Apprentice 2 Jesus

Common English Bible

  • Nuggets of Wisdom We Miss When We Avoid the Apocrypha

    The Common English Bible is incredibly helpful to me when reading the Deuterocanonical Books. The fresh translation helps me with unfamiliar territory. This is the place where I understand more fully the need for “dynamic equivalent” translations for people unfamiliar with the biblical text. Smoother language draws us in. The beauty of the Common English… Read more

  • Slavery Hasn’t Ended

    There are so many organizations responding now, it is hopeful. I heard another presentation today in my Kiwanis club on human trafficking. The statistics are astounding. Minnesota is ranked 13th in the nation for human trafficking. It’s not something overseas. It is something here. I love the story of William Wilberforce and his lifelong efforts… Read more

  • Do You WANT to See or Not?

    There are two stories of healing someone blind in Mark. In between those stories are three episodes where Jesus reveals to his disciples what will happen in a few days: He is going to Jerusalem. He will be handed over to the religious leaders to be put to death. He will rise up after three… Read more

  • What Holds You Back?

    Two books I’ve read lately are stirring me from my complacency. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible The question is this: “What holds me back?” In Mark 10 the wealthy man comes to Jesus to ask what he… Read more

  • What Distinguishes Us – People of the Presence

    12 Moses said to the LORD, “Look, you’ve been telling me, ‘Lead these people forward.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. Yet you’ve assured me, ‘I know you by name and think highly of you.’ 13 Now if you do think highly of me, show me your ways so that… Read more

  • Keep It Simple

    Humans are intelligent beings. We do stupid things, but that doesn’t mean we are completely mindless. Too often we focus on the dumb things people do. Overall, the human race is intelligent. While we sometimes focus on the dumb things people do, maybe we need a reminder from time to time that we try to… Read more

  • When We’re Not Effective… We Argue

    In Mark 9 Jesus comes down from the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John. He finds the rest of his disciples in an argument with the legal experts. 14 When Jesus, Peter, James, and John approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them and legal experts arguing with them. 15… Read more

  • No Place for Timid Hearts

    As I read Radical and think of missionary heroes, there is a stirring in my heart about THIS being the time to step out in faith. We can’t wait for others. We need to hear the voice of the Spirit. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream Again in the Apocrypha, the CEB… Read more

  • The World Doesn’t Deserve Them

    Our staff is finishing up the book Radical by David Platt. He ends the book with my favorite thing: missionary stories. Radical missionary stories. I fed on these stories when I was in high school and college. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream C.T. Studd was a missionary who didn’t believe in… Read more

  • The Incredible Abundance of God

    Whenever I take the time to read briefly in the Deuterocanonical Books (Apocrypha) I find such wonderful nuggets. Sirach, reading like Proverbs, continues to reveal the richness of pursuing God’s wisdom. 26 If you want to find Wisdom,then keep the commandments,   and the Lord will supply her to you in   vast quantities. (Sirach 1:26, CEB)… Read more