A word of advice to the preacher
THE MORE YOU TALK, the more likely you are to say something dumb. Be smart. Don’t talk so much. Proverbs 10:19, Steve’s Bible Translation See also the New Living Translation.
Advice for young men on the prowl
AS I STOOD AT THE WINDOW of my house looking out through the shutters, Watching the mindless crowd stroll by, I spotted a young man without any sense Arriving at the corner of the street where she lived, then turning up the path to her house. It was …
A right fine place to get advice
I’m taking a break for a few days. But I’ll leave you in the care of wise counsel. Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one …
When neighbors can’t get along
I’LL NOT KEEP YOU IN SUSPENSE. When we can’t get along with our neighbor, we should get along little doggie. Give them their space. Elbow room. Six-foot privacy fence. It’s okay. Jesus said so. Here are three versions of what he said. …
World Cup soccer theology
I HOPE THE LADY who sold me a cedar fence doesn’t read this blog. I wouldn’t want to get her employees in trouble. As I type this, Mexico and Brazil are playing World Cup soccer. When I went downstairs for a late lunch, I turned on the TV. I knew …
Does God regret creating us?
THIS BIBLE QUESTION caught me off guard. I invited readers to tell me what one question they would ask God if they got the chance. Here’s the question from Brenda Savidge (who gets a free book for her trouble; Brenda, email me): Since God knows …
A Father’s Day gift to the kids
BOTH DADS ARE DEAD. The father who raised me. The father-in-law who became my friend when I married his daughter. Father’s Day reminds me of this, which makes it like Memorial Day. A time to remember. Dad on the phone 800 miles away, talking me …
Why the good die young
EVER WONDER why our favorite relatives and friends often seem to die first, leaving us with the Grinch who stole Christmas, Cruella de Vil, and the Wicked Witch of the West? Conventional Christian wisdom might explain it this way. God wants sweet …
Where did the devil come from?
YOUNG GALS WHAT TO KNOW. It’s the Bible Question of the Week, and it comes from Christina Smith Wise, who is passing along a question some young ladies asked during a church confirmation class. For her trouble, Christina gets a free book if she would …
Why I have to translate Bible scholars
I GOT AN EMAIL ALERT this week from the Religion News Service: “One of the most formidable figures in the world of Christian thought weighs in on hot topics such as natural disasters, homosexuality, and whether he thinks Christians can believe in …
Family reunion ahead; is that good?
ONE OF MY BIG REGRETS is that I moved 800 miles away from the rest of my family. I’d do it again, of course, because 800 miles away is where I met my wife and where we raised our daughter and son—my two best contributions to this world. I didn’t have …
Why did Bible-time men have so many wives?
WATCHING A COMEDY—The Big Bang Theory—I think I may have come up with the answer to this Bible Question of the Week. I got the question from LaVerne Tilson, a lady who has been on the planet long enough to deserve an honest answer to whatever …