Jericho

Samaria

Nain

Capernaum

Joppa

Naos

Ark

Priest Court

Laver

Altar

Mikdash

Cartouche

The world appears to becoming more chaotic and “safe places” are becoming increasingly rare. It wasn’t so for the ancient Egyptians, they had strong sense of safe places; indeed, they regarded Egypt itself as the safest of “safe places”. How is it possible that what began as a “safe place” ...

Goshen

It didn’t appear to be a wild place at all when God, through Pharaoh, gifted Joseph and his descendants the land of Goshen. In fact, it was the very definition of a gift and blessing; the most fertile land in of all Egypt (and that’s saying something). How could such ...

Dothan

He certainly had no idea of his brothers envious feelings, otherwise young Joseph would certainly not have gone looking for them as earnestly as he had. Finding them and the flocks in the remote region of Dothan an event occurred that forever impacted the lives of all involved. It was ...

Cowardly

Every student knows, and expects, that with learning comes testing. Before an apprentice is approved as master in their field, they must demonstrate their skill and expertise. With such learning and experience comes confidence. It had been a day full of listening, learning, and growing under the instruction of their ...

Not Tame

“He is not a tame lion...but he is good” is how C.S. Lewis describes Aslan in his classic “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe".   Aslan, of course, represents Christ and by this succinct description Lewis unveils a paradoxical side of God with which so many of us struggle. ...

Adullam

He had been obedient and followed, and where did it land him – a cave! Though it started as a place of discouragement, disappointment, and disillusionment; the cave of Adullam became an essential transition point in David’s life & work. Just as there was a cave on the path of ...

In or Out

Decisions, large or small, we all have to make them. When it comes to our preferences decision making can be fun but when it comes to our principles decision-making tends to be difficult. Those pivot points where the decision will have momentous life impact, who I marry, will we try ...

The Lord’s Ring

The room hums with anticipation as guests listen to carefully chosen music drifting through the sanctuary. He shifts his weight nervously and looks toward the back of the church expectantly. Then, the music no longer drifts but declares, the crowd rises and there she stands - his beautiful bride! By ...

High Places

What do you live for? There’s a nice, Sunday-school answer to that question: We live to serve and love God. But words that easily roll off the tongue are not always backed up with actions. All too often, our lives reflect a different reality than the one we project during ...

Gat Sheman

Most of us have heard the story of Gethsemane countless times. But in today’s lesson you’ll learn to see Jesus’ suffering from a different perspective. It’s “at the place called Gethsemane” that we discover Jesus’ brutal suffering was God’s way of telling us how much he loves and values us. ...

Anathrakia

In this lesson we take a walk in Peter’s sandals on his journey from a shameful denial to a full restoration where we discover that no matter how great the offense, with Jesus there is never a relationship that can’t be fixed. At a charcoal fire Jesus prepares a backslider ...

Katalumah

The High King of Heaven did not arrive to pomp and circumstance. In fact, Heaven’s Royalty arrived into some dire circumstances; surrounded by animals and shepherds instead of royal attendants, swaddling clothes in place of royal robes. Hay instead of fine linens and down comforters. One might think that our ...

Barukh

The Siren Call of our culture: “Supersize! The bigger the better!” From the latest tech toys to the freshest fashion trends, we are enticed by a barrage of products that signal our status: “Look at me - I’ve arrived.” Regardless of the product peddled, what matters is to have the ...

Airo

Sinking your fingers into dark, loamy soil. Planting a seed. Watching it emerge as a tiny shoot and blossom into a mature plant. Few experiences connect us to the earth as richly as gardening. In the gospel that bears his name John tapped into this human impulse to cultivate life, ...