In the New Testament, prophesying seems to function in three basic actions. One is announcing the future (Acts 11:28), one is commanding something to happen (Acts 3:6), and one is interpreting events or circumstances, either by use of a Scripture, a word from the Spirit of the Lord, or both (Acts 15:12-21). When His disciples asked Jesus to increase their […]
The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully,but are her feathers and plumage like the stork’s?She abandons her eggs on the groundand lets them be warmed in the sand.She forgets that a foot may crush themor that some wild animal may trample them.She treats her young harshly, as if they were not her own,with no fear that her labor may have […]
Being identified with some people is embarrassing. Wearing certain clothes, having a ratty vehicle, or having a certain job can be causes for feeling ashamed. People who are loud or foolish or gaudy giving the appearance of being with us can make us want to move away. When I was a young Marxist, I was an embarrassment to many people […]
Jesus avoided pointless warfare and misery (John 11:41-54). He rebuked Peter, though, for suggesting that He avoid sacrifice (Matthew 16:17-23). When we learn the differences between misery we have brought on ourselves by mistakes, misery that is simply torment of our enemies that sometimes doesn’t even need to be answered, and misery that is what Paul called “suffering for you”: […]
Unity among humans is profoundly powerful. Yahweh said that the fools who elected Nimrod as their leader could do anything they decided to do, because they had one mind and one language (Genesis 11). Unity in the body of Jesus is even more powerful than what is possible among mere humans! When pastors agree to move together on a project, […]
It is easier to rebuild a roof than a foundation. And you can’t build a roof first. And if you don’t build the foundation well, you will have problems. If you have been saved five years or more and have not read the Bible at least once, you are building on a foundation that could develop problems. If you are […]