The Priscilla and Aquila Band

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.” (Romans 16:3-4)

         We meet this wonderful couple in Acts eighteen, where Paul did, in the city of Corinth. Besides their mutual love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they shared the same vocation with Paul: tent making. However, this did not keep them from finding time to give instruction and encouragement to the influential orator and apologist, Apollos, and opening their home to their local church for services (1Cor. 16:19). Paul, in this excerpt from his letter to the church at Rome, does not hesitate to say that they would have given their very lives for his, adding that he was not the only one beholden to this precious couple. In fact, all the Gentile churches were indebted to them.

        And their band has not yet died out, thank God. There are still those who manifest the all-important gift for helping, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28. My husband and I have had friends and co-laborers like this all though our years of service to God—in our two pastorates, as missionaries in Northern Ireland, during the years of itinerant preaching, and even now in these last ones of writing, counseling, and intercession.

         I think now of those who stood by our side in times of sickness, need, sorrow, and yes, like Paul, even physical danger. People like the good deacon and his wife who sat and prayed with my husband in the hospital waiting room, after the doctor came out and told him he was finding it all but impossible to stop the life-threatening bleeding, after the birth of our daughter, Charity. Then there were those wonderful women who were willing to baby-sit at odd hours and inconvenient times; and secretaries who were everything from office-managers to chauffeurs and dry cleaning “pick-up-ers.” The hard-working men who simply said to my husband, “What do you need, Preacher?”…. and meant it. And, oh, the blessed encouragers, who always assured us we were God’s good gift to them, when all the time, it was really the other way around.

        Down through the years, we have had prayer and financial partners whose loyalty has been nothing short of impeccable. Their generosity has well outsized their small number. They have, quite simply, given a face to the word, “faithfulness.”

        These saints of the “Priscilla and Aquila Band” may not receive adequate recognition here, but we can be sure their faithfulness has not gone unnoticed in Heaven (Heb. 6:10). Nor have we forgotten. And, God willing, our gratitude will out live us; because, during all those years, our children were watching, as well.

“Thy friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not…” (Prov.27:10a)

Taking the Blame

“Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him..." - Daniel 6:14

Maybe it's just me, but the first thirteen words of this verse seem more likely to have read this way: "Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with Daniel...not "himself." After all, it was Daniel who had knowingly, deliberately defied his decree that for thirty days, petitions (prayers) should not be made to any god but him, King Darius. Surely this short term arrangement was not too much to ask. Of course, you and I know, our (and Daniel's) God will not countenance dual allegiance, no matter how temporary. 

Still, in spite of his weakness in succumbing to this opportunity of undeserved glory, I commend Darius for realizing immediately who was at fault in this development. He should have known that a man of Daniel's proven integrity and allegiance to his God would never alter his routine of daily prayer to Him three times a day. It grieved him sorely that he himself had set this all in motion. 

I wonder if I'm discerning or humble enough to recognize that the very outcome I decry could very well have been my own fault? Or maybe I'm more like Jephthah, in Judges eleven, who made a hasty vow to God that if He delivered the Ammonites into his hand in battle, the first thing that came out of his doorway when he returned home would be offered in sacrifice to Him. Then, when it turned out to be his daughter, he accused her of "troubling" him and breaking his heart! 

Should we be surprised if questionable choices we have made when our children were young blossom into worse choices in their own lives? They may have the ultimate blame, but you and I should be willing to admit our own, at least to God and ourselves...and perhaps them. 

I could cite other biblical illustrations, but I strongly feel I have delivered the message He wanted me to pass along today. I'll admit, God has taken me in an unforeseen and somewhat unwelcome direction in these musings. Blame is a tricky concept to deal with. It can be overblown, or underestimated. I pray I have struck a chord somewhere in the middle. 

Snares, Nets, and Bands

"And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands..." (Ecclesiastes 7:26a)

Each time I come to this particular verse, my mind goes back to Proverbs thirty-one. Not as a comparison, of course, but as a stark contrast. In this verse in Ecclesiastes, Solomon charges some women with having hearts that are "snares and nets," and hands that are like clutching "bands” to a man. The woman he describes in Proverbs 31:11-12, on the other hand, possesses a heart that a husband can “safely trust in,” for he knows "she will do him good and not evil all the days of her [not just his] life." In I Samuel 18:21, we are told that Saul gave his daughter, Michal, to David for the express purpose of being a "snare" to him. And she was, too.

