 14:14, Tyndale) Published in 1526, William Tyndale’s New Testament was the first New Testament to be translated directly into English from the original Greek. Originally from England, he was forced …
Month of Sundays: Asking
“Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done–on earth, as in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:10.) My mother wasn’t in the best of moods that evening. As I prepared to leave her and my wife in the car and run in the grocery store, she gave me her orders: “I want the greenest bananas in the place!” That …
Civil Marriage: When the State Becomes God
Last week I posted a piece on why it's important not to get too trimphalistic on the French rejection of same sex civil marriage. That brought a long series of comments from "MichaelPS" who is obviously very familiar with French jurisprudence on this subject. One of his observations was as follows: It is significant that, …
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Month of Sundays: Introduction and Dedication
This coming Sunday I will begin featuring my devotional book, Month of Sundays. I've already posted the first devotional on happiness; the rest will follow in sequence. This post is a dedication and the introduction to the book. Dedication This work is associated with several "lasts" and yet another one is the object of this …
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Some Thoughts on Happiness
From my Month of Sundays devotional booklet: …as is taught in the glorious Good News of the ever-blessed God, with which I was entrusted. — 1 Timothy 1:11 Blessed…we hear that expression so many times. We tell people to “Be blessed…” and hopefully people tell us that too. (The Wiccans turn that around and greet …
China Brings Confucius Back Into the Pantheon
The significance of this isn't lost to those of us who have visited the Tian An Men Square: In a ritual equal only to that of the church, last week China placed a statue of Confucius in its political heart, Tiananmen Square, before Mao Zedong's portrait and near the modern obelisk to the People's Heroes, …
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Positive Infinity 