Shake yourself from the dust and arise. Loose the bonds from your neck.
The Suck The military has some advice for soldiers in crappy situations: “Embrace the suck.” The suck is every bad situation that we have no control over, which is a lot. Rather than be defeated by it, fight it by embracing it. Lean into the suck. Life on this side of the fall of man… Continue reading Embrace the Suck
What does it mean to be a worthy man? In Ruth 2:1, the narrator describes a relative of Elimelech named Boaz who was “a worthy man.” We must recall that the story in Ruth occurred during the time of the Judges, and then we must remember how some men at that time were described as… Continue reading Be Worthy Men
If Judges is a post-apocalyptic survival movie, Ruth is a romantic drama … set in a post-apocalyptic survival movie. Think The Book of Eli meets Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. Like all good dramas, it opens up with hardship; the people of God in Bethlehem are experiencing a famine. Greta Thunberg wasn’t there to tell them… Continue reading Moving to Moab: Four Observations from Ruth
The thesis statement for the Book of Judges is “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Jdg 21:25). This book of the Bible shows us what happens when people reject God. In those days, the only law acknowledged was the one enforced by the… Continue reading No King but Christ
Judges 19 recounts the horrific account of a Levite's concubine being brutally gang-raped to death by a mob of Benjaminites in Gibeah. Judges 20 details the vengeful response by the rest of Israel against the tribe of Benjamin. Brother fought against brother, tribe against tribe, in a civil war that united Israel against the injustice… Continue reading Contend for the Faith
Pictured is an illustration of Judges 19 from a 13th century French Gothic picture Bible. Introduction Judges 19 is a difficult text to write on, let alone preach on. And in these times when reason gives way to passions, I find myself timid like Gideon. This won’t be the nicest thing you’ll read today, but… Continue reading Sons of Belial: How Worthless Men Are Killing You
Before Dale was a beloved father and grandfather, a doting husband, and an enthusiastic servant of the church, he was a philanderer and a deadbeat. He gave his wife herpes from sleeping with prostitutes while in the Navy and often neglected his family. His frequent absences led one of his sons toward gang involvement, and his… Continue reading Samson’s Victory
And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. And Samson said, ‘With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.’ Judges 15:15-16 KJV Ah, the famous story of how… Continue reading War Crimes
Samson is the most famous of all the judges. Whether it's his superhuman strength or his dalliance with Delilah, everyone seems to know about the big, violent, herculean ox who is really, really good at killing things. For example, in Judges 14 he fights a lion and rips it apart. Not a kitty. A lion. “Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed… Continue reading What Controls You?
Pastor Al provided the thesis statement for this article last Sunday: “A parent’s first priority is to obey Jesus. If you want your kids to obey Jesus, then you need to obey Jesus. You have an obligation to raise your kids under God’s will, Word, and ways. Not the culture’s, not yours, God’s.” Samson’s mom was barren, but then the pre-incarnate Jesus appeared… Continue reading Our First Responsibility
Awake! Put on strength! 