Clearing-the-Fog

Life and history move in cycles. Similar events seem to come around on a regular basis. The events of this week in Israel and the Gaza Strip remind me of similar “earth-shattering” events throughout my 75 years here on earth. There was the cold war standoff between the United States and the USSR. Add to…

Do you live symbolically? Does your life throw off a message to others?  What do they hear from your life? The writer of Hebrews mentioned that in the days before Christ, God spoke to His people “many times and in many ways … through the prophets.” One of those prophets was Ezekiel. As a prophet,…

Sympathy and empathy are not the same thing. We may use the words to mean the same thing, but in reality, they are different creatures all together. Sympathy is a feeling of sincere concern for someone who is going through difficulty or pain. It’s the sentiment that says, “I’m sorry you are hurting.” But that’s…

We are far enough into the month of January that those New Year’s Resolutions you made several weeks ago have mostly been left behind or are limping along on life support. A New Year’s Resolution is like a “hope-so” promise. We hope we can keep the promise we made to ourselves and to others. But…

This is the giving time of year!  Some gifts we give cheerfully. Other gifts are given grudgingly – “well, I have to give this gift because they are going to give me a gift, but I really wish I didn’t have to spend the money.”  “Yes, we’ve got to get a gift – after all,…

Lately my Facebook algorithm has been flashing aerial shots of million-dollar mansions and estates of the rich and famous. They spread out over many acres, with the requisite swimming pool, tennis courts, multiple wings off the main house. The lawn and gardens are immaculate. Everything within me says, “Now that’s the kind of place I…

Most of us have had the experience of doing something out of good intentions only to have it backfire and take an unexpected turn for the worse. Such was the case with an Old Testament character by the name of Uzzah. What we might consider to be a good thing and a needed thing, actually…

Language changes over the years.  Sometimes, however, our understanding of that language doesn’t change. That one of the reasons for newer translations of Scripture. Some of the words from yesteryear have altogether different meanings today. One of my favorites in the old King James Version rendition of James 1:2 – “My brethren, count it all…

Have You Heard God? In my last blog I talked about seeing God and the theological concept of theophany – a physical appearance or personal manifestation of God to a man or woman. Interestingly enough, theophanies are crucial to our hearing God. Let me explain. (I am indebted to Dr. Bruce Waltke in his book…

Have You Seen God? God told Moses in Exodus 33:20 (NLT), “No one may see me and live.”   And yet, there is a short story in Exodus 24 that seemingly contradicts that statement.  I have been fascinated by Exodus 24:9-11 for years and it seems that these three verses are very seldom addressed by commentaries…