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Oh, Just Let Me DIE!
That sums up Elijah’s response when Jezebel threatened his life. He had defeated the prophets of Baal, called down fire from heaven, then prayed for rain. Now, he’s in the wilderness worn out and wishing he could die. The word of the Lord came to him several times in the form of a question: The LORD’s word came to him…
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Short Attention Span Theater
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught. 31 Many people were coming and going, so there was no time to eat. He said to the apostles, “Come by yourselves to a secluded place and rest for a while.” 32 They departed in a boat by themselves for a deserted place. 33 Many…
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Speaking Truth to Power May Cost You Your Head
The utopian thought we have with the “Occupy” movement (and other things) is the beautiful thought of “speaking truth to power.” It is so bold. Unless, of course, it’s not. Too often that phrase just really means, “I’m looking for a photo op.” Speaking truth to power costs. Ask Gandhi. Ask Martin Luther King, Jr. Ask Abraham Lincoln. (And Lincoln…
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Two Possible Responses to Jesus
In Mark 6 there are a couple of responses to Jesus. In vv. 1-6 the people familiar with Jesus didn’t think much of who he had become. They launched into stories of “I remember little Jesus when he was following his daddy around with a hammer…” In vv. 7-12 there is a different response. 7 He called for the Twelve…
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How to Make Jesus Useless
1 Jesus left that place and came to his hometown. His disciples followed him. 2 On the Sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were surprised. “Where did this man get all this? What’s this wisdom he’s been given? What about the powerful acts accomplished through him? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t he Mary’s…
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Desperate Times and Desperate Measures
A swarm of people were following Jesus, crowding in on him. 25 A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a lot under the care of many doctors, and had spent everything she had without getting any better. In fact, she had gotten worse. 27 Because she had heard about Jesus, she came…
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The Collapse After the Victory
1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, how he had killed all Baal’s prophets with the sword. 2 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this message: “May the gods do whatever they want to me if by this time tomorrow I haven’t made your life like the life of one of them.” 3 Elijah was terrified. He…
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Sometimes Prayer is Work
Sometimes? Well, if you’re Elijah, it may seem like a shock. He could pray for rain to stop and it happened. He could pray for fire to fall on the altar and BAM! But then it came time for rain to fall again and it wasn’t as instant. 41 Elijah then said to Ahab, “Get up! Celebrate with food and…
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Hobbling Along
I have been part of the CEB Blog Tour for Advent and now for Lent. It’s been fun to explore this translation. There are times when how this translation turns a phrase is really great to read. 21 Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hobble back and forth between two opinions? If the LORD is…
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The God Who Answers By Fire
22 Elijah said to the people, “I am the last of the LORD’s prophets, but Baal’s prophets number four hundred fifty. 23 Give us two bulls. Let Baal’s prophets choose one. Let them cut it apart and set it on the wood, but don’t add fire. I’ll prepare the other bull, put it on the wood, but won’t add fire.…
Category: Translations
