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Bible Insights

The Near Death Experience of Jonah

Live a Life of Obedience and Without Regret to Finish Strong

Most people know the story of Jonah: God sends Jonah to help Nineveh. But Jonah gets in a boat headed in the opposite direction. God sends a storm to get Jonah’s attention.

Jonah implores the crew to throw him overboard in order to calm the storm.

After some prodding they toss him into the water. A fish swallows Jonah. God gives Jonah a three-day timeout. He has a near death experience. The fish spits out Jonah on dry land. Then Jonah obeys God.

But what happens between the crew throwing Jonah into the sea and the fish swallowing him? Jonah nearly drowns. It isn’t as if the fish is hanging out by the boat waiting to rescue Jonah.

No, Jonah goes in the water and fights to survive. He flails as long as he can. Out of strength he can fight no longer. He sinks. Water fills his lungs. He can’t breathe. Jonah is dying.

His life flashes before his eyes. Then the fish comes and saves him. He doesn’t die after all.

How do I know this? I don’t. But Jonah’s prayer to God suggests his watery rescue comes at the last possible moment. He says, “When my life was ebbing away…,” (Jonah 2:7).

In other words, he is about to die. His final thoughts are of God and God’s holy temple.

Jonah prays. He affirms God and promises to make good. Jonah acknowledges that salvation comes from God – in this case, his salvation is both literal and figurative.

When we get to the end of our life, what will we think about? Will our final thoughts be filled with regret over unfinished business and disobedience? Will we recall good times with family and friends?

Perhaps we will anticipate eternity with God. Or maybe we will pray. Will our final prayer be one of desperation or of peace?

Living in obedience to God and without regret is the surest way to make sure we finish this life strong. Then God will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21).

May it be so.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Jonah 1-4, and today’s post is on Jonah 2:7-9.]

Learn more about all twelve of the Bible’s Minor Prophets in Peter’s book, Return to Me: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope from the Minor Prophets

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

Are You One of God’s Chosen People?

Isaiah Tells the People that God Will Choose Them Again, but Did He Ever Stop?

One phrase jumps out from today’s passage in Isaiah’s prophecy to God’s chosen people: once again he will pick Israel. God, through Isaiah, gives his people hope for a better tomorrow.

At this particular time, however, God’s people are discouraged; they feel he has abandoned them. They have no reason to celebrate; they have no cause for joy. God, it seems, has turned his back on them; it feels like he has left.

In reality he’s giving them a timeout, a deserved punishment to get their attention over their repeated disobedience. He wants to remind them of who he is and how they should act.

Yet they despair. They call out for him, desperate for a response.

But God delays.

Yet as he tarries he offers them hope for a better tomorrow. He promises he will choose them once again.

He chose them in the past, and he will choose them in the future. And though they don’t realize it, he chooses them now. But they don’t see it; they don’t feel chosen.

We all have times when God feels distant, when it’s hard to pray, when his voice remains silent, when faith falters. Some people call these the dry times or their desert experience. Yet God will choose us again.

The reality is that God will never un-chose us. We remain chosen by him—even when we don’t feel like it. We are God’s chosen people. May we remember to act like it.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Isaiah 14-17, and today’s post is on Isaiah 14:1.]

Read more about the book of Isaiah in For Unto Us: 40 Prophetic Insights About Jesus, Justice, and Gentiles from the Prophet Isaiah available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

Judgment and Punishment Will Come

God Doesn’t Give Empty Threats; He Will Do What He Says He Will Do

God has expectations for his people. The Old Testament of the Bible covers this. The first five books of the Bible, often called the Law of Moses, details God’s expectations.

He tells the people what to do and what not to do. If they obey, they’ll receive rewards and favor. If they disobey, they’ll face judgment and punishment.

Then we witness a recurring cycle in the Bible. The people turn from God and face difficulties. Then they turn back to him, and he embraces them.

We first see this cycle repeated in the book of Judges, and it carries forward throughout the rest of the Old Testament.

The prophets continue to address this. They call God’s people to turn toward him. If they don’t, judgment and punishment will follow. But the people don’t listen. Eventually God has had enough.

