As a warrior king, David depended on the ability of his commanders to channel violence, who were rewarded for that capacity. But would that control be perfect? What if David learned that one among them was beating his wife? Would David have felt responsible for creating the circumstances of her suffering? What if that had … Continue reading The Burden of Military Command
Author: Brian Balke
Brian practices hypnotherapy in Westlake Village, CA, with a focus on clients seeking to overcome trauma and discomfort, and to build self-esteem.
How profound is God's forbearance? Of Samuel, the leading men of Israel demanded a king, claiming "A king will fight our battles for us." The Goliath arrives, and Saul promises his title to any man that will go out and defeat the enemy. Finally, David arrives out of nowhere - just as did the preceding … Continue reading The Folly of Kings
Why do we have four gospels? Well, who would have been able to write an authoritative account of Jesus' ministry? Only Jesus, of course. So, if Scripture is authoritative, why didn't Jesus write a gospel? We must assume that he had his reasons. Perhaps: "Written records are parsed, redacted, and twisted to justify the practices … Continue reading Gospel Truth?
Much chatter on social media about a $7 million Super Bowl ad that asserts "Jesus gets us." Putting aside whether the money could have been used to better purpose, what about the theology? Is being understood the foundation of the sacred relationship? Or does it go deeper than that? Jesus permeates creation, so He "contains … Continue reading Getting Jesus
In the era, Jesus mourned the relegation of women to service. Related parables are obscure: "Heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed 33 pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough." [Matt. 13:33] What should we make of this? First, with water, the mixture becomes dough. Jesus offered the "waters … Continue reading Daughters to the Bride
Love Returns 