As women, we sometimes think being the “weaker vessel” puts us at a uniquely unfair disadvantage. But in reality, we wield a tremendous amount of influence in the so-called, “battle between the sexes.” And any woman who is honest will agree with this. I would contend that as a woman, it is no small achievement to win the respect and confidence of a good and godly man. In Judges sixteen, where the story of Samson and Delilah is found, I have written in the margin, “Every woman seeks to know the heart of a man...his strengths and weaknesses. The difference in women is found in what she does with that knowledge.”



I am conscious of the influence I have with my own husband. I consider it a sacred trust. To the extent that one person can know another, I think I know his heart; and to the extent that I know my own, his heart is safe with me.

Growing Into the Word of God

“That we henceforth be no more children…But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things…” (Eph. 4:14-15)  “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” (1 Pet. 2:2)

Some books—the good ones—are fresh each time you read them (e.g., C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity). Obviously, this is not because the book is any different, but because we are different. George Morrison (1866-1928) has written that life does not give us new words after the years, but does fill the old words with deeper meaning. And there is some truth in this. But, if this is true of the writings of men and women, it is even truer of the living Word of God. That’s why as I reread its pages, I suddenly find myself riveted on some portion that may as well have been written in boldface, so new and meaningful does it now appear to me.

It’s clear from my opening verses that an integral part of growing in grace is growing into the Word of God. And for myself, I don’t need a new translation with new words; I just need to make sure my life lines up with the one that has worked for all these years. As they say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

As I said earlier, books, and especially the Book of God do not change; we do. Hebrews 4:12 informs us that the Word of God is “a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,” and our hearts are characterized by different thoughts and different intents as we go through life. We can rest assured that the Bible discerns this when others may be fooled. It judges our motives as well as our methods; it sees the terror behind the tyranny; and it knows the pride behind the pretense. Not only that, the verse also assures us, it’s capable of “dividing asunder” the soul and spirit. That tells me that if one will not flinch at its incisions, it will enable us to divide feelings (soul) from faith (spirit), so that we no longer grasp for selfish dreams but lay hold on the perfect will of God.

If the compassions of the Lord are “new every morning” (Lam.3:23), so are His words to me. I was born again by the Word of the Lord, that can never be corrupted, and that “liveth and abideth forever” (1Pet.1:23). I will never, ever, outgrow it; but I can continue to grow into it, as long as I live. And, by the grace of God, that’s exactly what I intend to!

David's Sling

“…and his sling was in his hand…” – 1 Sam. 17:40

You have no doubt heard many sermons about David’s unconventional victory over the giant. To my way of thinking, my husband’s sermon on it is the best of all, but I may be somewhat prejudiced. J While our granddaughter from back East was visiting recently, the three of us watched a DVD of him preaching this message many years ago. It occurred to me while we were watching it that many, if not most, of the sermons on this wonderful story spend a great deal of time mining out the significance of those “five smooth stones.” And there is definitely much to learn from them. “But what about the sling?” I wondered, “What does this tell us?” I mentioned later to Skyler that I felt there was something to be learned from it too, and her first thought was, “preparedness.”

She was right. God may have provided the stones and directed David to them; but his own skill with the sling, and more importantly, his confidence in God and the righteousness of his purpose that day had been honed and refined from a young age. He had been preparing for just such a day over many days in the past. The sling was not his only skill, for he had killed both a lion and a bear with his bare hands, when his flock was threatened. But he was smart enough to know that today his well-prepared sling was called for. Unlike Saul’s armor, he had proved it time and time again (17:39). (Note to self: Never go to battle with untried weapons.) Not only that, it’s evident from what happened next that Goliath had neglected in his over-confidence to put on his helmet (17:49), so it was his only place of vulnerability. You know the rest of the story. Young David won a great victory that day over a maniacal giant and sealed his place in the hearts of the people over whom he would one day be king.

I said I believe David’s character and purpose of life were even more important than his God-given talent with the sling. I think verses forty-five through forty-seven bear this out: “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts…This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand…that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel…for the battle is the Lord’s…”  He didn’t want to fight the giant because he believed he could beat him; he wanted to fight him because he knew he needed to be beaten, and somebody needed to do it.

  If God has given you a gift to be used for His glory (and He has), know that it will never reach its potential for Him, unless you have prepared yourself spiritually. For instance, unless you can sing with true “understanding” (1 Cor.14:15; Psl. 47:7)  of God and His Word, there’s a good chance you’re only entertaining. In short, unless you can do battle for God of any kind in this wicked world with a clear, sure knowledge that yours is truly a just cause (v. 29), and you’re bound to win because the battle is the Lord’s, don’t be surprised if you become a casualty of war. Make sure your spiritual skill is every bit as proven as your physical one. 

You provide the sling and God will provide the stones…and the victory.