Image: Almond blossoms. When men enter their most bitter conflicts, how do they resolve them? When men fight over land, religion, power, and money, what tool do they use to determine the winner? DEATH. We’re talking about war, of course. Yes, we try to negotiate. We try to work out our differences. The worst ofContinue reading “God Uses LIFE to Resolve Conflicts Among His People: You Will Know Them By Their Fruits. Numbers 17.”
Category Archives: You shall know them by their fruit
Heroes and Villains. Jeremiah 42:19-22.
Old western movies employed the hat-color device: good guys wore white hats and bad guys wore black hats. There is even a Wikipedia page discussing the trope.[1] But the reality is not always so simple, particularly in the Bible. These are real people, not fictional characters, and the heroes seem to let us down atContinue reading “Heroes and Villains. Jeremiah 42:19-22.”
Words Spoken for a Word-Lover: RICK BUSH AND THE HOUND OF HEAVEN. Psalm 139:7-8.
Pictured: Rick Bush in 2011, holding his newborn twin boys. In June of 2001, Houston was hit by Tropical Storm Allison. Everything was flooding and destruction. No one could work. I had not seen my friend Rick in a while, so I called him and arranged lunch. Rick and I had met in the fallContinue reading “Words Spoken for a Word-Lover: RICK BUSH AND THE HOUND OF HEAVEN. Psalm 139:7-8.”
HOW DO YOU SPOT A CONVERT? Romans 11:7-8.
Only God can judge a man’s heart. But we can observe signs. Does the tree bear good fruit? Jesus says only a good tree can bear good fruit. Jesus also said people will know you are His disciple by your love. But even bad people love those who love them. And idolators can string togetherContinue reading “HOW DO YOU SPOT A CONVERT? Romans 11:7-8.”
Some People LOVE Rules. John 9:16.
Some of us find our security in rules. Social rules—both written and unwritten, etiquette rules, grammar rules, rules on the job—there are rules for everything, and believe it or not, there are those among us who crave rules. Rules provide security. If I know the rules and follow the rules, the result I want isContinue reading “Some People LOVE Rules. John 9:16.”
How to Discern Truth About People. John 7; Matthew 7:16.
As we were promised in the 1990s, the internet has created an information superhighway. Trouble is, much of that information is unreliable. Some subjects are easy to handle. You can verify scientific and medical facts by tracking down reliable authorities. The same is true for history and other traditional school subjects. But other topics doContinue reading “How to Discern Truth About People. John 7; Matthew 7:16.”
BAD FRUIT/GOOD FRUIT. Matthew 7:16-17.
Some bear only good fruit. With them I am energized and restored, my tank filled, my joy renewed. These are believers who have walked with Jesus for a lifetime. Others are in the middle: their impact may be sweet, but sour notes remain. Finally, there are those who take you to dark places, though everyContinue reading “BAD FRUIT/GOOD FRUIT. Matthew 7:16-17.”
Pray for Discernment. Matthew 7:15-17, 20.
One of the toughest challenges of modern life is knowing whom to trust. Whom can you date? Whom can you trust with your secrets? Whom can you hire? Whom can you elect? Which preacher is worthy of your attention? Which reporter or news organization can you trust to give you all sides of complex stories?Continue reading “Pray for Discernment. Matthew 7:15-17, 20.”
Household Words: 