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The Cyrus Cylinder
In 1879, archaeologists discovered a remarkable little item in an area now known as Iraq (biblical Babylon). Just 9 inches long, the Cyrus Cylinder records something that King Cyrus of Persia did 2,500 years ago. It says that Cyrus allowed a group of people to return to their homeland and rebuild their “holy cities.”
It’s the same story told in Ezra 1. There we read that “the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia” to make a proclamation (v. 1). And in that proclamation, Cyrus said he was releasing the captives in Babylon to go home to Jerusalem,…
Putting unfairness into a proper perspective
When you listen to the news or read about world events, do you ever get angry at how unfair life can be? Don’t miss the discussion today as we conclude our series on Psalm 73.
Craving A Father’s Love
I always feel a tinge of envy whenever I see a doting father chatting and laughing with his child. I have never had such happy memories. When I was 11 years old, my parents divorced after my father had an affair.
Rescuing the Reluctant
Many years ago during a water safety class, we were taught how to save a drowning person who is resisting rescue. “Approach the person from behind,” the instructor told us. “Place one arm across the person’s chest and flailing arms, and swim toward safety. If you approach from the front, the person may grab you and pull both of you down.” Panic and fear can paralyze the ability to think and act wisely.
When two angels sent by God came to rescue Lot and his family from the impending destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:12-13), they…
Learning to Accept My Broken Family
“My biggest mistake in life is marrying you!” Since I was in kindergarten, I would often hear my parents hurl that statement at each other; they fought right before our eyes.
Do you need a place of escape?
We all need a place of safety to run to, a place where we can find shelter from the storms of life. Join us today as we discover a true sanctuary from trouble in Psalm 55.
Are you trying to run the other way?
Faced with growing stress and mounting troubles, a typical response is to try and run the other way. Today we’ll take a closer look at Psalm 55, which describes David’s wish to escape his problems. Is that where you are?
Understanding the silence of God
Hardships and troubles can make a lot of noise in our lives, but it seems like it makes it worse when we feel like God is staying quiet! Join us as we continue studying Psalm 55 and David’s plea, “God, please talk to me!”
Shopping with Liam
My son Liam loves to pick dandelions for his mother. To date, she hasn’t wearied of receiving them. One man’s weed is a little boy’s flower.
One day I took Liam shopping with me. As we hurried past the floral section, he pointed excitedly to an arrangement of yellow tulips. “Daddy,” he exclaimed, “you should get those dandelions for Mommy!” His advice made me laugh. It made a pretty good Facebook post on his mother’s page too. (By the way, I bought the tulips.)
Some see in weeds a reminder of Adam’s sin. By eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve brought…
A Loving Father
The parents were obviously weary from dragging their two energetic preschoolers through airports and airplanes, and now their final flight was delayed. As I watched the two boys running around the crowded gate area, I wondered how Mom and Dad were going to keep the little guys settled down for our half-hour flight into Grand Rapids. When we finally boarded, I noticed that the father and one of the sons were in the seats behind me. Then I heard the weary father say to his son, “Why don’t you let me read one of your storybooks to you.” And during…
The God who knows everything about us and loves us anyway!
We often feel the need to put on masks and hide ourselves from other people. Yet, Jesus invites us to come to Him as we really are. As we wrap up our discussion on Hebrews, special guest Dr. Sid Buzzell encourages us to know the God who knows everything about us and loves us anyway.
Look at the Tassels
Best-selling author Chaim Potok began his novel The Chosen by describing a baseball game between two Jewish teams in New York City. Reuven Malter, the book’s main character, notices that the opposing players’ uniforms have a unique accessory—four long ropelike tassels that extend below each teammate’s shirt. Reuven recognizes the tassels as a sign of strict obedience to God’s Old Testament laws.
The history of these fringes—known as tzitzit—began with a message from God. Through Moses, God told His people to create tassels containing some strands of blue thread and attach them to the four corners of their top garments (Num.…
The comfort of knowing that Jesus knows everything
What if someone could hear your every thought, see your every action, or experience your every emotion? Scary idea, right? Well, join us on “Discover the Word” today as we continue our study in Hebrews and talk about how Jesus knows everything about us, but that’s not necessarily scary. It’s a great encouragement!
