One-third of our lives are spent at work. When you consider errands, chores, hobbies, or raising children, the percentage of our lives we spend working can be significantly higher than 30 percent.
Brad Lindner
Survival of the Sabbath
After all of His creating, God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1-3). The word used to describe God’s rest is the Hebrew word shabath and it’s where the word Sabbath originates from. The literal definition of Sabbath is to stop. God’s exclamation point on creation was a whole day to stop creating.
Millenia later, the Sabbath has all but disappeared from our collective consciousness. The fourth commandment to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Yet many of us even feel guilty for taking a day “off” yet no, or very little, guilt for working seven days a week.
Upside Down Authority
When you think of the word authority, what comes to mind? You might think of someone who used their authority to control or manipulate you. If that’s the case, the word authority may cause a negative reaction. But…
Following the Scent
Olfactory fatigue, more commonly known as nose blindness, occurs when we encounter a scent over and over again. Apparently, over time, the nerve that detects the scent stops sending electrical signals to our brains. After prolonged exposure to a particular aroma, we temporarily lose the ability to perceive the scent.
Judas Iscariot
In the middle of Holy Week, we celebrate another spy story. Yet, unlike the fictional stories of Jack Bauer and Perry the Platypus, the historical account of Judas Iscariot is neither heroic or entertaining.
Never Out Of Sight
I can become so preoccupied with my circumstances that it’s easy to forget God is with me. Too often, it’s only when I am shaken by the world that I desperately search for the safety of God’s presence.
Salvation Belongs to the Lord
Jonah is in an unbelievable situation, living three days and three nights in the belly of a giant fish. After Jonah disobeyed and ran away from God, it’s almost equally unbelievable that God would still pursue, rescue, and protect Jonah.
This is the Way
The words “fear of the Lord” appear over one hundred times in the Bible. But throughout scripture, God also tells his people not to fear. Is God contradicting Himself, or could the fear of the Lord mean something completely different than fear? As we discuss the...
It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas
We generally associate Christmas as being a season of joy and celebration, but many of us experience deep feelings of grief and loneliness during Christmas. That grief and loneliness grows as we tell ourselves we should be feeling positive emotions instead. If that’s...
Good Gifts and Good Works
Part I - Good Gifts Like many American children, I was raised with a strong faith in Santa Claus. And this faith taught me a lesson: good behavior is rewarded with the gifts of my dreams (thanks for the Nintendo, Santa!) and poor behavior is punished by withholding...