Keeping Up Appearances

Honor in this culture is something worth defending and maintaining. I would argue that it is so in every culture.

Heman’s Legacy

Heman and his assistants all served as worship leaders side by side with their sons. Nearly twenty chapters we will learn that Heman has fourteen sons who all followed in the footsteps of their father. What a legacy.

Memorial

What are some of the milestones in your past? What are some moments of transition or transformation that have shaped you for the better into who you are today? How has time and change and geography separated to from those events? What are you doing about it?

The Ten C’s

I’ve read recently that those claiming to be “spiritual but not religious” are actually performing an act of linguistic terrorism. They are placing themselves in a position where they can snipe and criticize others while avoiding any stand of their own. In the desire to feel good about themselves, they are also avoiding any attempt at truth.

Exodus 34:20 (Empty Hands)

No one is to appear before me empty-handed. (Exodus 34:20) Read: Exodus 34:1 – 35:9, Matthew 27:15-31, Psalm 33:12-22, Proverbs 9:1-6 Relate: From what I have read, the Japanese concept of gift giving, “chugen” (chu-gane), is a very important aspect of their culture. Phil Van Auken of Baylor University describes it as “giving until it hurts”. The gift…

The One Jesus Loved

The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?” (John 13:22-25) Read: Ezra 4:7-23, 7:1 – 8:36 Relate: The…

All of Me

When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter…