I was recently talking with a local pastor who reminded me that there are two battles in the book of Joshua that are recapped with some detail. The first is the famous battle of Jericho. God miraculously moved almost inexplicably through nothing more than their shouts and trumpet blasts of faith. It taught God’s people that He is a miracle worker, and they are utterly dependent on Him. The other battle is the second battle against Ai. This is strikingly different than Jericho. There was nothing bizarre or overtly supernatural. But it was a brilliant battle strategy. Both battle plans, that […]

You “old timers” probably remember the “mandatory” books that students were expected to read during their young adolescent school years. While a freshman, I was “forced” to read a historical novel by Charles Dickens which vividly brings to life the French Revolution in two European capitals. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way,” were the first lines of A Tale of Two Cities, well known words ascribed to one […]

  “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).   We have been looking at how the life of Jesus Christ makes the Gospel both reasonable and desirable. We have seen how the Good News that Jesus declared and demonstrated during His earthly ministry speaks to both the head and the heart of the listener.  Sensitive Mercy In June we saw Christ’s Searching Mercy displayed in His encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4; in […]