Creative Space for Wanderers
Read: Nehemiah wasn’t just building a wall, there was purpose beyond simple fortification and construction. As I type this a song is playing in my head that just won’t stop — Wonder (Hillsong UNITED, 2017). The artists paint the picture in words and music to pay tribute to those who have only seen the world …
Continue reading “Ezra Reads the Law — All Commit to Serve the Lord”
Read: Ezra receives the royal blessing to return to Jerusalem, along with all the Jews who want to go with him. The “blank check” he’s given is quite incredible and it makes me wonder what prompted Artaxerxes to be so supportive. It would be interesting to know definitively who Artaxerxes was since the surrounding references …
Continue reading “Ezra Returns to Jerusalem; Deals with Great Sin”
Read: Finally, the remnant are able to return from exile, but this is just the beginning. Those who have occupied the land are not interested in seeing the Israelites succeed. Sound like a familiar scenario? the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to …
Continue reading “Ezra: Return from Exile, Rebuilding Begins and Opposition Mounts”
Last night I was having coffee with a friend as we explored Part III, Chapter 1 of Multiply, Disciples Making Disciples. The chapter is titled: Why Study the Bible? On the surface, those of us who were raised in the church don’t even consider the question, of course we study the Bible, don’t we? Or …
Read: The last chapter in part one of Ezekiel compares Jerusalem to a cooking pot, the chosen are cooked along with the pot itself, one more parable for our ancestors to consider. The last section gives us something ponder: Ezekiel’s wife dies suddenly. The Lord tells Ezekiel and gives him direction to use this as …
Exponential East 2017 concludes this morning with the call to church planters to go out and do what God has called them by name to do. For many, this will be the beginning of a whole new chapter in their lives and in their walk in faith. Wayne Corderio reminded us of this incredible promise yesterday: …
and Over the next few weeks or so we’ll read Isaiah, the first of the major prophets, “the vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” Isaiah begins by setting the stage: Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord …
Read: Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed! Tradition that reminds us to remind ourselves of this spectacular, pivotal event in history. I was raised with such rich tradition, with Easter Egg hunts and candy treats, with early Son Rise services as we sang hymns on cool Easter Sundays. The Easter Lilies that adorned the sanctuaries bloom …
Continue reading “Easter: Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!”
Read: Two thousand plus years ago, this was the worst Saturday conceivable. Did the disciples begin to hear dismissive thoughts from those who called them out time and time again: “Didn’t we tell you? He was just a man.” 10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and …
Read: Several themes wind through these three chapters. I could read these each day and hear different voices speaking truth based on the day’s circumstances. I hope to gain wisdom, avoid being a fool and learn more today than yesterday by listening to instructions written here so plainly. Fools Fools, not something anyone wants to …
Continue reading “Proverbs 12 of 14 – More Proverbs of Solomon”