Pregnant Mary left town quickly
“As soon as she could, Mary got out of town. She took to the hills and went to a town in Judea. When she arrived at the home of Zechariah, Elizabeth welcomed her.” Luke 1:39-40 Casual English Bible
Genesis, it’s new again
I’M FINALLY DONE with the Genesis leader’s guide and atlas I’ve been working on since summertime. It’s for my newest project, the Casual English Bible website. I had to split this edition of the small-group Bible study because …
Reporting back on my Thanksgiving adventure
I HAD NO INTENTION of writing a blog article on the topic of what I did on Thanksgiving. But some folks who read the article I wrote and posted for Thanksgiving morning said they wanted a report. Well, okay. But heads up, this involves kids who …
Jesus expands his family
When people told Jesus his mother and brothers had come to see him, he said, “Anyone who hears and obeys the message from God that I’m delivering, those people are my mother and my brothers.” Luke 8:21 Casual English Bible
Paul’s wildly different uses of the “T” word
OUT OF THANKSGIVING CURIOSITY, I went to the Casual English Bible and typed “thank” into the search bar. Paul offered a nice assortment of uses of the word from which to choose, depending on your mood. Angry “Thank God I didn’t baptize any of you …
My Thanksgiving adventure coming this week
THIS THANKSGIVING I’m home alone with three dogs. Our daughter’s family will be out of town, visiting her husband’s side of the clan, which is why I’ll have two extra dogs. Our son will be doing the same, with his wife’s parents and the …
Ladies who bankrolled Jesus
“Women traveled with Jesus and his 12 disciples. One of the women was Mary, nicknamed Magdalene…Then there was Joanna, wife of Chuza, who was one of King Herod’s administrative officials. Susanna went with him, too, along with many other women who …
How Christian is “America First?”
“AMERICA FIRST” isn’t just a slogan for our current political administration. It has been around for at least a century. President Woodrow Wilson pitched it during the 1916 election. It was even the name of an isolationist political party at the end …
When it feels wrong to be grateful
I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA when I heard that our church was going to have a sermon series about gratitude. Then I found out that we’re making our annual pledges for financial support during that sermon series. As in, “Let’s see how grateful you …
Spend time thinking on good things
“Focus on good things. Let your mind dwell on whatever’s true. Whatever’s honorable. Whatever’s just. Whatever’s pure. Whatever’s lovely. Whatever’s commendable. If you come across anything worth praising, let your mind spend time there.” …
Bible women sexually exploited
I HOPE I DON’T GET IN TROUBLE AGAIN. But it might happen. Flak might fly. The problem is in the timing. What I’m about to do might be poorly timed. Or maybe it’ll be well timed. I’m not sure which. I know the safe thing to do. Nothing. That’s almost …
“She bathed his feet with her tears”
“There was a woman in town who had a bad reputation; everyone knew she was a sinner. She heard that Jesus was in town…She went there, taking an alabaster jar of perfume…She started crying so much that she bathed his feet with her tears.” Luke 7:37-38 …
