Category Archives: Jewish History/Culture

Orange Blossoms

Orange Blossoms
The scent of orange blossom surrounds me as I sit on my patio. The flowers have suddenly burst into bloom throughout the neighborhood and their fragrance permeates everywhere. The beautiful white flowers turn into fruit, which, in a few months, will add nutrition and goodness to my meals. Curiously, there are still healthy fruit maturing from last season…
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Deeds and Creeds, part 2

Deeds and Creeds, part 2
What we believe informs how we live, whether we realize it or not. God told us to know and study His Word. As we learn who He is that knowledge impacts how we live. It affects how we love Him and how we love our neighbor. Here are some ways that belief affects our day-to-day…
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Deeds and Creeds, part 1

Deeds and Creeds, part 1
A movement in our society could be summarized with the popular slogan, “deeds not creeds.” This has become entrenched in many of our churches too. The desire to serve our communities, fueled by a right motivation of loving them, has been accompanied by a diminished value of doctrine and theology. This growing lack of theological…
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I AM here

I AM here
There is a verse in Isaiah that holds a deep mystery for me. In that passage, God says to His people, “Hineni, here I am.” That seems backward. I should respond that way to Him. Hineni implies availability and a willingness to act. He is deserving of my full attention, availability, my all. But it's…
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