Setbacks, tragedies, and worries were raining down, and I was devastated. So, what did I do? I turned to Job. The courage of Job’s faith inspires me afresh each time I return to his story.
Job for comfort and challenge
Tag: Bible
Naboth’s vineyard
Ahab is seen as one of Israel’s worst kings. He was a liar, a cheat, and a bully, but the incident vineyard of Naboth's is the only recorded example of corruption that could get him impeached today. It is an object lesson in how temptation works.
Bible in a Year
Encouragement and hints to aid familiarisation with the WHOLE Bible - plus a link to download a FREE personal Bible Reading Record.
Achan and Ai
The story of Achan can be uncomfortable reading. His condemntation was harsh, but was it just?
Adam and evolution
Stop reading?Evolution or Genesis – do we have to make a choice? Some people are sensitive to any questioning of the literal accuracy of the Bible’s creation story. Others are anxious to crush any thought of God under the hammer of evolutionary theory. If either of those statements describes you, perhaps you should stop reading … Continue reading Adam and evolution
Why is Leviticus so bloody?
Dead Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, STOP! How many resolutions to read the Bible come to a halt at the third book? Leviticus can be a difficult read. It’s repetitious, its culture seems alien, and there’s so much blood. Why? Burnt offerings, fellowship offerings, sin offerings – all of them produced lots of blood and all ended … Continue reading Why is Leviticus so bloody?
A church like Bethany
To declare that Jesus wasn’t a Christian is not just a familiar truism – Christ couldn’t be a follower of Christ. But I want to challenge another oft-repeated truism. People say, with apparent wisdom, that Jesus didn’t found the church. I disagree – and Bethany is part of my reasoning. Most Christians believe that the … Continue reading A church like Bethany
Five Questions about the Transfiguration
If this isn’t the strangest story in the gospels, it must come close. Apart from the unusual setting, the limited audience, the peculiar light, and the mysterious appearance of two long-dead men, Jesus capped the mystery by telling his companions not to tell anyone what they’d seen.
In the face of such an extraordinary story the shortage of apostolic references to it is surprising and provokes several questions.
Fundamental relief
Fundamentalism is a risky strategy for maintaining faith in the Bible because one tiny hole in a rigid belief system could deflate the entire balloon.
