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Revelation. It is not only the final book of the Bible but it is also a very descriptive word for the entirety of God’s Word, wherein He continuously reveals Himself and His love for us. Its Latin origin has two meanings: it is both something that reveals things that were heretofore hidden but also places some things behind a veil. The languages of the original texts are mostly Hebrew for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament. Throughout both, there has always been an understanding that the words of man are not commensurate to c...
Exodus 20:1-3, “And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.” This is the opening to one of the most well known passages of the Bible, the Ten Commandments. Most of us are probably fairly familiar with this passage. “You shall have no other gods before me,” is the first of the Ten Commandments, and, as is commonly the case with the first of a list, is of particular importance. You may be like me when you hear or...
I’ve struggled to feel the blazing flame of Christ lately. Sure, I still attend church – and my faith in Him hasn’t faltered – but I haven’t felt the fire quite like I have in the past. I think routine has become the killer. Whether that routine includes regular worship or not – it’s as though I’m going through the motions without getting in the fight. Each relationship I build – or each relationship I lose – acts as kindling for my fire. Every piece of scripture I read and every worship song I sing adds some wood to the pile. And at the en...
This has been an eventful summer in Seeley Lake. We have faced a threatening fire for multiple weeks while under an evacuation warning for most of the time, only to have an evacuation become a reality for many. On top of this our community endured a long period of unrelenting smoke. From our situation in Montana we have also watched increasing wildfires spread through the Northwest stretching firefighting resources to the limit. There were also devastating hurricanes affecting the lives of so...
While the Savior was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, some scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Him who was guilty of adultery: They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that...
Psalm 39:4 “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is.” We have no guarantee of life tomorrow--let alone of living a long life. At some time, either death will come to us or Jesus will return to bring an end to life on this earth as we know it. God has numbered our days but has not revealed that time to us. Your life could be over at any time. We need to be ready to meet our Maker (Amos 4:12). Friend, please take heed. None of us is assured of even one more hour of life...
How’s your JQ (Joy Quotient). Jesus prayed for his Disciples “...that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” Paul prayed, “...that I might finish my course. With joy.” In Galatians 5:22, Paul lists joy as one of the gifts of the Spirit. So clearly God wants us to share in His joy. Yet Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, spells out four things that can rob us of our joy. They are: 1) Circumstances, 2) People, 3) Things and 4) Worry. Who among us has not allowed one or more of these to rob us of our joy? Yet Paul does not leave us...
Shibui and Shibusa are related Japanese terms that are not easily definable, but basically describe something that is outwardly very simple, basic and beautiful in perception/appearance, but within which lie subtle but increasing complexities that are only appreciated and perceived over time, giving a “depth” that cannot be seen or known at first glance. To some, God’s Word may appear to be similar to any other book, with black letters printed on white paper. But when we realize Who the author is, and that these are not just a collection of wor...
It has been a hectic week, filled with uncertainty, upheaval, flames and smoke. If you live or recreate in Seeley Lake, you know exactly what I am talking about. If you do not live or recreate in Seeley Lake, you probably still know what I am talking about as our normally sleepy small town community has become a headline story as we face the very real threat of a wildfire sweeping through our homes, businesses and property. So far, due to God’s grace and providence and His gifting to men and women the ability and willingness to fight fire, w...
“I’m praying not only for them But also for those who will believe in me Because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind— Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, So they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, So they’ll be as unified and together as we are— I in them and you in me. Then they’ll be mature in this oneness, And give the godless...
From the Bible, we come to discover the descriptions of Who God is, or His attributes. Not only do we have an understanding about God, we also gain a deeper appreciation of how we can trust in God. I want to highlight the attribute that God is eternal. This means that God is not created but has always existed. There is no beginning and no end to God…the Lord exists outside of time and limits. The world around us and the visible universe is our reference for what exists. I was born in a c...
In the book of Matthew, Jesus taught, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Here we learn a powerful lesson—that it is impossible to orient ourselves towards Christ without having an unselfish attitude toward others. How can we develop this attitude of unselfishness? It has to start with the simple choices that we make every day. It has been said that the gate of history turns on small hinges and so do people’s lives. The choices we make determine our destiny. Joshua of old declare...
One of the most challenging actions a person can take is to thoroughly examine themselves in the light of Scripture. Isn’t it always easier to point out the shortcomings of others rather than truly recognize the problems with ourselves? Self-examination is a Biblical principal. 2 Corinthians 13:5 states: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-unless, of course, you fail the test?” Jesus made it very plain that self-inspection is part of the Christian life when...