Their list of failures is long:

  • they worshiped other gods
  • they secretly did what they weren’t supposed to do
  • they built places of worship to other gods and burned incense to them
  • they made and worshiped idols
  • they didn’t trust God
  • they rejected God’s commands and covenant
  • they worshiped stars
  • they worshiped Baal
  • they sacrificed their children
  • they practiced divination
  • they sought omens (enchantments or magic spells)

Judgment and Punishment

After centuries of disobeying God and rejecting him, judgment and punishment finally falls on them. The Assyrians invade Israel and plunder the land. They exile most of the people.

The nation of Israel is no more. Only the tribe of Judah remains.

You’d think the people of Judah would see this and learn what will happen if they don’t give God their all. His warnings of judgment and punishment are for real. The prophets’ warnings aren’t empty words.

And for a while, the people of Judah do avoid God’s judgment and punishment. Yet they continue in the same cycle of turning from God and facing difficulties. Then repenting and embracing him—for a while.

Just as the prophets warned, judgment and punishment will come upon the people of Judah too. Babylon will conquer them and disperse them.

They’ll get a seventy-year timeout, scattered throughout the nation of Babylon. But then a remnant of the people will return, and they’ll get another chance.

Thank God for second chances. Thank God for delaying judgment and punishment to give us every opportunity to turn to him and put him first.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 2 Kings 17-19, and today’s post is on 2 Kings 17:7-20.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Bible Insights

We Must Listen to God and Do What He Says

God Promises Rewards for Obedience and Punishment for Disobedience

As we read through the book of Leviticus, which is a struggle for most of us, we read instruction after instruction of what God expects from his people.

With precise detail, his commands come forth one after another. Then, in chapter 26, the book begins to wrap up.

Here we see the prior chapters put into perspective. The key concept here is that we must listen to God and follow him.

The chapter opens with a detailed list of rewards for those who listen to God, follow his decrees, and obey his commands. He promises favor, peace, and fruitfulness. Isn’t this a life we all want to experience?

But then the tone of the chapter changes. The word “but” signals a transition.

For those who refuse to listen to God, don’t carry out his commands, and reject his decrees, he adds a list of threats (Leviticus 26:14-16) that contrast to the comforting promises in the first half of the chapter.

He talks about terror, disease, and enemy oppression. We all want to avoid these things.

However, these aren’t to punish us but to get our attention.

After a few verses he says, “If after all this…” It’s like he’s taking a breath and giving his people—and us—a second chance.

We must grab this opportunity. Because if we don’t, more punishment will follow, with dire repercussions.

What follows in the rest of the chapter is a series of chances: a third chance, a fourth chance, a fifth chance, and so on.

God doesn’t want to punish us. He wants us to turn to him, follow him, and obey him. His message is clear. We must listen to God and do what he says. Then we will receive the rewards he wants to give us.

And this all starts when we listen to God.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Leviticus 25-26, and today’s post is on Leviticus 26:14-16.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Saul Squanders What God Gives Him

Even If God Sets Us Up for Success, We’ll Fail If We Don’t Obey Him

God’s chosen people, the nation of Israel, ask for a king. This isn’t what God wants, but he gives them what they request. He gives them a king.

At God’s direction, Samuel anoints Saul as king, appointing him ruler over God’s people and their nation.

To prove this is God’s doing, Samuel makes three prophetic promises to confirm that God’s hand is in this. They all happen.

The final one is that the Holy Spirit will empower Saul, and he will prophesy. Then God will change him into a different person, presumably a person ready to lead well and keep them focused on God.

The Holy Spirit does indeed come upon Saul, he prophesies, and his heart changes. Samuel presents Saul to the people with the confirmation that there is no one like him in the entire nation.

This means Saul is unique and equipped to be king, Israel’s first king (1 Samuel 10:1, 6, 9, 24).

God gives Saul a promising start. He’s poised to lead well. But despite God’s provision. Saul squanders what God gave him.

Instead of trusting God and instead of doing what Samuel—Saul’s spiritual guide—tells him to do, he worries and grows impatient.

He ignores Samuel’s instructions, and even worse, he disobeys God’s law.

And it only takes a few chapters in 1 Samuel for this to occur. Saul repeatedly shows he’s not the man God wants as king. By the time we get to chapter 15, God has enough of the disobedient king.

God tells Samuel, “I’m distressed I made Saul king.

