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Longing for Home
The end of Revelation is a picture of longing. Paradise is restored. The tree of life that was guarded in Genesis is now found in the city of God. From its leaves come healing for the nations. It is home. These verses make me long for the home I know I have, yet have never visited. Come, Lord Jesus. 1…
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From Sorcerer to Magic Arts to Drug Users
The end of Revelation is one of my favorite places to camp. I honestly love the entire Book of Revelation if I can read through it without the voices in my head. (You know: Tim LaHaye, Jack VanImpe, Hal Lindsey, etc.) In Rev. 22:15 I noticed different ways translations have tackled the Greek word pharmakos over the years. Last night…
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The Leading of the Spirit
12 At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him. (Mark 1:12-13, CEB) The Spirit did not lead very softly. The same Greek word for “force” is the same word used to talk about Jesus casting out…
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Our Faith Can Hold
The end of 2 Peter 1 is a powerful reminder of the faith delivered to us. The witness of those who carefully witnessed the glory of Christ, and those who came before who heard from God, stand in history as something to which we can anchor our faith. It is a powerful passage to reflect on! 16 We didn’t repeat crafty…
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James 2:1 in the CEB and the NRSV
I looked at James 2:1 in the Common English Bible and found it to be interesting because the phrase “deny the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ” was not in the NIV or ESV. Is the connotation there? If we are showing favoritism, are we denying the faithfulness of Christ? My brothers and sisters, when you show favoritism you deny the…
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Comparison of CEB on James 2:1
Here is James 2:1 in the CEB: 1 My brothers and sisters, when you show favoritism you deny the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been resurrected in glory. The NIV: 1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. The ESV: 1 My brothers,[a] show no partiality as you hold the faith in our…
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Repetition is Necessary
In a “been there, done that” world, one of the great habits of the Christian life (and the Church world) is to go back over something. We’re not very good at it, but the habit is built in. In the tradition of the Church world going back centuries there is the repetition of the Lectionary readings. The gospels are visited…
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The Walk of Maturity
It is so hard to grasp that all truly is ours in Christ. It is learning to realize WE may be lacking, but in Christ we need not lack a thing. We can ASK. (Again I think of Dallas Willard: “The nature of the Kingdom is to ask.”) 2 Peter 1:3-11 is a marvelous passage to dwell on for our…
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Grace, Effort, and Earning
When I read 2 Peter 1:3-11 I am drawn into the magnificence of God’s character. I am crushed in my own shortcomings, but overwhelmingly I am still blown away by the possibilities of this life in Christ. I always think of Dallas Willard’s quote when I read this passage: Grace isn’t opposed to effort. It’s opposed to earning. 3 By his divine…
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All is Ours
Having the understanding that “all is ours” in Christ needs to be held in balance with the understanding that it is not a life free of obstacles. In fact, the obstacles test that understanding that “all is ours.” Our faith (given to us by Christ, not earned) is then revealed as precious gold. That balance is tough to keep in…
Category: Common English Bible
