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Biblical Sexuality

 In 2006, a case regarding the clash between sexual and religious freedom came before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. At a California high school, gay and lesbian students organized a Day of Silence. Those in support of the movement were encouraged to refrain from speaking in school. The school allowed this to take place without any hindrance.  The next day, Tyler Harper, wore a t-shirt that read, “Be Ashamed, Our School Has Embraced What God Has Condemned.” The…

Gladness For Sorrow

  Americans have never been unhappier. A survey conducted in May of 2020 found that just 14% of American adults considered themselves “very happy”. This survey has been conducted since 1972. In the past 50 years the percentage of people who rated themselves “very happy” had never dropped below 29%. We all experience seasons of unhappiness. Stress can creep into our lives slowly, or broadside us like a freight train. We never want to minimize the challenges we face. This…

Preaching God’s Word

Preaching God’s Word Brad Mills / General Nehemiah / Preaching / Nehemiah 8:1–8   In the 16th Century, Elizabethan England had such a reputation for revering the Bible that French author Victor Hugo said, “England has two books, the Bible and Shakespeare. England made Shakespeare but the Bible made England.” Regarding the Pilgrims who arrived in North America in 1620, Daniel Webster said, “The Bible came with them, and it is not to be doubted that to the free and…

Song Of Simeon

  Christmas builds up a great amount of anticipation, and sometimes it ends in disappointment. We set our expectations on certain things only to find that what we got was not as nice as we envisioned.  We all know what it is like to wait for something that fails to live up to our expectation. Or, we immediately desire something else that makes the previous object less satisfying. This happens a lot with goal setting. The reward for reaching a…

Angels, From The Realms Of Glory

I just finished an excellent book, 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You, by Tony Rienke (2017). He opens his conclusion with the following, familiar routine: Today, tired after work, I opened Facebook on my phone, looking for a diversion. I flicked past a video of a cat that sounds like a crying child; then I saw a new study about gun control; then I saw an innovative new keyboard for tablets; then I read a story from the latest celebrity gossip;…

Once In Royal David’s City

The New Testament begins after 400 years of silence. It would have been a time when the church was asking: Where is God? It also begins during a historically significant time in Roman history. Rome had been entrenched in centuries of warfare and imperial expansion until Caesar Augustus ushered in 200 years of peace, known as the Pax Romana. The people were asking: Who needs God? In light of history, we are insignificant and powerless, yet we remain full of self-sufficient pride. God…

Redeeming Genealogies

Most commentaries recognize a transition point here in Nehemiah 7. One scholar even sees it as the climax of the book. I know, personally, I have been excited to preach the next chapter. From my perspective, we’re standing on the precipice of the pinnacle of Nehemiah. We have already seen a list of names in chapter three. Is there really much more that can be said that has not already been mentioned? This particular list—with minor exceptions—appears in Ezra 2. Why bore…

Scare Tactics

I love a good psychological thriller like The Sixth Sense and The Quiet Place. Something that makes my heart race and my palms sweat. For most of these movies the key factor is the slow build up of our anticipation.  While many of us find these kind of movies entertaining, we would hate to face them in real life. That’s what the FX show Scare Tactics tried to do. It aired for five seasons between 2003 and 2013. The premise was essentially a smashup of…

Scare Tactics

I love a good psychological thriller like The Sixth Sense and The Quiet Place. Something that makes my heart race and my palms sweat. For most of these movies the key factor is the slow build up of our anticipation.  While many of us find these kind of movies entertaining, we would hate to face them in real life. That’s what the FX show Scare Tactics tried to do. It aired for five seasons between 2003 and 2013. The premise was essentially a smashup of…