Observations from the Word by The Barking Fox

The God of Boundaries

Everyone gets triggered when other people cross their personal boundaries. When that happens, the results can be unpleasant, and sometimes lead to unintended consequences. If that's the way it is when we trespass human boundaries, what happens when we trespass God's boundaries? 
Numbers 25:10-29:40; Jeremiah 1:1-2:3; Proverbs 25:17, 27:3, 10; Hosea 5:10; Acts 15:1-29
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: The God of Boundaries
Music: "In the Wild,” National Sweetheart, YouTube Audio Library, July 2024. Listen to the complete audio on YouTube at https://youtu.be/1ELV7kMB4Ww?si=TucsyvmZhu7T3lQa.
Photo by Joshua Hilgart-Roy, Johnsburg, Illinois, May 20, 2009, via Flickr.

Finding the Narrow Path

Yeshua told us about the narrow gate and difficult way that leads to life. Does He mean that it's hard to find the way into His Kingdom, or is He referring to the narrow and difficult path He expects us to walk along once He has brought us in?
Numbers 22:2-25:9; Micah 5:7-6:8; Genesis 12:2-3; Psalm 103:1-22; Matthew 7:7-14; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Finding the Narrow Path
Music: "Lost & Found,” Dan Lebowitz, YouTube Audio Library, April 2020. Listen to the complete audio on Youtube at https://youtu.be/ZRkYMhQyUck?si=GWRpesszaqt-OYbr.
Photo by Henry Burrows, Ashley, England, April 21, 2015, via Flickr.

Fighting Against God

Who comes to mind when we think about those who oppose the will of God? Everyone has a list of the usual suspects: atheists, satanists, occultists, criminals, people of other religions, and quite possibly people with different political views. However, before we cast blame outward, we might want to look inward and see if the greatest opposition to God's plans originates in our own hearts.
Numbers 19:1-22:1; Judges 11:1-33; 1 Samuel 20:27-32; Jeremiah 21:1-10; Acts 5:27-40; Hebrews 4:1-13
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Fighting Against God
Music: "Jeremiah’s Song,” Dan Lebowitz, YouTube Audio Library, January 2018. Listen to the complete audio on Youtube at https://youtu.be/GN-jLRUCN5g?si=uox50suj-8UOE3d3.
Photo by Orest Ukrainsky, New Lisbon, New Jersey, August 20, 2014, via Flickr.

Shaky Ground

We all chafe under what we perceive as overbearing leaders. Sometimes they really are overbearing, but sometimes it's simply our resentment of and resistance against any authority. The path of wisdom is to discern which is which. We can fix our attitudes, but we may not be able to fix a bad situation with a bad leader. Then again, sometimes fixing the situation means not making it worse.
Numbers 16:1-18:32; 1 Samuel 11:14-12:22; Matthew 6:22-23, 20:25-28; Jude 1:1-25
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Shaky Ground
Music: "Forgiven Fate,” Dan Lebowitz, YouTube Audio Library, April, 2020. Listen to the complete audio on YouTube at https://youtu.be/04qy6i9mKRA?si=XLH7orlY9-GWZrWI.
Photo by Chris Hawkins, March 21, 2008, London, England, via Flickr.

Grasshoppers in Context

The Bible tells us that we are more valuable than many sparrows. By that measure, we must be even more valuable than grasshoppers. So what should we think when the Bible also tells us that God sees us humans as grasshoppers?
Numbers 13:1-15:41; Joshua 2:1-24; Proverbs 30:24-28; Isaiah 40:1-31; 1 Peter 1:3-9
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Grasshoppers in Context
Music: "First Love,” Wayne Jones, YouTube Audio Library, February 2, 2018. Listen to the complete audio on Youtube at https://youtu.be/Ye0ZHOooeq0?si=TdKZYHkNfZ34crlu.
Photo by SJ Liew, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, July 26, 2007, via Flickr.

How to Handle Disagreeable People

Why do people whine and complain and play the victim even when circumstances seem good? To answer that question, we had best start by examining our own reasons for complaining. If we don't, then eventually God will let us know whether He thinks our reasons are valid.
Numbers 8:1-12:16; Zechariah 2:10-4:7; Luke 15:8-10; Acts 2:14-17; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Philippians 4:11-13
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: How to Handle Disagreeable People
Music: "How Could We?” Solomon O. Lopez, The Born At Home Collections, The Hebraism Project 2014. To hear more of Solomon’s music, visit The Hebraism Project on YouTube.
Photo: "Grumpy Old Men," by Martyn, November 21, 2007, via Flickr.

Our Place in the Camp

Did God redeem us so we could do as we please for all eternity, or does He have a greater purpose for us? Assuming He does have such a purpose for us all, then we should probably put more emphasis on learning about that purpose, and about how to live it now so we'll be better prepared for eternity. 
Numbers 4:21-7:89; Judges 13:2-25; Ezekiel 47:21-23; Romans 11:16-27; Galatians 3:26-29; Hebrews 5:7-6:12; Revelation 7:9-10, 21:9-27
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Our Place in the Camp
Music: "Future King of Heaven,” Zachariah Hickman, YouTube Audio Library, April 21, 2021. Listen to the complete audio on YouTube at https://youtu.be/bteCg7aqqX0?si=0ToVaXQxcRHbMV1N.
Photo: Boys camping. Uploaded by Richard May 12, 2015, via Flickr.

Understanding Paul

Do we think of Paul as a Christian theologian, or a Jewish Torah scholar? The answer to that question reveals the way we read - or misread - Paul's letters. 
Leviticus 26:3-27:34; Jeremiah 16:19-17:14; John 10:22-29; Acts 15:12-21; Romans 11:25-29; 2 Peter 3:14-18
Click here to download a transcript of this podcast: Understanding Paul
Music: "Return,” Solomon O. Lopez, The Born At Home Collections, The Hebraism Project 2014. To hear more of Solomon’s music, visit The Hebraism Project on YouTube.
Illustration: Saint Paul, by El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos) and workshop, Toledo, Spain, 1608-1614 (Museo del Prado, Madrid).