Tag: JOHN D. BARRY

  • 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.…

  • 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…

  • WISDOM CAN QUICKLY BECOME FOLLY

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 7-8; John 1:35-51; Song of Solomon 1:8-14 What we need to hear and what we want to hear are rarely the same thing. Leaders who encourage honesty, allow for errors, and establish an environment of trust usually hear what they need to hear. A dictator, on the other hand, will never learn…

  • THE PROBLEM WITH POWER

    Connect The TestamentsExodus 4-6; John 1:19-34; Song of Solomon 1:5-7 Grasping for power is one of the easiest sins to fall into. At first it looks like ambition, then it looks like success, and then it quickly becomes about your success and your power. This can be costly—not just to you, but to all the…

  • GOD’S IDEAS MORE THAN GOOD

    Connect The Testaments It’s exciting to see ideas take shape and then become reality. Even more exciting, though, is when God’s ideas take form. The Bible shows us these events repeatedly. As the reader, we’re given glimpses into what God is really doing—events the characters are unaware of. Or we have a hint all along…

  • DIFFICULT DEFINITIONS

    Connect The TestamentsGenesis 47-48; Hebrews 11; Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 As an editor, I love definitions. The field of lexicography can be complex, but when a definition is finally solidified, there’s comfort to be found. It becomes something stable. This is also the reason I love the book of Hebrews: the author is keen on definitions, clarifying…

  • THE NEW DEAL

    Connect The TestamentsGenesis 45-46; Hebrews 10; Ecclesiastes 11:5-10 “I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people.” These words were spoken by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a speech which unveiled a series of economic strategies for ending the Great Depression. We love newness because it holds hope. The same…

  • CARPE DIEM

    Connect The TestamentsGenesis 44; Hebrews 8-9; Ecclesiastes 11:1-4 The Latin phrase Carpe Diem, means “seize the day.” Taking risks to make your life extraordinary is biblical, if done according to God’s plan and principles. The idea behind this comes from Ecclesiastes: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days”…

  • REVENGE ISN’T SWEET

    Connect The TestamentsGenesis 42:29-43:34; Hebrews 5:11-7:28; Ecclesiastes 10:10-20 It’s easy to revel in vigilante justice, be joyful in the irony of someone getting “what’s coming to them,” or feel satisfied when “bad Karma comes back around” to others. The colloquialisms around the subject alone demonstrate our infatuation with justice. Joseph is similarly impassioned; he schemes…