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"Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."

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"Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! ... Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it' (Genesis 28). We fickle humans place such an emphasis on the high points of life that we tend to miss the little points along the way. All too often we bypass the waysides of life, attempting to scurry around the monotonous and less luxurious moments of day-to-day life, in search of the firework displays and emotional highs. But our Lord works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.
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Division

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"On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family" (Acts 4:5-6). Only days before this moment, Jesus was with his disciples on the mount before he left them and ascended into heaven; it was only a short time ago that Jesus exhorted his followers to preach the gospel to all people because all authority had been given to him exclusively.
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What is God's Will for My Life?

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(Image courtesy of https://registrar.eku.edu.) Currently, high school seniors are rushing around trying to decide what college they should attend in the fall. If they have any thought of God, they are probably asking, “What is God’s will for my life?” What is at the root of this question? For some, it could be their pursuit of happiness. For others it might be a true desire to please God even if that means sacrificing their desires. Still, the very nature of this question – what is God’s will for my life? – is ambiguous, as allusive as Sasquatch. I don’t think current Christian culture is helping the matter either.
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Categories of Conscience: Guarding Against Sin in the Name of Christian Liberty

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In recent weeks, we have been studying Romans 14 and the so-called “gray areas” of Christian liberty and conscience. The “gray areas” are truly morally neutral positions that are, in and of themselves, amoral; however, due to past teaching or experience, someone views the issue as sinful, even though it’s not.
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Liberation Theology is Not the Gospel

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Since officially recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976, February has been a month dedicated to the achievements and advancements of black Americans. This isn’t necessarily a problem, unless you want to have unity in your nation based on shared values and experiences of simply being American, regardless of skin color. Morgan Freeman, a well-known and accomplished black actor, said in a 60-Minutes interview in 2005 that black history month is an “insult” and “ridiculous.” “You’re going to relegate my history to a month?” he famously quipped. Freeman emphasized the reality that black history is intertwined into American history and criticized the concept for celebrating separation. When I taught history at a Wisconsin private school, I was asked what I was going to focus on for the month of February. When I stated that I would be teaching what was presented in the history book, I was met with criticism. I responded by stating, “Regardless of the month, I am teaching through the...
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The Enemy is in The Camp

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  While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.” And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand and went after the man of Israel into the cha...
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Festina Lente

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(Image courtesy of europeanbestdestinations.com.) Looking at the castles and cathedrals that are still in existence today, I marvel. The giant, stone castles, the rocks green with ivy and mildew, still impose a menacing presence. The ancient cathedrals with their high ceilings, smooth marble stonework, and acoustical feat shout “God is glorious!” As I was meditating on the vast spectacle that these societal and spiritual fortresses still impress on us today, I was struck with this cliché: “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” The age-old castles of the English, Scottish, and Normans – the castles we read about in stories from the Motherland – took decades to complete. One king may start the task and another may complete it; or one king may build a small fortress only to have it improved by a future king. The same can be said of the cathedrals. The men of old were not given to haste, whereby their dreams would only fizzle and fade rapidly. Hewing stone, transporting it, and then setting it in...
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