BARUCH: Chapter 1

Connecting Intertestamental writings to canonical (so-called, authorized) Biblical books is a new endeavor for me.  I suppose my interest in history, particularly, biblical and ancient history has led me to the writings of the Church Fathers and desert monks in early Christian development.  Much of my current search has been fostered by Eastern Orthodox and…

MAY I NOT ONLY HEAR BUT KNOW THEE

 (Reference: I Samuel 3:7-10 “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.  And the Lord called Samuel again the third time and he arose and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here am I , for thou didst call me.’ And Eli perceived that the…

I MISSED GOD

Have you ever missed an encounter with God?  Were you aware of the invitation of His Presence in the moment?  Or like me, did you not realize this missed opportunity with the Holy One after He had already departed, or more likely, after you walked away from Him?  That was my sad situation, yesterday.  Here…

C.S. LEWIS ON FAITH

The following comments are from my reading the chapters entitled FAITH in Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. While reading the book, these thoughts and rabbit-holes represent the journey that my mind and spirit engage as I follow the directions they take me.  I do not purport to be a Bible scholar…just a student who takes…

POINTING TO JESUS IN PSALMS 40

The following comments are my wanderings thru, around and about Psalms 40 in the English bible. If they initiate any durable reflections, then they have been worth the writing. The scriptural text below is taken from a version of the Greek bible, often referred to as a version of the Septuagint – hence, the numbering…

AUGUSTINE: Called to Purity

With pen in hand, St. Augustine (354-430 AD) meditated on scriptures and the mysteries of living…all, in an attempt to tell the Lord the truth.  The result was his landmark autobiography, Confessions.  As I am reading a book on different types of prayer, the author mentions Augustine’s approach to writing prayers which is a long…

THE VIRTUE ETHIC

The following commentary is my initial review of Incarnate Love: Essays in Orthodox Ethics by Vigen Guroian.  I first read this book in 2019, but a renewed interest in the Eastern Orthodox mindset has driven me to reread these essays more carefully; recognizing that the ancient Eastern Christianity mindset, in many ways, is foreign to…

LIGHT

A long-time friend asked me to do the following research on the topic of LIGHT.  She provided several scriptural references from which to start.  What her primary goal is – I do not know, but I do know that the Holy Spirit will meet me anytime I seek the Lord in His Holy Writ.  Though…

THE CONSOLATION PRIZE: An Advent Story

Many times, the “consolation prize” is regarded as something given to those who lose the competition…just to make them feel better.  This faux feeling rests on the foundation of losing, and all the competitors know it – especially the recipients of such a “prize”.  This article dismisses our cynical modern expression and seeks to redeem…

RESPONSE TO NAKED BIBLE PODCAST #443

One of my favorite scholars of whom I read and listen is Dr. Michael Heiser who wrote the landmark book, THE UNSEEN REALM. This book has absolutely revolutionized the way that I read the Bible. About the time that I discovered him, I had been desiring of the Lord to really help me connect the…