For about two thousand years, the cultural narrative about the Jewish people was that they were rejected by God and could do no right. For the past two hundred years, the Christian church has begun, in some quarters, to promote the idea that Israel is God’s chosen people and can do no wrong. While this […]
This morning I read from the Book of Ezra: 3 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled together as one in Jerusalem. 2 Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings […]
In the last week as I have watched and prayed and cried regarding things in Israel, I could not help but think of John’s closing vision in Revelation. Here are two sections of that vision: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride […]
There is a meme going around that shows a Bible page with a highlight of Deuteronomy 28:43-44, which reads: “43 The stranger who is among you will rise above you higher and higher, and you will go down lower and lower. 44 He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him; he will be the head, […]
Most of these songs have waited 30 years to be recorded. Now, with full orchestration and a large sound, they are about to land on all the major streaming platforms. You can get a preview here. The first song up is the one I finished over the weekend. It is called, I’ll Know. Sometimes the […]
all we contribute- good or bad has wider impact than we imagine. The stone we throw could sink a steamer or scrap a rowboat, cause sea levels to rise, and wash back up to us. Beyond this, the stones we throw, will outlive us.
This weekend I recorded a song I wrote about 35 years ago. It is a near word for word account of a conversation with a woman who immigrated from Europe to small town New England, where she grew old but never felt accepted. It is the sort of conversation I have had many times since. […]
Usually I keep a novel or two ready on my Kindle on nights when I am not about to fall asleep. Unfortunately, reading 19th century novelists can sometimes keep you up at night. This was my experience with Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu, but was rarely my experience with 18th Century authors, until now. Wieland […]
What is the Prophecy of Isaiah 7? Recently during an episode of American Pickers, I found each commercial break was occupied by advertisement for a show presenting the “truth” about Jesus’ birth. The commercial claimed that the Virgin Birth of Jesus was the result of a mistranslation of the Bible. I am not concerned that […]
At the new pastor’s first day in the parish, he arranged for a visitor to be at the church. He asked a friend, unknown to the people, to dress as a homeless person and come to service. The church was largely older folks, senior citizens and the new pastor would use this as a teaching […]
