It is easy to imagine the prophets as charismatic heroes, as if they were celebrities or movie stars. I picture them something like Charlton Heston playing Moses in the old TEN COMMANDMENTS movie. In my mind’s eye, each prophet—Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and others—is a great orator, a handsome, bearded man standing on a rock, robesContinue reading “Diminish Not a Word. Jeremiah 26:2.”
Category Archives: integrity/honesty/truth
He is Coming With a Plumbline in His Hand. Amos 7:8.
Not long after moving to the country, I decided to build a tree house. Officially it was going to be a two-story deck built around the trunk of a massive tree. My neighbor had given me several round poles that were about 16’ long, and at his insistence, I began building a frame with them.Continue reading “He is Coming With a Plumbline in His Hand. Amos 7:8.”
Marathons, Mentors, and Fathers. 2 Kings 2:9.
Image from The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc., ISRAEL MY GLORY, March/April of 2020, available online at https://israelmyglory.org/?issue=march-april-2020 Have you had a great mentor? Not everyone has. When I was a young man, I was privileged to have two mentors during my college years. I found the process useful: it was great to haveContinue reading “Marathons, Mentors, and Fathers. 2 Kings 2:9.”
Naysayers and Yes-Men. 2 Chronicles 18:17.
Which is worse, an irritating naysayer or an easy-going yes-man? Executives must be wary of both. My father was a deacon. He took confidentiality seriously, never repeating at home anything that had been discussed at a deacons’ meeting. However, he did make one comment about one of his fellow deacons. He said Earl (not hisContinue reading “Naysayers and Yes-Men. 2 Chronicles 18:17.”
DON’T DOUBLE DOWN! 1 Samuel 14:44.
In 2023, New York attorney Steven A. Schwartz represented an airline passenger allegedly injured after being struck by a beverage cart. In March of 2023, Schwartz filed a brief that cited the following case: Varghese v. China Southern Airlines Co Ltd., 925 F.3d 1339 (11th Cir. 2019). The problem? There is no Varghese v. ChinaContinue reading “DON’T DOUBLE DOWN! 1 Samuel 14:44.”
ARE YOU A TERMITE OR A FIRE ANT? 1 Timothy 5:24.
Are you a termite or a fire ant? When termites grow wings, come to the surface, and take flight, the inexperienced may mistake them for winged ants. Ants may sting, but homeowners who have faced both ants and termites can tell you: ants are an easier problem than termites. If you’ve encountered fire ants, aContinue reading “ARE YOU A TERMITE OR A FIRE ANT? 1 Timothy 5:24.”
THE SOCIAL DILEMMA. 2 Corinthians 13:1.
Just when television was about to replace the newspaper, the computer came along and replaced them both. Before the phrase “broadcast news” could dethrone “the press,” “the media” made both terms obsolete. In the beginning, everyone was excited: the internet would be a “democratizing force,” because EVERYONE could have a microphone and get their messageContinue reading “THE SOCIAL DILEMMA. 2 Corinthians 13:1.”
Pontius Pilate: Man Without Integrity. John 18:38.
What sort of man was Pontius Pilate? Bible scholars believe he was assigned to Israel, not a place any Roman hoped to be, and he was motivated to keep his superiors happy by keeping the peace. He was a politician, willing to do whatever looked best at the time, and if he had doubts, heContinue reading “Pontius Pilate: Man Without Integrity. John 18:38.”
Your I.Q. is NOT Your Most Important Trait. John 14:26.
We are obsessed with measuring, quantifying, and labeling. The minute a child is born—literally the first minute—we give him a TEST! The APGAR test allows nurses to evaluate a newborn’s health by examining his Appearance, Pulse, Grimace (reflexes), Activity, and Respiration. The APGAR test is given one minute after birth, and again five minutes afterContinue reading “Your I.Q. is NOT Your Most Important Trait. John 14:26.”
BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART. Revelation 14:4-5.
Do you hear stories of those who have participated in every sin the world offers, then come to Jesus and seem to share the most exciting testimonies? Do you read about King David who—as if being king were not reward enough—also had 1,000 beautiful wives? (The Bible does not say all 1,000 were beautiful, butContinue reading “BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART. Revelation 14:4-5.”
Household Words: 