“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  And everyone went to their own town to register.” (Luke 23:1-3 NIV) Rome. One of the world empires mentioned in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2:31-45.  Caesar…

As part of our swim classes, our students play lifeguard as we teach water safety. We pose the question, “How do you save someone from drowning?” Their method typically involves leaning over to offer a hand or an object the victim can grab in order to pull them to safety. When the student does this,…

I love Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving helps us to remember, it’s bigger than us. Thanksgiving helps us to remember, it’s not even about us. Could there be any better prep for Christmas? A refocusing on the big picture before Christmas goes into full swing on Black Friday? In 1 Chronicles 23, King David worked with the Levitical…

Mary held the bottle with trembling hands. She’d planned this for weeks. Martha saw her, smiled, and nodded. Deep voices bantered over sweet figs and salty cheese. Mary slipped into the room and knelt behind Jesus. The men reclining at the table gave her little more than a nod. Until she broke the flask. The…

Flocks of lambs frolic, bleat, and bleed their way through Scripture. Old Testament fathers paint the doorframes with the blood of the first Passover lambs. Priests butcher lambs, following Moses’ instructions to the letter for sacrificial atonement. Fast forward to the New Testament. A roughly clad figure in need of a haircut points a grubby…

I love movie trailers, and as a writer, I know good ones use foreshadowing. God mastered the art of foreshadowing long ago. Let’s look at the preview of thorns He gave us in Genesis: “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will…

Told you so. Words Peter never heard. Jesus had warned him. “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31 NIV) Talk about failure. Peter had blown it. Big time.…

“ ‘What do you think?’ ‘He is worthy of death,’ they answered.” Matthew 26:66 NIV Worthy. We define it as good. Deserving of respect, praise, or attention. Having value. Estimable. Meritorious. Somehow, I don’t think that’s what the Sanhedrin meant, like Inigo Montoya to Vizzini in The Princess Bride, “You keep using that word. I do…

It’s my fault. When we had children, I prayed for strong wills. My thinking was, once they were properly trained, our kids would not waver in their allegiance to God. But, oh, the training. Isaiah 14 hosts the “I will” passage, the one where Satan declares the desires of his heart: “I will ascend to…

Workout for the Week: Worship Worthy Memory Verse: Matthew 2:10-11b Meditation Passage: Choose one from below. Key Thought: Jesus was worthy of worship at the first Christmas, and He is worthy still. Our Christmas carols ring with worship. Can you identify these carols? “O come let us adore Him.” “Born is the king of Israel.”…