Barnabas Powell's Blog, page 167
November 22, 2017
The Slave Who Became Bishop
The transformation in our world from a time when slavery was a “peculiar institution” to a time when the notion of “purchasing” a human being is unthinkable is nothing short of wonderful! And yet, human trafficking is still a very real crime in our modern world, even in our own “land of the free.” Look at our lesson today in Philemon 1:1-25 PAUL, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,…
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November 21, 2017
A Mother’s Love
I suppose the whole world couldn’t contain the poems, stories, and memories we children collect about our mothers. I know I owe much of my good qualities to the brave lady who raised me and my little brother. And the one quality I always remember is that, no matter what was going on in my life, I could always, and I mean always, count on my mom. The bond between mother and…
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November 20, 2017
The Punishment of Eternal Destruction
It has been said that God at His angriest is kinder to us than men at their kindest. What a lovely thought. But what are we to do with all those passages in the Bible that talk about God’s anger and His wrath? I mean it isn’t like they are hard to understand or ambiguous. They are plain and disturbing, especially in light of how we want God to be – safe…
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November 17, 2017
A Violent Salvation
Our modern world seems to run on violence. And it seems that everyday the news is of more violence there and more violence here. From college campuses arguing over speech and “safe zones” and “trigger warnings” to the very real violence of terrorism all meant to disrupt and destroy. And can we even talk about what seems to be “perpetual war” in hotspots around the world where our soldiers are sent to…
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November 16, 2017
Are You the Jealous Type?
Are you the jealous type? I guess with me, it all depends. I am jealous of my time. I am jealous of my schedule. But other than that, I can’t say I really struggle with jealousy. Oh wait, if I’m honest, I do have to admit I do get jealous when someone is being recognized for their work and they forget to mention me! That’s so embarrassing to admit. But I do…
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November 15, 2017
You’re So Vain
The myth of Narcissus is legendary. Narcissus was a man who was exceptionally handsome and knew it. And his actions reflected his utter disdain for those who loved him. He walked through life proud of his appearance and dismissive of those who admired him. Nemesis watched Narcissus and how he treated those around him and lured Narcissus to a pool where Narcissus could see his reflection. Narcissus fell in love with his…
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November 14, 2017
Making A Spectacle of Yourself
“You’re making a spectacle of yourself!” I remember when I first heard those words from a relative. You see, I’d just discovered that I could make people laugh, and I remember feeling the thrill at that ability. So, I started being a clown all the time. But an uncle, watching me carry on as a just turned 13 year old boy warned me about always trying to be the center of attention!…
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November 13, 2017
Our High Priest!
The whole notion of a high priest is so foreign to we egalitarian Americans and moderns. We are centuries removed from a time when hierarchy and royalty were the norm. But it’s helpful to remember that, for the vast majority of Christians who have ever lived, the notion of a hierarchy and even monarchy was the norm. Frankly, the jury is still out from my perspective if our modern way is any…
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November 10, 2017
Awake to Life
Socrates sees the wisdom in living a wakeful life when he says “The unexamining life is not worth living for a human being.” Notice the continual action implied in the original. This wisdom, planted in we humans by our loving Creator, is simply obvious but continually difficult. Our experiences, relationships, choices, priorities, and beliefs are shaped by and are shaping others all the time. That’s why the choices we make are so…
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November 9, 2017
Sneaking In
I was a nervous wreck! A 15 year old teenager with his best buddies were sneaking into a movie theater without paying! I can hear the voice of my mother in my head “Young man, you carry your family name. That should make you think twice about doing things you know you shouldn’t!” We didn’t get caught. We loved the movie. We laughed, and we congratulated ourselves for our stealth and our…
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