Archive for November 2020

In keeping with the Bible reading plan we are using, the last days of each month are designated as “free days.” November 26-30 then are intended to allow you to catch up on reading you may have missed or to study passages more in depth that intrigued you during the first 25 days of the month.…

Each year, Americans (and Canadians, but that happens at a different time of the year) gather for “Thanksgiving.” And, of course, the point of such a gathering is to remind each other to give thanks. This year, I suspect, such a reminder will feel particularly poignant. Are we really meant to give thanks during Covid? I, like…

Daniel 10-12, Job 22, John 13:31-38, Jude 17-25  Daniel 10-12:  Daniel’s vision of a “man” is powerful, frightening, glorious:  I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his…

Daniel 9, Job 21:22-34, John 13:18-30, Jude 8-16  Daniel 9: Daniel’s prayer is more than worthy of emulation. First, he discerns a clear promise in Scripture (9:2). This is a principle for us to apply: once we have discovered in the Bible a word from God, a promise from God, then utilize that promise in our prayers to…

Daniel 7-8,  Job 21:1-21,  John 13:12-17,  Jude 1-7  Daniel 7-8: Some aspects of these next two chapters are difficult, and as we approach this part of Daniel perhaps we are tempted to think that discretion is the better part of valor when it comes to reading them (let alone interpreting them). We may have sympathy…

Daniel 5-6, Job 20, John 13:1-11, 3 John 1-14 Daniel 5-6: Two famous stories—so well known that sayings from them and motifs about them have entered into common parlance and conversation even still today. First, “the writing on the wall” (Daniel 5). Belshazzar, son of Nebuchadnezzar, is proud; what is more, he arrogantly calls for the vessels taken out of…

Daniel 3-4, Job 19, John 12:37-50, 2 John 1-13  Daniel 3-4: Two famous stories. First, the fiery furnace. The king makes an image of gold and commands everyone to worship it or else be thrown into a fiery furnace (3:1-7). The Jews are accused for failing to engage in such idol worship (3:8-12), and so they are thrown…

There is hope. Three simple words—and yet distinctly Christian and essentially relevant today. Most of what we read about and think about nowadays is filled with dystopian visions of the future, not hope-filled dreams. Our futurology fears the impact of technology, the downgrade of culture, the nefarious nightmares of false religion, fake religion, or no…