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Showing posts from July 5, 2020

"A Week in the Life of Ephesus" by David A. deSilva. A Review

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Stop the presses! Hold your horses! Cease fire! Power off those computers, iPads, and cellphones (after you read this review and purchase a copy of this book)! David A. deSilva, Trustees' Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek at Ashland Theological Seminary and prolific author, has given pastors, professors and parishioners a delightful resource in this new 176-page softback, "A Week in the Life of Ephesus". It's the latest addition to the "A Week in the Life of" series put out by IVP Academic. And this little volume is well worth setting everything else aside and diving in!  The manuscript reads like a novella, and draws one into the social, civic and ceremonial life in Ephesus just at the time "The Apocalypse" was sent to the seven churches. This is what makes it such a uniquely valuable resource. It may not give you all the inner secrets of John's Revelation, but it will give you a believable feel for the thinking, perspectives,

"Oh, Great God..." - 5 July 2020

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“ Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people ” (Proverbs 14:34).  Oh, great God there are troubles on the one hand, and trials on the other. Though none of the travails are new or unique, yet they give our hearts concern. We, as a nation, have waded through many pandemics. And as a country we have survived a number of riots and ravages through the decades. Nevertheless, we bear our concerns to you crying out to you, especially at this time when the annual celebration of our freedom is fresh on our hearts. May righteousness prevail in our land, a righteousness that ensures that all may have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, whether freeborn, foreign born or unborn. And a righteousness echoed in the words of that old song: “ Thy love divine hath led us in the past, In this free land by Thee our lot is cast; Be Thou our ruler, guardian, guide and stay, Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way. / From war's alarms, from deadly pestilence, Be Thy str