Habakkuk Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:2-4, 3:17-19 Monday–Habakkuk “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen” (Habakkuk 1:1)? Ken opened the letter. It began, “We regret to inform you …” Ken had been praying and looking for a job for months, and this was another turn down. Ignacio and Amelia prayed […]
Author: Kevin Ruffcorn
Do I Stay Christian?
Do I Stay Christian? A Guide for the Doubters, The Disappointed, and the Disillusioned, Brian D. McLaren (St Martins, New York, 2022). I will start off this review by saying that I am a fan of Brian McLaren. I enjoy and, as a fellow writer, I admire his prose. His books have always been thoughtful […]
Isaiah 36, 31, 2–Swords into Plowshares
Swords Into Plowshares Devotions on Isaiah 36:1-20, 31:1-7, 2:1-4 Monday–swords into plowshares “King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them” (Isaiah 36:1). What do you do when tragedy strikes? The doctor walked into the hospital room and told Mike that Mike had cancer. It wasn’t a “good” […]
Micah 5:2-4, 6:6-8–What Does the Lord Require
What Does the Lord Require Devotional Thoughts on Micah 5:2-4, 6:6-8 Monday–What Does the Lord Require “But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah” (Micah 5:2a). Have you ever noticed how often I use the small and the weak? It isn’t that I’m against rich and powerful. […]
2 Kings 5:1-15a–Naaman the Leper
Naaman the Leaper Devotional Thoughts on 2 Kings 5:1-14 For a little variety, I have written this week’s devotional thoughts as if God were writing directly to you and me.
1 Kings 3:4-28–King Solomon Temple
King Solomon Temple Devotions for 1 Kings 3:4-9 (10-15) 16-28 Monday–King Solomon Temple “The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there” (1 Kings 3:4). Sacrifices come in all shapes and sizes. Sue sacrificed her time (and a good night’s sleep) chaperoning a lock-in for her congregation’s high school youth. Randy and Ken set their financial […]
2 Samuel 12 & Ps. 51-David and Bathsheba
David and Bathsheba Devotions on 2 Samuel12 & Psalm 51 Monday–David and Bathsheba“But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:1a). It was an off-handed comment; one that was said without thought. It was not meant to offend, but rather to be funny. As it turned out it was offensive and […]
New and Improved-Logos 10
Logos 10 Review Having been raised in a pietistic branch of the Lutheran Church, I can truthfully say I’ve been surrounded by Scripture my entire life. Sunday school was Bible stories, flannel boards, and verse memorization. I endured the Lutheran hazing of confirmation, which was filled with more memorizing and Bible study. During my high […]
Jesus and the Empire of God
Seeing the Gospels Again for the Very First Time Jesus and the Empire of God: Reading the Gospels in the Roman Empire, Warren Carter (Cascade, Eugene, OR, 2021). Warren Carter boldly marches down a new path with his book, Jesus and the Empire of God. For centuries, Christians have understood the gospels to be like […]
Joshua 24:1-15–Covenant Renewal in the Bible
Covenant Renewal in the Bible Devotions on Joshua 24:1-15 Monday–Covenant Renewal in the Bible “I took your father Abraham” (Joshua 24:3a). A new day is about to begin, but before it does Joshua gathers the people and in a prophetic voice calls them to remember what God has done in their lives and in the […]