He’s not following me anymore and doesn’t do what I say” (1 Samuel 15:10-11). Later Samuel confronts Saul and tells him that because he rejected God’s words, that God rejects him as king (1 Samuel 15:23).

Though Saul had a great start as king and was positioned to be a great one, his lack of trust in God and disobedience causes his downfall. Despite what God gave him, Saul squanders God’s favor and doesn’t finish well.

[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is 1 Samuel 8-10, and today’s post is on 1 Samuel 10:1, 6, 9, 24.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Consider God’s Punishment

God Had a Purpose for His People and They Let Him Down

God established Jerusalem as the center of all nations. This suggests he intended them to set an example and be a global leader, showing everyone how to live right and pointing them to him. But this isn’t what they did.

In their wickedness, they rebelled against him, even more so then everyone else. They rejected God’s ideals. In their disobedience they were worse than all the countries around them (Ezekiel 5:5-8). Talk about an epic fail.

Finally, God had enough. Punishment will come. Here’s what he’s going to do:

He Will Turn Against Them

The idea of God turning against us is a horrific thought. As an all-powerful being, he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Though we hope he will use his vast power for our benefit, it’s not guaranteed.

If we turn against him, don’t we realize he has every right to turn against us?

He Will Punish Them Openly

God says he will discipline his people for what they did. More frighteningly, he says he will inflict punishment on them. And this won’t happen privately, it will occur publicly for all to see, heaping embarrassment upon their penalty.

He Will Do Something Unprecedented

And this punishment he plans to inflict upon them will emerge as something so intense that it’s unfathomable. It’s something he’s never done before and will never do again.

This suggests how angry he is with his people for not living up to his expectations.

What is this vast punishment God plans for them? Though it’s hard to write, they’ll resort to cannibalism—of their own family members (Ezekiel 5:9-10).

What About Punishment for Us?

Ezekiel directs this punishment at Jerusalem, but as the political center of the nation, Jerusalem is a metaphor for the whole country. The nation doesn’t do what God expects of them: to advance his kingdom and influence the world.

The result is severe punishment. Just as this applied to God’s chosen people thousands of years ago, by extension doesn’t it apply to us today?

[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is Ezekiel 5-8, and today’s post is on Ezekiel 5:5-10.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Disobedience Can Have Long-Term Consequences

When God Tells Us to Do Something He Has a Reason and We Should Obey

After Joshua leads the people of Israel into the Promised Land and takes control of it, he divides the territory among the tribes.

Though they have conquered enough of the area to occupy it, remnants of other people, such as the Canaanites, still live there. (It’s often called the land of Canaan.)

It’s up to each tribe to fully take control of their assigned region and drive out the people that live there.

We can debate who has the right to live there. Is it the Israelites who God promised could live in this land? Or is it the people who live there when the Israelites arrive?

Of course, if we go back a few centuries, we see that God first gave this land to Abraham.

This means Israel is merely reclaiming what God gave them through Abraham long ago. Who has a rightful claim to this land?

Drive Out the People Occupying the Promised Land

However, the discussion of rightful leadership isn’t the point in this post. The point is, what will the people of Israel do once they repossess the land? God tells them they are to drive out the people living there.

This is another item we could debate. Why can’t they peacefully coexist? Why can’t they get along? It seems fair, but God knows that these other nations will negatively influence his people, causing them to disobey him and turn from him.

Though we don’t want to make an isolationism theology based on this passage, we do see how important it is to guard ourselves against ungodly influence.

For the territory given to Ephraim and Manasseh, the Bible says that they didn’t dislodge the people who lived in Gezer.

As a result the Canaanites continued to live there. They caused great problems for God’s people in the coming years and centuries.

We see their reoccurring threat throughout the book of Judges, and they’re still around during the days of Ezekiel, Ezra, and Nehemiah.

The disobedience of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh to purge their area of ungodly influences cause problems for their descendants for centuries.

[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is Joshua 16-18, and today’s post is on Joshua 16:10.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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God Tells Abraham He Will Make Him into a Great Nation

God Makes a Similar Promise to Moses

In the book of Genesis, we meet Abraham. God takes a special interest in Abraham and gives him a bold promise. He pledges to make Abraham “into a great nation” (Genesis 12:2, NIV).

