H. B. Charles, Jr.
Passion is not a substitute for clarity. Volume is not a substitute for content. Emotion is not a substitute for conviction.
Book Review – A Harvest Of Thorns by Corban Addison
I love reading a good legal thriller. It’s one of my favorite genres, and I have found several authors that I really enjoy. When I saw A Harvest Of Thorns, is seemed to be right up my alley, and I anticipated getting into it.
The story line was good, maybe even great. It’s a story based on the reality of sweat shops and slave labor, and addresses the rights of workers in developing countries who make the products we find on our shelves. It’s a novel that drives home a point. While it’s fiction, the individuals found within it could easily be real people. Their situations are not that different.
However, there was one glaring stain that ruined the whole book for me. More than a dozen times, the book used profanity. Now, before you accuse me of being overly sensitive, I have read plenty of material that contains such vocabulary. And I’m generally not offended. However, in this case, the publisher is Thomas Nelson, a Christian publisher, and I expected to find a story that was free of this kind of stuff. In that, I was greatly disappointed.
Very often, my kids ask to read my books. And very often, I let them read them, especially when they are books that are clean. This is one I will not be letting my kids read. And I’m severely disappointed by that fact.
Coffee Break – 02.13.2017
Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration
On this day in history: In 1880, Thomas Edison observed what became known as the Edison Effect for the first time. In 1991, On this day, Sotheby’s announced the discovery of a long-lost manuscript of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. And in 2000, Charles M. Schulz’s last original Sunday Peanuts comic strip appeared in newspapers. Schulz had died the day before.
Second Wave Coffee – Second wave coffee took the coffee industry to a whole new level. And it changed the way we view, and drink, this wonderful beverage.
The Most Oddly Named Town In Each State – I live in the Midwest. We have some very oddly named towns. But it seems like we aren’t the only ones…
12th Dead Sea Scrolls Cave Discovered In Israel – While no scrolls were found in this cave, it does show that there were more than what was originally found, and implies that there could still be more yet, waiting to be found.
The World’s Strangest Borders – Ever wonder why some states and some countries are shaped the way they are? This video gives some insight into that.
Memorize Scripture: 1 Peter 3:5-6
Hiding God’s Word In Our Hearts
Peter appeals to history as he continues his discussion of submission within marriage. Take a look at his example in 1 Peter 3:5-6.
Peter looks to the past, and to the women listed in the Scriptures as an example of how submission is to play out in the realm of marriage.
While the NIV makes this text easy to read, it actually doesn’t translate it the most clearly. Other translations bring out the structure of Peter’s statement here much better. For example, the NRSV states it like this:
The holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves by accepting the authority of their husbands.
That allows us to see the structure of Peter’s statement, and not just our own adjusted interpretation. The main point behind all of this is the attitude of submission. And what Peter is emphasizing in this passage is the idea of adornment. Many of the women that came from pagan backgrounds were accustomed to much outward adornment. Peter says that the inner adornment, the attitude of the heart, is much more to be preferred.
The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.
John Wooden
Seeing Christ In The Book Of Job
One of the most intriguing aspects of the book of Job is that God steps in and takes part in the discussion. This is unique in the pages of the Old Testament, at least in this fashion. And it provides some good insight into the nature of God’s character and activity on behalf of men.
God shows up to the discussion between Job and his friends. And when he does, he gives quite a speech, so long that it covers five chapters in Job, chapters 38-42.
Right away, we can see the infinite contrast between the knowledge and power of God, and those of man. God decides to answer Job’s complaint. But he does so in an unexpected fashion: he speaks out of the whirlwind. Job 37:1-2 seems to give some foreshadowing of the storm in which God appears, as Elihu speaks to Job. Perhaps the storm was on the horizon. The whirlwind is often used as a symbol of judgment. Out of the midst of the whirlwind, God answered the challenge of Job, and shows that if man cannot explain everything in God’s natural creation, how can man, then, hope to understand everything about God’s moral creation?
Job’s cry has been heard. “Let the Almighty answer me!” he called out in Job 31:35. God now answers out of the storm. Perhaps Job didn’t expect God to hear and answer. His cry seems to be one of desperation. Perhaps he regrets it. Perhaps he didn’t think it through, and just uttered it under his breath. Matthew 12:36 states: But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.
Book Review – 90 Days In John 14-17, Romans, James
I am always looking for good devotional material that will challenge me to grow. It seems like much of the material on the market is pretty basic, and doesn’t go very deep. When I first discovered The Good Book Company, and their For You series of commentaries, I was excited and impressed, because this was material that was not simple and underwhelming, and also not dry and academic either. And what made it even better, is that Timothy Keller was involved, who is one of my favorite authors.
So when a new devotional Bible study came out with his name on it, I was excited to dig into it. 90 Days in John 14-17, Romans, James is an excellent study, that guides you and encourages you to dig deeper into the Scriptures as you study.
The format is simple. The day’s passage of Scripture is laid out, some material is presented to read and think about, often with some though-provoking questions to get your mind working. There are also sections that suggest topics and thoughts for your prayers, and for application to your daily life. Finally, before the next day’s entry begins, there is a space you can journal your thoughts and prayers, and any questions you might have.