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What Is Biblical Literacy?
We complain about it, write about it, claim it’s important or even critical, design programs to create it, but what is it? I don’t mean that none of us know what we mean when we say “biblically literate” or “biblically illiterate,” but do we all mean the same thing? I don’t think we do, and…
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Fences: Mending or Rending
The following is a sermon I presented at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Pensacola on September 11,2005 and originally posted here on September 13, 2005. I’m reposting it because when I went to look for it, I found that the original post had somehow been truncated, and also because there is a one word at a…
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Experiencing the (Baptism of the) Holy Spirit
This is a topic where I tend to make just about everyone uncomfortable. Long time readers may recall a previous discussion of speaking in tongues, and my own experience of it. Those who expect me to be intellectually oriented and rational are uncomfortable with mystical experiences, and many who are comfortable with the mystical experiences…
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Psalm 119:80 – Blameless
Let my heart be steadfast in your statutesso I will not be put to shame. If you immerse yourself in this Psalm, you’ll lose any sense of boastfulness and self-sufficiency. There are claims before God to being a commandment keeper, but they are well-balanced by those passages that ask the Lord to accomplish this work….
Psalm 119:79 – To Me
We must embrace our roles as examples and mentors, showcasing our faith while acknowledging our imperfections, inviting others to learn through God’s guidance in our lives.
Psalm 119:78 – Get the Bad Guys!
Explorin the struggles of understanding why the wicked prosper while good people suffer, emphasizing the psalmist’s pleas for justice and the importance of seeking God’s approval.
Psalm 119:77 – That I May Live
I reflect on God’s compassion and wisdom, emphasizing the importance of following divine instructions for a fulfilling life and experiencing peace, joy, and love.
Psalm 119:76 – Comfort
I emphasize God’s unwavering love and faithfulness in the covenant relationship with His people, highlighting the importance of understanding this bond in the Christian faith.
Psalm 119:75 – Humiliated
The text discusses the relationship between divine truthfulness and human integrity, emphasizing the importance of striving for moral standards despite inevitable failures and the need for personal growth, along with dependance on God.
Psalm 119:74 – Wait
I emphasize the importance of waiting and listening for God’s word, suggesting that this patience enables clearer understanding and recognition of divine guidance amidst ambiguity.
Do You Really See Other People?
A grocery store experience highlights how personal perspectives shape our observations of others, urging a deeper understanding beyond superficial judgments and reflections.
Psalm 119:73 – The Creator’s Rules
The versed emphasizes our complete dependence on God as our creator, highlighting that understanding, existence, and empowerment are gifts from Him, not earned through our actions.
Psalm 119:72 – Value
I emphasize valuing God’s teachings over material wealth, urging believers to prioritize learning and practicing truth despite potential financial sacrifices. Genuine engagement with faith is essential.
Psalm 119:71 – The Blessing of Hardship
It was good for me to have suffered hardshipso I could learn your statutes. We tend to complain a good deal over hardship. We don’t like it. We ask why God allows it, or perhaps does it. But hardship is worked into the basic structure of the universe. That’s where we get the law of…
Dr TK Dunn on the Importance of the Old Testament
This is an extract from a longer interview, which I will also embed. I think Dr. Dunn has some valuable comments on the relationship of scripture and what it means for our study. And here’s the full interview from which that was extracted.
Psalm 119:70 – Unfeeling or Insensitive
Their hearts are clogged with fat;I delight in your instruction (Torah). A very literal alternative for the first half of the verse would be “fattened with fat are their hearts.” The REB translates: [T]hey are arrogant and unfeeling,but I find my delight in your instruction. With the heart being more the seat of thought than…
Psalm 119:69 – Smeared
The passage emphasizes the importance of adhering to God’s precepts despite facing falsehoods and highlights the harm caused by gossip within communities, urging direct communication.
Psalm 119:68 – Doing Good
I discuss the goodness of God’s laws and statutes, contrasting human perceptions of rules as burdensome. It encourages viewing the law as a divine blessing promoting greatness.
Psalm 119:67 – Afflicted
Before I was afflicted, I went astray,but now I keep your word. What is your reaction to difficult times? I’m not a terribly optimistic person, and I don’t take to it all that well. I’ve noticed that modern Christians have inconsistent responses to trouble. On the one hand, they’ll say that if God is in…
Psalm 119:66 – Teach Me
I discuss interconnectedness of beauty, order, and knowledge in studying both nature and scripture. It warns against complacency, urging continuous exploration while balancing faith with accurate understanding and skepticism toward misleading narratives.
Psalm 119:65
You have treated your servant well,according to your word, LORD. I pause to note a milestone. This is the first verse in the new section of Psalm 119. We’re in the section in which each verse starts with the ninth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Teth. That is the first letter of “TOV” which is…
Psalm 119:64
God’s grace precedes His laws, illustrating that divine love and covenant obligations are gifts. True holiness comes from God’s actions, not self-sufficiency.
The Demand for Opinions
There has always been a tendency for crowds to call for others to support them. If you do not, you are contributing to the other side, however they define that. Social media has multiplied that demand and given the demanders a megaphone. If you do not express an opinion–the right opinion according to them–on this…
Psalm 119:63 – Companion
I’m a companion to all who fear you,and to those who keep your precepts. My thoughts today took me onto the subject of companionship and friendship. Who are your friends? Why are you friends with various people? In scripture we have a tension between two views of the relationship between God’s people and those around…
Psalm 119:62
I reflect on the challenges of waking up at night, often due to worry, and discusses the importance of prayer and rest for mental clarity and health improvement, but also for simple rest and relaxation.
Psalm 119:61 – Bound?
The bonds of the wicked encompass me,I do not forget your instruction. These posts are meditations, not attempts at exegesis. I’m pretty sure the psalmist is here congratulating himself and pointing out to the Lord how he has been faithful under difficult circumstances. But what occurred to me is the number of times the “wicked,”…
The Danger of Serious Bible Study
I believe it’s important to study the Bible. Many approaches are useful in this, and I’ve discussed them elsewhere. But the idea of serious Bible study can become a problem. I’m sure some readers are scratching their heads. How can it possibly be a problem to study the Bible seriously? Isn’t that obviously the right…