Category: JOHN D. BARRY

  • GRACE AMONG THE GRAPHIC

    Connect The TestamentsLeviticus 9-11; John 7:53-8:11; Song of Solomon 6:6-10 “Then he slaughtered the burnt offering, and Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled it on the altar all around; and they brought the burnt offering to him by its pieces, as well as the head, and he burned them on the…

  • ANCIENT WORDS, FUTURE HOPE

    Connect The TestamentsLeviticus 4:1-6:30; John 7:14-44; Song of Solomon 5:13-16 Atonement is appealing because we all have relationships we wish we could reconcile. The 12-step program involves forgiving and forging renewed relationships when possible. But the story with God is different. There’s an acute awareness that we can’t fix things with our Creator; we need…

  • DWELLING IN THE WILDERNESS

    Connect The TestamentsLeviticus 1-3; John 7:1-13; Song of Solomon 6:1-5 The book of Leviticus can feel distant, abstract, and even absurd. Its opening chapters discuss odd offerings made at the tent of meeting, where God met His people when they were wandering in the wilderness after the exodus. Yet, the book signals an appreciation for…

  • WIT, WORDPLAY AND EUPHEMISM

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 37-38; John 6:25-51; Song of Solomon 5:1-4 The Bible is a passionate book. It’s about a God who is impassioned for His people and who ultimately sends His Son to die for them so that they can be saved from themselves. And it also portrays the passion seen in romantic love. Song…

  • WHEN THINGS DON’T GO AS PLANNED

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 33-34; John 6:1-14; Song of Solomon 4:9-13 I live in the world of projects. There are a few things I know for certain about them, aside from all requiring a budget and a schedule to have any hope of success. They will all take more time than I expect (at least 25…

  • THE SYSTEM

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 30-32; John 5:31-47; Song of Solomon 4:4-8 Religion is a tough subject. Jesus staunchly opposed religion for religion’s sake, yet He was a Law-abiding Jew. He recognized the value of worship, community, and discipleship, but not the value of religious constraints: religion can bind someone in tradition and be used for oppression.…

  • GOD’S WILL IT’S CONFUSING

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 26-27; John 5:1-15; Song of Solomon 3:6-11 It’s sometimes difficult to understand why God does what He does, or why He asks us to do certain things. God goes so far as to list precise materials and calculations in Exod 26 for the tabernacle—the portable temple the Hebrew people built for God…

  • IT’S STANDING BETWEEN YOU AND GOD

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 19-20; John 4:1-26; Song of Solomon 2:14-17 There is nothing more frustrating than being ordered around. Few people take to a drill sergeant. Although we like to cite the Ten Commandments (Exod 20) because they’re the norm, the rebellious part of our spirits has trouble with them. If we’re honest with ourselves…

  • BREAD FROM HEAVEN AND WATER FROM A ROCK

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 16-18; John 3:22-36; Song of Solomon 2:8-13 For many years, I said that I believed God would provide for me, but I’m not sure I actually did. Somewhere inside I was still convinced that I was on my own. It wasn’t until recently that I felt convicted about this, and God began…

  • WHY DOES GOD PUNISH PEOPLE?

    Connect The Testaments In regard to why a good God would punish people, I recently heard one homeless man wisely tell another, “You wouldn’t want to live in a world where God didn’t punish injustices and just freely forgave sin—without any request for someone to choose the salvation He offers back. Imagine a place where…