Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | August 6, 2013
Do we dare ask God for a sign in prayer? Are we comfortable asking? “The Spirit of the LORD took control of Gideon” (Judg 6.34). Literally, God “clothed” Gideon with His Spirit. Unfortunately that doesn’t impede also being controlled by human weaknesses. When one is not used to wearing God’s armor, it doesn’t wear comfortably. […]
PHall | August 2, 2013
“God is good.” Such praise is often said as prayers are answered yes. Is God only good when we get what we want? When my kids ask for something and I say yes, they say, “Thank you, I love you.” Immediately I inquire, “Would you still love me if I said no?” They respond, “Yes, […]
PHall | July 25, 2013
Do you ever wish God verbally answered your prayers? Oh, that might get a little uncomfortable at times. Once again, Israel falls prey to their folly. The inspired author succinctly says, they “did what was evil in the sight of the LORD” (Judg 6.1). “Evil,” look it up: bad, malignant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery, hurtful, […]
PHall | July 18, 2013
God by Himself is unstoppable. When God is followed by leaders, who are followed by volunteers, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished and overcome; even using weapons such as milk and water. Israel’s history is ridiculously cyclical in the book of Judges: Sinning – Suffering – Supplication – Salvation. Israel keeps falling into the […]
PHall | July 16, 2013
“All’s well that ends well” but not all’s well that begins well. Judges 1 begins by mentioning Joshua’s death, a man whose record in Judges is one of multiple triumphs. Thirty-one kings defeated (Josh.12:9-24). His last speech is renowned: “As for me and my house, we will worship Yahweh” (Josh.24.15). Because of his influence, after […]
PHall | June 11, 2013
Faithfulness becomes foolishness when faithfulness is not content to rest on God. Rumor has it NASA discovered a “missing day” when doing calculations for satellite positioning. Running the calculations both forward and backward in time, suddenly, the computer stopped, and a red flag signaled, “ERROR.” Apparently the calculations showed a missing day in space in […]
PHall | June 4, 2013
Tongue in cheek, Bill Cosby said parents of only one child are not real parents because when something gets broken they always know who to blame, with no “he did it” or “she did it” confusion. In Family Circus, make-believe gremlins are responsible when the kids don’t want to accept responsibility: “Not Me” “Ida Know” […]
PHall | May 28, 2013
Did you ever dare to wonder in prayer, out loud, or in the secret recesses of your own mind, if God is a friend or foe? The answer today, right now, just might be, “neither.” The writer of Joshua wants to exalt Joshua as the successor of Moses: God speaks to both Moses and Joshua […]
PHall | May 22, 2013
Certain cultural norms are more meaningful and worth emulating than others. Talking to our children before we die is definitely one of those. Before Moses dies, he blesses his “children” (Dt 33). Moses “looks at each tribe and prays for its well-being in the light of its characteristics, inclination, and capacities. The blessing, a poem […]
PHall | May 15, 2013
To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure I want to be as perfectly honest as this song reveals. I prefer the naïve hope of “I’ll Never Forsake My Lord” which promises “Though the tempter in efforts bold, Or in subtly as of old, Should essay to allure my soul – I’ll never forsake the Lord.” […]