The Mark of Cain: a blessing
“The Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him” (Genesis 4:15 NLT). This mark wasn’t bad or shameful or punishment. It was a mark of mercy. A Visual Walk Through Genesis, page 45.
Why won’t people just agree with me?
ANYONE FOLLOWING POLITICS this year is upset—with the exception of those folks on medication or in love. Personally, I’d like very much to shake some sense into selected friends and relatives of mine. It would be great if that technique would work …
Sometimes we can’t even speak the truth in love
LET’S SAY I think one of the humans running for the most important job on the planet is a self-serving, sociopathic, xenophobic, narcissist. Or maybe I think the politician is someone who will lie, cheat, and steal—basically say anything or do just …
Thumbs down on Cain
Two theories about why God accepted Abel’s offering of an animal but rejected Cain’s offering of crops. (1) Abel brought a premium offering; Cain brought the discount offering. (2) Abel had the right motive; Cain didn’t. A Visual Walk Through …
When the Bible changes my heartrate
SOMETIMES WHEN I READ THE BIBLE something moves me – enough that it produces a warm feeling in my chest. It happened again this week. I was working on my emerging Bible paraphrase, the Casual English Bible, and I was reading about Paul’s Farewell …
Fear not: Christian response to terror?
TERRORISM HAS COME TOO CLOSE to home this summer. Twice for me. Remember the retired school teacher knifed to death in London on Thursday, August 4: Darlene Horton? I graduated from high school with her and with her husband, Richard Wagner, a psych …
Earth’s first dead animal
The world’s first dead animal, as the Bible reports it, died to pay for the sins of Adam and Eve. After the couple sinned and realized they were naked, God covered them with animal skins. A Visual Walk Through Genesis, page 41.
Uncomfortable question about goddess Artemis
IT’S THE FIRST QUESTION anyone would ask after seeing a picture of Artemis, the goddess of Ephesus, one of the four largest cities in the Roman Empire. What are those bumps sticking out in front? Here’s the answer: Only the dead know. I have heard …
Have you ever done this before?
HAVE YOU EVER found yourself working from, lets say 8 in the morning until 7 at night, only to realize you had one more thing to do? Something, let’s say, that usually takes a couple of hours. Like, I don’t know, writing a blog article. I …
Joseph’s 7-year drought in Egypt
During a drought in 1847 BC, the century many believed Joseph lived as Pharaoh’s man in charge of grain reserves during a seven-year drought, five nomads showed up starving at an Egyptian fort. “The desert is dying of hunger,” they …
Bible Paul was a blunt gent
PAUL, THE BIBLE GUY, WAS BLUNT as all get out. I got reminded of that recently, while paraphrasing Acts. I’m planning to add Acts to the Casual English Bible website, which I’ve targeted to Bible newcomers. See if you don’t agree that Paul sounds …
My one and only book dedication
I’M SURPRISED no one has asked me for the story behind the odd dedication I wrote in my newest book, A Visual Walk Through Genesis. Maybe nobody reads book dedications. But I want you to read this one. It’s important. I’ve written scores of books in …