Tag: christian
-
Naomi’s Plan
1Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?2Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.3Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down…
-
Naomi’s Realization
17So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. 19And…
-
Naomi’s Pain
19So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21I went away full, and…
-
A Fool and a Rebuke
10A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.–Proverbs 17 This proverb is almost comical in its absurdity. But it serves to highlight the foolishness of the fool and the sense of the wise. How foolish must that fool be? My goodness! And that’s the point. A rebuke…
-
Basic Sovereignty
33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.–Proverbs 16 They cast a lot, or a type of dice, back in the day to secure answers to questions. I grew up hearing things like, “Heads, we do this. Tails, we do that.” Same principle. But this verse is a…
-
Intentional Speech
28The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.–Proverbs 15 I played a season on my college’s improv team. I was encouraged by friends who were current team players to try out, and I had just enough Chris Farley-esque physical comedy skills to make an…
-
The Great Balance
29Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.–Proverbs 14 Like many proverbs, here there is one of those playground things I grew up calling a “teeter-totter”. One one side is slowness to anger with his friend understanding. On the other side is a hasty temper and…
-
Just Add Salt
6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.–Colossians 4 When Paul wrote this to the Colossians, he had a Torah principle in mind. Let’s recall the command from Leviticus chapter 2. You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall…
-
The Greatest Intentionality
9…seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.–Colossians 3 As I journey with people who desire to change, I most always lead them through these verses. I have them ponder their old self, their…
-
Substance or Shadow
16Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in…
Joel M Bradshaw 