born and raised twice in the bay, I preach Jesus and him crucified
“To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I... Continue Reading →
It's 1985, and someone walks into Service Merchandise, opens the catalog, and sees a new television. The price tag reads $500 (about $1,700 in today’s dollars) They hesitate, knowing it is a big purchase, something they will have to save for. Now, fast forward to today. That same person, if they were still around, could walk into... Continue Reading →
As we process grief and struggle to understand, we often think that if someone knows they’re loved, that should be enough to keep them here. It’s as if love has a built-in safety net that keeps people from falling into despair as if it can reach into the darkest places and pull someone back just because it exists. That... Continue Reading →
Reading Methods and Approaches The Hebrew Bible was not written in a vacuum. It came from real places, people, and history, shaped by centuries of experience and expectation. From antiquity, it was not just read but wrestled with, debated, and cherished. People kept returning to these words, searching for meaning, searching for God. That has... Continue Reading →
““Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom... Continue Reading →
Phillip W. Martin 