By Elizabeth Prata After two essays about characters from the Old Testament and two essays on characters from the New Testament (linked below), I return to the Old Testament to discover more about a man named Harbonah. Harbonah (or Harbona) was the third of the seven eunuchs or chamberlains who served Ahasuerus, king of Persia… Continue reading Little Known Bible Characters: Harbonah the Eunuch
Tag: Bible
What the Bible says about Thanksgiving
“Thankful.” (Photo by Pro Church Media from Unsplash) Thanksgiving is a special time for all of us. It’s about being thankful and getting together with family, a tradition that’s celebrated in many different cultures. When we talk about Thanksgiving, it’s interesting to see how it’s not just about history or religion, even though it’s mentioned… Continue reading What the Bible says about Thanksgiving
Fight loneliness with faith: How God’s word brings connection and comfort
A man standing in front of the window. (Photo by Sasha Freemind from Unsplash) Nowadays, where many feel isolated despite being technologically connected, the challenge to fight loneliness is more common than ever. Loneliness, a widely experienced human emotion, is not just a passing feeling but a condition that can significantly affect our mental and… Continue reading Fight loneliness with faith: How God’s word brings connection and comfort
When Family Gets Messy
Family can get really messy over the holidays. My family growing up was one big mess on every-days. Fighting. Arguing. Yelling. Crying. And eventually, a lot of forgiving. If ever there is a place to learn about forgiveness…to practice forgiveness…to struggle with forgiveness…it is in the context of family. And interestingly, it is in the context… Continue reading When Family Gets Messy
Embracing the Bulb — Broken & Hopeful
I am absolutely a fair-weather gardener. I prefer my time outside to be sunny with a comfortable temperature that doesn’t require my fingers to freeze or my face to hurt. Spring planting, summer tending and fall harvesting all fit into this comfort level most years. One of my favorite days of the year is when… Continue reading Embracing the Bulb — Broken & Hopeful
The Privileged Life: How to Capture Thankfulness in the Busyness
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29) Has Thanksgiving become a crazy, packed-full weekend for you? What was a relatively calm holiday in the past has evolved into a madhouse of busyness for many people now…myself included. Thanksgiving began… Continue reading The Privileged Life: How to Capture Thankfulness in the Busyness
Make It As Secure As You Can
I have taught for decades, and still maintain, that the resurrection of Jesus is the central truth of the Christian faith. Without the resurrection, we have nothing. It is the hub around which every other doctrine rotates. The resurrection is the key. It is the victory over death. The next day, that is, after the… Continue reading Make It As Secure As You Can
Fear is a Good Thing. Really.
I laughed when I first heard about arachibutyrophobia, which is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. This interesting tidbit got me looking into other phobias. I should apologize for laughing, though. To those who suffer with these fears, it is a real fear to them, causing the same agitation… Continue reading Fear is a Good Thing. Really.
Rebuked by Blessing
Have you ever been rebuked by bananas? Probably not. But Darlene Deibler was. A young missionary wife ministering to the people of New Guinea in the late nineteen-thirties and early forties, Darlene and her husband continued their ministry though war had broken out across the globe. Eventually Japan took control of the island, and the… Continue reading Rebuked by Blessing
“Contributing to the needs of the saints and practicing hospitality” – Romans 12:5-13
Romans 12:5-13 Apostle Paul’s main focus in Romans 12 is the spiritual gifts or “charisma.” Connecting this chapter with 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4, he emphasizes how Christians, each bestowed with unique spiritual gifts, are urged to live in accordance with these gifts, forming a cohesive body in Christ. The concept of “members” within… Continue reading “Contributing to the needs of the saints and practicing hospitality” – Romans 12:5-13