As of this reading, the Fourth of July will by now have passed. Many others have written far better than I can hope to about the meaning and relevance of this and other holidays in modern day America but still I couldn’t help but think of how surprisingly similar some aspects were even in the years not too far passed in our country’s birth, especially with respect to those who were part of it. Two of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were Benjamin Rush and John Adams, who had a deep friendship. In just over three decades after that...
One of the more important aspects of a happy and meaningful life deals with relationship. Both personal and interpersonal and perhaps most importantly, our spiritual relationship. In case you hadn’t noticed it, both the Old and New Testaments point out God’s desire to have a very special relationship with His people. Many of these relationships were indicated by the names by which God’s people knew Him. For example: the name El Elohim points to the covenant relationship God has with His people. The name El Shaddai (God Almighty) points to th...
I write this as Father’s Day is drawing to an end. You won’t be reading it for another few days, or possibly later than that, but I still found myself reflecting on my father today and decided to share a bit with you. My father was a great father. He still is! He is a godly man who loves the Lord with his whole heart and has played an active role in the lives of my sister and I while loving us unconditionally. I respect him greatly, love him dearly, cherish my many wonderful childhood memories of him, and continue to look forward to the tim...
“We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jew or Greek, or slave or free, and we all were given one Spirit to drink.” (1 Corinthians 12:13 Common English Bible) When I was in grade school we’d play a game called, “Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego?” It was a game designed to teach us world geography and increase our appreciation for the world’s many peoples and cultures. Carmen San Diego could travel anywhere and do anything and we had to use our knowledge of her and the...
I have been talking through the attributes of God, the descriptions of Who God is and how God relates to humanity. I want to share about the attribute of God’s mercy. To show mercy is to not give what would normally be deserved. Occasionally those in prison are pardoned and allowed to be released without having served their entire sentence. They are shown mercy, to receive something other than what was originally deserved. Not only does God act with mercy towards humanity, His mercy is part o...
Last February, the Oroville Dam in California had a problem with its spillway that eventually threatened the integrity of the dam and led to the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents downstream. Although a major catastrophe was avoided, the event served as a warning to the problem of aging infrastructure in our country. I believe the event also can provide an analogy to problems that can arise in our lives if we allow sin a foothold. The problem with the Oroville spillway started as just a small area of the concrete broke loose as...
What’s that you say? When it comes time for you to go you said, “I’m not going!” Well friend, guess what? We’re all going, whether we want to or not. How we accept the inevitable depends a lot on our understanding about this life and the possibility of something hereafter. If you think, “This is it, nothing more,” I can feel your despair. We have so much information available to us that tells us just the opposite. We should approach this event as it is intended. Our history, scriptures, personal faith and our experiences witness to our soul t...
Here I’m speaking not of the call to salvation, the “greatest call” outlined in Romans 10:9, “That is you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” For that is the call of Christianity itself. No, here I speak of the great call to all who have already accepted the call to Christianity. Jesus mentions it when asked to tell what was “The greatest commandment.” He mentioned it in verse 38 of Matthew 22. He first says in verse 37, “Love the Lord your God with all yo...
Richard Hext was born into an impoverished family with crippled hands and feet. After four years and 10 surgeries, he was eventually able to stand upright but unfortunately was never able to use his hands. However, a nurse had taught him to use his mouth to write and from this he developed a love for art as well. After attending an academy for seven years, he was able to fulfill his dream of becoming a painter. Such was his skill and love for his work that he gained a notable place in the world of English art, with some of his paintings...
My wife Emily and I watched the 5k race back in 2008 as a part of the Fargo Marathon festivities. SEVEN THOUSAND people crammed the course – seemingly on top of one another – to run the 3.1-mile race. The first place finisher clocked a time of 16 minutes and 30 seconds. The last place finisher hadn’t approached even a half mile by the time the winner crossed the tape. And while I was impressed by the person who took first place – I was blown away by those who finished near #7,000. As the pack really thinned, the fans dissipated. The walkers...
How can we as members of a family, a church, a community and a country help improve the world around us? Everywhere we look we see poverty, loneliness, fear, sadness, sleaze and filth, broken homes and hopelessness, abused children and parents who are stressed to the limit as they struggle to care for their families. In our schools and with our children we have rebellion and bullying and disrespect and the attitude that I want and deserve everything now! What just happened with our last election where the world around us exploded into hatred...
My wife and I love our walks in Montana. We get out every day if possible, even if that means snowshoes. It has become as much a spiritual exercise as it is physical. It is becoming, more and more, a prayer walk. I wonder what it would be like to ‘walk with’ God. It’s a recurring theme in the Bible, all the way back to Genesis 3:8. Despite the disconnect between us and God, we read that Enoch, Noah and Abraham all did just that, all walked with God. Just yesterday, I walked with my wife. She’s not God but she’s godly, wise and soulful....