What makes this promise even more incredible is that Abraham is seventy-five years old and has no heirs.

It would seem that this great nation God has in mind will end with Abraham’s death.

Of course, God has a different plan. Miraculously Abraham and his wife Sarah have a child, Isaac, twenty-five years later, when Abraham is 100 years old. Through Isaac, God’s great nation will emerge.

Isaac has Jacob, also called Israel. Jacob has twelve sons, from which the twelve tribes of Israel will emerge. A great nation is born.

But before this happens, Jacob and his family travel to Egypt. They stick around too long and over many generations their growing group becomes oppressed and enslaved.

Four hundred years later Moses leads them out of Egypt to return to the land God originally pledged for Abraham and his family, the Promised Land. There the great nation will live.

However, this great nation almost gets derailed. The trip from Egypt to their future home in Canaan should only take a few days, two weeks tops.

Instead, the journey lasts forty years, because they’re not ready to receive what God has planned for them and because of their disobedience.

Discover What Moses Did When God Offered to Make Him into a Great Nation

At one point, God becomes exasperated with them and tells Moses what he wants to do. Because of the people’s ongoing disobedience and lack of faith, God has had enough. He threatens to strike them down and destroy them.

Then he’ll start over with Moses. He tells Moses, “I will make you into a nation even greater and stronger than they.”

If I were Moses, I’d jump at the chance. After all, these people—God’s chosen people—have caused nothing but frustration and dissension, complaining the whole time.

I’d be happy to be done with them. I’d be honored for God to arrange a do over, starting with me and my children.

Of course, Moses, a humble man—more humble than any other—turns down God’s generous offer. He begs for a second chance for these people who don’t deserve it. And God grants it.

In fact, he’ll give them many more chances in the centuries to come.

But what if Moses didn’t fight for his people and accepted the offer God gave him? Then instead of us talking about the children of Abraham, we’d be talking about the children of Moses.

It wouldn’t be the nation of Israel; it would be the nation of Moses or one of his sons.

Moses, however, is a wise leader. He doesn’t seek to promote himself. Instead he wants what’s best for those who he’s charged to lead—even though they don’t deserve it.

So, it is with God. Everything he gives us is something we don’t deserve.

[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is Numbers 13-15, and today’s post is on Numbers 14:12.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Christian Living

The Prayer Tower: Thoughts about Seeking God in High Places

A Personal Essay About Encountering God, Prayer, and Hiding in a Prayer Tower

The afternoon assignment at a writers retreat is to take a walk and describe our observations. Leaving the rest of the group in search of some needed solitude, I come upon a sign that simply says, “Prayer Tower.” I can’t ignore the opportunity. Suddenly, my journey has added purpose.

I take a sharp left and begin my assent. A few steps, a landing, and then more stairs. Turn right, walk a bit, and climb some more, I wind my way up the hill.

There’s another landing and then a U-turn, followed by more walking and more stairs: fifty steps and counting; soon seventy-five gives way to one hundred.

What will I find? Am I climbing a stairway to heaven? One hundred and sixteen steps later, I reach my destination: a platform, presumably for prayer. A prayer tower. Panting, I pause to catch my breath.

The vista is grand, with the panorama of Lake Michigan, my favorite of the Great Lakes. I look west, with water as far as I can see; the far shore hides behind the horizon’s dip.

A few ships dot the distance before me. An occasional car announces its presence behind me. All around are tree-covered sand dunes, sprinkled with homes and a string of condominiums.

With winter giving way to spring, naked tree branches creak to a brisk breeze. The biting wind tightens the once warm skin of my face. Below me friends walk along the beach, next to the frigid waters with wind-swept waves.

Others, having grown tired or cold, are already retreating, seeking to recapture the warmth of inside.

The sight and sounds of birds, varieties mostly unknown to me, abound, too many to count. Gulls prevail with their plaintive caw, while a diligent woodpecker tap-tap-taps, either searching for food, forming a home, or seeking to attract a mate.

Gray skies, decorated with blustery clouds, complete the picture.

God’s nature surrounds me. His wind pushes against me. Only with commitment to my task do I stand firm against winter’s final onslaught. I stand in awe. I try to pray, but words allude me.

Why do I need to climb a prayer tower to pray, anyway?

