Judah and Ephraim were the largest tribes of Israel. Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim; perhaps the Ephraimites carried from that some sense of entitlement that they should play more of a leadership role. When Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim rebelled against King Rehoboam, Mannasseh and all the other northern tribes followed his … Continue reading The affliction of Joseph
Faith and life
Practical Christianity
For the past two months my head has been occupied with number crunching to the point that there was little opportunity for wordsmithing. Income tax season officially ends tomorrow and I think I have finished anything pertaining to that for this year. Now I can try to capture and organize the thoughts that have been … Continue reading Practical Christianity
Henny Penny and her kindred
The story, as I heard it in my childhood, goes like this. Henny Penny, a rather ordinary hen, is contentedly sleeping in the warm sunshine when an acorn falls on her head. She awakens in a flap and begins squawking, "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" The other hens are alarmed and one … Continue reading Henny Penny and her kindred
The alternative to a peaceful and contented heart
Neither prosperity not empire nor heaven can be worth winning at the price of a virulent temper, bloody hands, an anguished spirit, and a vain hatred of the rest of the world.-John Milton
Demonstration of power
A mortar and pestle used to be standard equipment in kitchens, pharmacies and high school science labs. They could be made of stone, wood or metal, but most often they were ceramic, as in the picture below. Image by ariesa66 from Pixabay Sixty-five years ago I sat in a high school classroom as our teacher demonstrated how gunpowder … Continue reading Demonstration of power
Quality assurance and child training
I spent fifteen years working in the quality assurance department of an auto parts factory and have a certificate showing that 30 years ago I was certified as a quality engineer. There are a few simple lessons I learned during that time that I believe apply as much to little people in the home as … Continue reading Quality assurance and child training
The mode of baptism
From Introduction to Theology, page 239 by J. C. Wenger, © 1954 by Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa.: In 1899 a Christian minister from Pennsylvania (A. D. Wenger) visited the catacombs of Rome. One day he walked out the Appian Way to the catacomb of St. Callistus. “I had been in other parts of this catacomb … Continue reading The mode of baptism
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That is my age, as of today. I saw my doctor for my annual physical checkup yesterday. He told me that I am fine and that arthritis is normal for someone my age. In other words, arthritis, like old age, is incurable. I got to thinking about a couple of Bible verses relating to old … Continue reading 80
Making disciples
I confess that I feel a lack in my life in being able to fulfill Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations. It seems to me that I am not alone in this, the people who sit beside me on the church benches Sunday after Sunday don't seem to be doing a whole lot … Continue reading Making disciples
Are you feeling lonely?
“It is not good that the man should be alone.” This statement, found in Genesis 2:18 is often cited in the context of marriage, and it is very fitting in that context. But let’s consider the setting in which it was said. Got had placed the first man in an idyllic setting, the garden of … Continue reading Are you feeling lonely?
