"If you ask anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:14). While I want to guard against any notion of name-it-claim-it theology, and I renounce any doctrine that says we can manipulate God Almighty by our prayers, I do think two prayers said recently in Legislative Chambers speak volumes about the division in our Nation. There really are two visions for the United ...

Christmas Season speaks often of peace. I mean, after all, the angels announced to the shepherds, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (KJV). Even if you prefer another translation, such as the ESV (which I do), the note of peace is still there: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased." Peace...

Last year a conference was held in St. Louis called "Revoice." Although I have not listened to any of the sermons or speeches given at the conference, I studied up on it enough to know it was not a conference I would personally endorse or attend. Several speakers at this conference are advocating for the acceptance of labels such as "Gay Christian." Sexual desires and beha...

It's all downhill from here. That epitaph could be written after the death of Samson. Israel just goes from bad to worse. Let's see, first there's Micah and his mother who uses 1,100 pieces of silver to make an idol which she has the gall to dedicate to Yahweh, the One True God who hates and forbids idolatry! Micah then turns his home into a little mini-temple to false g...

Delilah. The name conjures up images of a vixon, a sultry temptress, an irresistible woman. Napoleon had his Waterloo. Samson had Delilah. The account of Samson and Delilah may well be the most well-known episode in the Book of Judges, and one of the most popular in all the Bible. So, I need not recount it in any great detail here. Rather, let me just draw out some lesso...

Samson. His name still stirs up images on a Herculean man, like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his bodybuilding hay day. Samson is probably the most popular of the Judges of Israel. His story is riveting. One wonders why Hollywood has not latched onto it, as it would make for a blockbuster! I mean this dude tore lions apart with his bare hands and killed 1,000 enemy soldiers wi...

If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth (Numbers 30:2). Enter Jephthah. A "mighty warrior" and "the son of a prostitute" (Judges 11:1). Hardly the description we would expect of a man of God. Jephthah's brothers cast him out of the family ...

Gideon. Fleece. The two words go together like butter and biscuits. Gideon is one of the more well known of the Judges of Israel, for two main reasons: His laying out the fleece to obtain confirmation from the Lord that he was to lead the battle against the Midianite oppressors. The famous scene of God reducing his army to a mere 300 men, telling Gideon to cull all t...

Deborah. The only female judge of Israel. A prophetess who spoke God's words to Israel. Hero of all feminists, evangelical or otherwise! Some well-meaning brothers and sisters in Christ have tried to use the story of Deborah (Judges 4-5) to justify ordaining women as elders and preachers. My intent here is not to tackle such issues, though I do want to insist that whateve...

Having now set the backdrop with the first three posts in this series, let's take a look at a few judges. Some well-known. Others not so much. Othniel. Not so well known. But since he is the first named judge in the Book of Judges, we should expect to perhaps see aforeshadowingof things to come. And indeed we do. But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, th...

Leadership Matters. Big Time. A seminary professor once told me "Nothing of consequence happens in the church apart from leadership." I thought that was a bit hyperbolic. Surely people do not need leaders that badly. Do they? Well, over a decade of gospel ministry experience and pastoring now confirms my Prof's pithy prophecy.And so does the Bible. God has ordained lead...

God saves and preserves His covenant people. His people sin against Him. God judges His people for their sin. His people cry out for help. God gives mercy and restores His people. Repeat process starting at Point #1. This is what many scholars have called "The Judges Cycle." This is exactly the pattern we see repeated throughout the period of history covered by t...

Recently a friend and brother in Christ began texting me some questions on things he had been reading in the Book of Judges. After rejoicing that my brother was reading Judges, and praying that the Lord would increase his tribe in the church I pastor, I set out to provide a few responses to his inquires. Responses, I trust, that were faithful to God and His Word. The Book...