Boundary stones in Scripture are regarded as sacred. “Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.” (Proverbs 22:28) They were set in place to identify land ownership of a specific plot of land. In Bible times, the land was given to the Israelites by God. Therefore, it was sacred. To violate a boundary marker was equivalent to stealing and was a serious offense. Other Scriptures include: “Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set in place by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess.” (Deuteronomy 19:14) Moving the boundary stone merits a curse in Deuteronomy 27:17. The ownership of a specific piece of land was significant ...

In the course of cleaning glass panels in our entryway chandelier, I accidentally dropped one. It landed on the tile floor with a resounding crash and glass scattered everywhere! It was a mess. It was broken beyond repair. So it is with us when we are broken. We are shattered. We could be broken over a relationship that went sour. We could be broken over a financial collapse that ruined us. We could be broken over emotional wounds from the past. Regardless of the reason, we are shattered, feel crushed, and often overwhelmed. Brokenness, in God’s eyes, is being so crushed by sin and this fallen world that we recognize there is no place to turn but to Him.

What does brokenness look like? King David gives us the ultimate description of ...

When does a boy become a man? In modern Christianity we have no definite event or time when that happens. In Judaism, when a young man reaches 13 years of age or older, a ceremony is conducted called a bar mitzvah. It means a “son of the commandments.” The idea is that he becomes responsible as an adult for his own actions and for keeping the Lord’s commandments. Prior to 13 his parents were responsible for his actions. The ceremony involves scripture reading, a meal, prayer, and gifts from friends and relatives. It is a clear rite of passage into adulthood within the Jewish community.

We are urging Christian fathers to conduct a similar rite of passage from childhood to adulthood for their sons at an event called a ...

In Leviticus 17:11 we read, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement." The Israelite people were not to consume blood whether in meat, fowl, or fish. Why? For the "life of all flesh is in the blood." To eat blood was to eat the life of that animal. All life comes from the Lord and all life is in the blood.

Consider that blood carries all the necessary ingredients for life to be sustained. Oxygen, nutrients, and waste sustain every cell in the body. Without blood we could not live. Our lives are intricately tied to our blood. The following is an article I wrote on this subject in ............