My March email mentioned I started teaching a class on the book of Ephesians. We completed Ephesians, and the book’s last chapter focused on the warning that we’re in a war against an array of wicked spiritual beings led by the devil. Our enemy’s objective is to steal, kill, and destroy. What tactics does the devil use to achieve these objectives? Matthew 4 describes the devil’s temptation of Jesus, and the passage provides insight into…
This fictional narrative provides the backstory of Benotenn, a secondary character in my novel, True Status. There was a day when the angels presented themselves before God, but two human souls, Benotenn and Dahlia, also attempted entry into the heavenly temple. Fearsome gatekeepers in gleaming white garments blocked the doorway of the temple’s crystalline outer walls. The guards said, “The human dead must wait until the procession of ministering spirits is complete.” Dahlia and Benotenn…
In mid-March, I resumed doing one of my all-time favorite things, teaching adult Bible class. I alternate with another teacher, and now it’s my turn! We’re studying the New Testament book of Ephesians. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in the city of Ephesus while he was in prison in Rome. Paul is a fitting example for us, in pursuing his purpose and being concerned about others even when things are going bad for…
One of the most moving expressions of faith that soars with confidence when disaster strikes and the worse is still to come is found in the Old Testament book of Habakkuk. I heard, and my inner parts trembled; At the sound, my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, And in my place I tremble; Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, For the people to arise who will attack us. Even if the fig tree does not blossom, And there is no fruit on the vines, If the yield of the olive fails, And the fields produce no food, Even if the flock disappears from the…
Why are we here? Why is anything here? Right before Jesus suffered arrest, a sham trial, torture, and crucifixion, he prayed to God. The prayer is recorded in the New Testament in John chapter 17. The prayer includes these words, “And now You, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world existed.” (John 17:5 NAS) This verse shows Jesus existed with God before the world was created and that Jesus desired to return to…
I told a friend, Dorothy, about the main character in my novel, True Status. He is skeptical about God’s goodness and power. Dorothy (not her real name) has devoted her professional life to the care of mentally and physically disabled adults. Dorothy said, “I have a problem believing in a God that allows innocent people like babies to be raped and murdered.” “God makes people responsible,” I said, “for what they do. God gives all…
Below is a poem I wrote regarding my mother at her current stage of life. If you can relate to the sentiments of the poem, let me know your thoughts and experiences in the comments. The picture is of my parents in 1951 when they were in their twenties. I thank God for my parents and the life they provided my brother, two sisters, and me. Dad passed away in 2003. My mother lives in…
We normally think of Jesus’s parables as teaching tools to help the hearers understand spiritual concepts. Yet, in Matthew 13 Jesus’s disciples ask why he speaks to the people in parables, and his answer is that he uses the figurative languages of parables so the people would not understand. Doesn’t that seem surprising? In some cases Jesus used parables to separate serious learners from casual listeners. See what he says in verses 13-15. Matthew 13:13-15 …
In the book of Deuteronomy Moses recounts to God’s people all that had happened during the previous forty years of their wandering in the wilderness. That time of suffering began when the adult generation that came out of Egyptian slavery failed to enter the Promised Land as God commanded. The sight of the tall, powerful inhabitants of Canaan filled the Israelites with the fear the Canaanites would kill them and take their children captive. God’s…
The first draft of my novel, True Status, consisted of 62,000 words. When I rewrote the story, I slashed 23,000 words and added 47,000 new words. An improved story of 86,000 words resulted. My editor urged me to make the manuscript better, so more rewriting and pruning followed until I trimmed another 10,000 words. Figuring out what to add and what to remove made all the difference. Anything that did not advance the story or…