December 24, 2011 – 9:37 am
Here is this year’s Christmas photo and letter… xx
December 21, 2011 – 9:51 pm
When I was a boy, we always had Christmas morning at home with just my immediate family — mom, dad, my three sisters, and me. But on Christmas Eve…oh! on Christmas Eve, that is when Christmas really happened. At 5 o’clock or so, we would gather at Grandma and Grandpa Ryman’s house for dinner. The [...]
Kelly has been missing for 6 months. Her story is told in the above video. More details are in this WRAL archive. I will be leading a prayer vigil for Kelly in Butner, NC at the Central Avenue Butner Park this coming Saturday at 7pm. Please join us. If you cannot be at the vigil [...]
December 15, 2008 – 9:12 am
The artwork on the cover of our church bulletin yesterday was “The Star of Bethlehem,” by Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898), perhaps my favorite of the Pre-Raphaelites. I meant to put a note in the bulletin as to who painted it but I always forget something. As much as I love Burne-Jones’ paintings and stained glass, it’s [...]
November 3, 2008 – 10:41 am
A Character Study of Absalom and Comment on the Upcoming Election Absalom was David’s fifth son, the first being the child who died after his affair with Bathsheba, the second Solomon by Bathsheba, the third Amnon by Ahinoam, the fourth Chileab by Abigail, and fifth but not last, Absalom by Maacah. The first story of [...]
October 16, 2008 – 6:29 am
Susan received her ESV-SB hardcover yesterday. Scott got his ESV-SB Trutone too. Scott said, “That Study Bible is like having Jesus right there with you.” From down the hall, we heard Brad say, “He is, Scott.” My calfskin ESV-SB won’t ship until next week. Besides using it in my devotional reading with Susan, I look [...]
October 8, 2008 – 3:51 pm
A Character Study of Eli Eli was the great-grandson of Aaron (Exo 6:23-24 shows Eli’s father, Elkanah, in the Aaronic line) and so, being in that priestly lineage, we find him as both Judge and Priest at Shiloh when he is first mentioned in Scripture (1Sa 1:3). This introduction is one of an old priest, [...]
September 26, 2008 – 4:54 pm
A Character Study of Hannah Elkanah had two wives—Hannah and Peninnah. The former was barren and the latter had children (1Sa 1:2). The latter also provoked Hannah because of her infertility, grieving her beyond comfort. Elkanah’s love for her and his gifts seemed to mean little to her. She only wanted a child. She was [...]
September 26, 2008 – 3:04 pm
A Character Study of Ehud Eglon, the king of the Moabites “joined forces with the Ammonites and the Amalekites” (Jdg 3:13, CEV) in order to wage war with Israel. He was victorious and ruled Israel for 18 years (v14). Verse 12 tells us the reason for Israel’s downfall: the Lord saw fit to give them [...]
I am always intrigued by biblical references that talk about being in the presence of the Lord—and wanting to stay there. Ps 23:6b leaps to mind. Not only did David want to dwell in the house of the Lord but he wanted to dwell there “forever.” The imagery of the sheep dwelling with the shepherd [...]