In Europe, tradition holds that every realm is comprised of three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners. Power typically was held by some combination of the clergy and the nobility, and the commoners often found themselves in the position of having little voice in addressing their concerns or...

Shakespeare is rightly regarded still as a titan of a playwright. His ability to get at the essence of human nature across such a broad field of genres and characters remains unrivaled. On the subject of greed, two quotes are quite revealing in light of current events. From the play...

People often say that all sins are equal. The reasoning is that since God is so holy, any sin is an egregious offense against that holiness. Thus, all sins are equal. It is true that each and every sin, whether we think it large or small, is an egregious offense...

I want to try to connect two ideas that may seem like unlikely companions. First is the concept of Holy War that we discussed last Sunday in our study of the sixth commandment, and the second is the issue of abortion and the observance of Sanctity of Human Life Sunday....

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” Exodus 20:12 Why is the command to honor parents so important? One has also to wonder why this commandment is so prominently placed. By that, we see that...

When I was a toddler, my mother took me shopping. As we were wheeling around the store, I reached out and grabbed a stuffed rabbit. I clung tightly to it, in my little mind it was a keeper, and I wasn’t letting it go. My mother couldn’t pry it out...

Quick, you are alone on a hill, armed with nothing but a copy of Aristotle, and a giant boar is charging at you. What do you do? While you are strategizing, recall our discussion on Sunday of the 3rd Commandment. We looked at the seriousness of God’s revealed Name and...

In 1563, saints in Heidelberg, Germany put together a summary of their beliefs to teach their children. This came to be known as the Heidelberg Catechism. It is divided into three sections: misery, deliverance, and gratitude. It was instructive for me this week to look at how this wonderful teaching...

Tara and I recently returned from an overseas trip. When we left on October 24th, the stores were filled with Halloween candy and decorations. We returned just before Veterans Day, and as we picked up our luggage from the carousel, we were shocked to see the Spokane Airport decked out...

When life throws me off course, I don’t handle it very well. I succumb to my fears and live tense and anxious. Recently our plans took a sharp turn and left me perplexed, frustrated, and even angry. What I thought was going to happen simply vanished. What do I do...

It’s that time of year. Nutmeg and cinnamon are coming out of their cupboards, the last maple and cottonwood leaves are falling, frost is creeping into the shadows, and political ads carpet-bomb every imaginable media platform. Sinister voices prompt us to vote for candidate A or candidate B with promises...

This statement was exuberantly shouted out by our five-year-old granddaughter, Grace when we were discussing a family trip to Disney Land. She suddenly motioned with her arm in the air and asked, “So who’s with me?” I guess she was hoping for a majority vote, or maybe a united front...

Pattern recognition is one of the most enduring and powerful abilities of the human brain. It helps artists sense composition, athletes follow a play, musicians pick out a theme, novelists advance a plot, programmers construct their code, and even conspiracy theorists concoct their theories. I recently heard a scientist studying...

We thought it would never end, the smoke and the heat. The heat was manageable for a time. The smoke was a bother. But together they became a problem, even unhealthy. Poor air quality coupled with high temperatures really made for a long and uncomfortable stretch of summer. It was...

Psalm 91 reveals an incredible truth. Angels are sent by God to watch out for us. A curtain is pulled back to reveal God’s ministering spirits, angels, working on our behalf.     For He will give His angels charge concerning you,     To guard you in all your...

There’s a crack in my driveway. It’s become a bit of a problem because it is causing portions of the driveway to heave, buckle, crumble, and become very uneven. It hasn’t always been this way. In fact, it all started, I’m sure, with a very small crack in the concrete....

In Psalm 143 we see real struggles from a real man of God. David reveals his intense struggles within himself, with his enemy, and yes, even with his God. Who of us has not cried out to God with such despair and urgency? In Psalm 143:1 David says, “Hear my...

Do you remember the first time you read Shakespeare?  If you are anything like me, that first exposure, with its odd language, odd cadence, and unfamiliar style, left me a bit underwhelmed.  Everyone talked so highly of the Bard and his masterpieces – why did they seem to be so...

It all feels like it was just yesterday. Gathering together to celebrate with our friends. Watching from the balcony as jets buzzed overhead while spraying the three colors of the national flag. Walking down to the main part of town to listen to live music and watch well-orchestrated demonstrations by...

Psalm 96 is truly a worship psalm. The words sing, proclaim, bless, tell, ascribe, worship, say and tremble are all words that require a personal response to God. I am responsible to act on and live these words. I have to chuckle at how I am to sing to the...