In the Bible Moses ascends Mount Sinai and God’s glory descends. There he encounters God’s power (Exodus 24:15-18).

Jacob dreams of a stairway connecting earth with heaven. Angels traverse it; God stands at the top. Jacob proclaims this awesome place as God’s house and the gate into heaven (Genesis 28:12-17).

Although encouraging, these verses, do not confirm that I need elevation to better connect with the Almighty.

In a less reassuring instance, Moses—denied entry into the Promised Land because of one act of disobedience—is told to climb mount Nebo.

From there he sees in the distance what God is withholding from him. Then he dies (Deuteronomy 32:48-52 and Deuteronomy 34:1-6).

His mountain vantage doesn’t symbolize connection with God as much as punishment for sin and a lost reward.

Other biblical accounts point to elevation as a place of temptation.

From Leviticus to Amos, the “high places” (mentioned 59 times in the NIV) are usually a site for idol worship and heathen practices, providing an ongoing snare to God’s people, repeatedly distracting them from him.

Some kings remove the high places or at least try to diminish their use, only to have a future generation restore them.

The tower of Babel, intended as a monument that reaches up to the heavens isn’t an attempt to connect with God as much as an arrogant tribute to aggrandizement. God quickly ends their brash scheme (Genesis 11:3-9).

Balaam has his issues with altitude, as well. Although God prevents him from cursing Israel when atop various mountain vistas and thereby keeping him from earning the rich rewards he desires (Numbers 22-24), things don’t go well for Balaam.

A sword later ends his life, exacting God’s final punishment (Numbers 31:8). Jude labels this profit motive as the error of Balaam (Jude 1:11).

Jesus likewise encounters temptation in high places, with Satan twice attempting to use an elevated vantage to derail Jesus from his mission. Fortunately for us, Jesus prevails, and the enemy retreats (Luke 4:1-13).

Based on my quick review of what the Bible records about elevated places, it seems a prayer tower may not be the ideal place to connect with God. Yet here it is, and I stand atop it, seeking to do just that.

From my hilltop perspective, I don’t just see nature and friends. I also spot remnants of other activities. Bottles, mostly broken, suggest this place of prayer gives way to revelry in the nighttime hours.

Other trash is more disparaging. I see that SB climbed a tree to carve his “forever” love to ND. I try to not consider the ramifications any further. Suddenly I don’t feel quite so close to God.

This prayer tower, this high place is as much hideout as haven.

Although I encounter God in the prayer tower, I pray little. But that’s okay. I can pray anytime, anywhere, and God hears me just fine.

After all, he’s always with me (Psalm 73:23).

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Leadership Lessons from the Book of Judges

The People Did as They Saw Fit in the Book of Judges; Things Aren’t Much Different Today

The book of Judges is a curious one, containing some really questionable content, especially toward the end of the book. The judges it highlights are a colorful bunch, some exhibiting quite dubious behavior.

It boils down to leadership and a lack of leadership. Judges gives us some leadership lessons.

In Judges, the people are a motley collection, and I cringe over some of their attitudes and actions. Yet despite the shortcomings of many, they do lead people to freedom and to a refocus of their attention on God.

This cycle of disobedience (rejecting God), oppression (punishment), liberation (rescue), and returning to God (obedience) is a reoccurring theme in the book of Judges.

Another reoccurring theme is the phrase, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 21:25).

In fact, this is the concluding sentence of the book of Judges, a fitting end to a collection of stories, some of which I find quite disconcerting.

Leadership Lessons

Without the godly leadership of a king, the people flounder. (Of course, we will later learn they don’t fair too well under the rule of kings either, most of who will rebel against God and lead their people to follow their errors.)

Today we also lack godly leadership. And without good leaders people pretty much do as they see fit. So, true to our nature, most everyone is doing whatever he or she wants.

We see this with the in vogue religion of today, where people make up their own religious beliefs, their own set of rules – or lack thereof. We are so in need of good leaders to guide us.

Yet we are all leaders, be it in society, the political arena, education, at work, in our home, and even of ourselves—we are especially leaders of ourselves.

Doing as we see fit can lead us down a wrong path. Instead, we need to let God lead us and then do what he wants.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Judges 19-21, and today’s post is on Judges 21:25.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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