In Scripture, casting lots is routine. Some might even say it’s the normal way to decide a difficult question.
The OT 1 contains 24 references to “cast lots,” “casting lots,” and “the lot fell.” Two of these are in Proverbs where lot-casting is highly recommended.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord (Prov. 16:33).
Casting lots causes contentions to cease, and keeps the mighty apart (Prov. 18:18).
NOTE:The note written below is from Captain Steve Davies. He is a Captain in the Army on his second tour in Iraq. He served four years as prior enlisted in the Air Force. He accepted Christ during those years. When he left the Air Force, he enrolled at International Baptist College and over the next five years received both his BA and MA degrees in Bible. Steve married the former Carrie Stephens after graduation, and they have two young sons. This is a letter he wrote his father-in-law, who is a deacon at Tri-City Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona.
Some people in the body of Christ, at least in their own minds, seem to have the gift of confrontation. These are the folks most other Christians try to dodge. However, sometimes they sneak up on one of their brothers or sisters and utter those dreaded works. “May I speak with you for a minute?” Two questions immediately arise in the affronted brother’s mind: (1) What have I done this time? (2) Why is he confronting me when he has problems with … ? Usually, the issues these “gifted” people deal with are frivolous. On top of that, they often have issues they need to deal with themselves.
I peered out the window as I heard a van pull up outside. I was curious about the other couples who were attending the Christian family conference over the weekend. As a woman emerged from a gray van, I gasped. “Honey,” I called to my husband who was putting away some of his things, “You won’t believe this woman outside! Her hair is buzzed, and she has a bald stripe shaved on the top of her head!” I kept looking out the window, wondering what kind of Christian woman would have a hairstyle like that. I imagined she was probably a feminist…or maybe a punk rocker.
Originally Posted on February 13, 2006
I don’t know how to introduce this man. He has been a mentor and a model for me as well as the best father-in-law a guy could ask for. He has been a pastor nearly all of his life and has been pastoring the folks at Whitworth Memorial Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee for over ten years. In the fall of 2005, he was diagnosed with Stage III Hodgkins Lymphoma and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments. I asked him to consider writing a series of articles for SI about the spiritual lessons learned with a thorn in the flesh like cancer. Today, you have the first in his series. -JPJ
Originally Posted on March 29, 2006