Exodus on Practices

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The Meaning of Rituals

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 12:14, Exodus 13:8-9, Joshua 4:6-7, Acts 2:42, Joel 2:15-16

Rituals are procedures or routines that are fused with meaning. Ritual actions include various rites of passage (birth, marriage, death) or calendrical rites (religious holy days, national holidays), ...

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The Practice of Holy Leisure

Author

James Bryan Smith

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20:8-10, 1 Kings 19:11-12 , Matthew 6:25-27, Mark 6:31, Psalm 46:10

Dolce far niente—“the sweetness of doing nothing.” One of the most powerful soul-training exercises I have ever done is a practice called holy leisure. In simple terms, holy leisure is “doing nothi...

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Practice is to Judaism…

Author

Lauren F. Winner

Keywords

Actions

Scripture

Exodus 24:null, Philippians 4:9, James 1:22-23, James 1:22, Matthew 7:24

Practice is to Judaism what belief is to Christianity. That is not to say that Judaism doesn’t have dogma or doctrine. It is rather to say that for Jews, the essence of the thing is a doing, an action...

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Author

Julie Canlis

Keywords

Scripture

2 Samuel 9:6-13, Exodus 4:22-23 , Romans 8:14-17, Ephesians 1:3-6, Psalm 68:5-6

Adoption … is not the cause merely of a partial salvation, but bestows salvation entire…

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Praying Wholeheartedly

Author

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 11:1–4 , Romans 8:26–27, Psalm 119:171–173 , Exodus 33:11 , Deuteronomy 6:4–9 , 1 Samuel 3:1–10

When our will wholeheartedly enters into the prayer of Christ, then we pray correctly. Only in Jesus Christ are we able to pray, and with him we also know that we shall be heard. And so we must learn ...

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Therese of Lisieux's Prayer

Author

Richard J. Mouw

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 34:6–7, Genesis 50:19–21, 2 Samuel 9:1–13, Luke 18:1–8 , Luke 7:36–50, Psalm 103:8–14

I personally get some inspiration for getting at the nature of this work from a story told by one of my favorite spiritual writers, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Thérèse was born in 1873, to a devout Cath...

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Author

David Putman & Ed Stetzer

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 29:13, Malachi 3:10 , Exodus 20:8-10, Hebrews 10:24-25, Luke 4:16, Psalm 84:10

The Barna Research Group reports that in the United States about 10 million self-proclaimed, born-again Christians have not been to church in the last six months, apart from Christmas or Easter.

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We are Fed as we Feed

Author

Leonard Sweet & Frank Viola

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 16:4-18, 1 Kings 17:8-16, Isaiah 55:1-2 , John 6:32-35, Matthew 14:13-21, Psalm 37:25-26

Celebrated as one of the greatest writers of all time, French writer Marcel Proust (1871–1922) filled out a personal questionnaire at the start of his career for a magazine like the one we know today ...

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Author

Evagrius Ponticus

Keywords

Scripture

1 Kings 19:11-12, Exodus 3:1-6 , Isaiah 30:15, Matthew 14:23 , Luke 5:16, Psalm 46:10

A monk is a man who is separated from all and who is in harmony with all.

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 (Guide B)

Author

Paul Koptak

Scripture

John 13:1-17, 31b-35, Exodus 12:1-14, Psalm 116:, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Introduction Only John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus washed his disciple’s feet during his last meal with them. The other texts for this day remember the Passover and the context it sets for Jesus’s w...

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Joy With Flesh On

Author

Ashley Hales

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 1:31, Exodus 16:4–5, Isaiah 40:31, Mark 10:14–15, John 15:5,11, Psalm 16:11

I have a photo of one of my children: on a day of pure sunshine, he is running down the hillside, leading with his chest, his smile and stride wide as his speed picks up. Running is pure delight. Agai...

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Living with Pain in a World Governed by Technique

Author

Alan Noble

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 11:1-9, Exodus 16:13-36, Ecclesiastes 1:12-18, Luke 10:38-42, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Psalm 127:1-2

Living in a society governed by technique conditions us to believe that in every way life is easier than it ever has been. Technique is the use of rational methods to maximize efficiency, and we...

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Blowing Through Stop Signs: Why Keeping the Sabbath Is So Important

Author

Dan Baumgartner

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 20:null, Deuteronomy 5:null

Ignoring God's Stop Sign Have you ever been driving and inadvertently blown right through a stop sign? It happened to me recently. Anne and I were down in San Francisco meeting some friends, I w...

lectionary

Maundy Thursday

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

John 13:1-17, 31b-35, Exodus 12:4, Psalm 116:18, 1 Corinthians 11:23

This guide has been updated and expanded. Our Maundy Thursday guide for 2026 on John 13 incorporates this material along with additional commentary, illustrations, and discussion questions. Check ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 (Guide A)

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

John 13:1-17, 31B-35, John 13:31-35, Exodus 12:4, Psalm 116:6, 1 Corinthians 11:23

John's Account of the Last Supper This passage is most often preached on on Maundy Thursday (or Holy Thursday). By our modern measure, “Thursday” would also include Gethsemane and other events of...

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Jesus Discerned Between Invitations

Author

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

Keywords

Scripture

1 Kings 19:11-13, Exodus 33:12-14, Isaiah 30:15-21, Mark 5:25-34, Mark 1:35-38, Psalm 46:10

Jesus knew his spiritual journey depended on responsiveness to God’s invitations. Although his job was the most crucial in human history, Jesus did not get compulsive, preoccupied or unable to practic...

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A Savior Who Was a Spitter

Author

Steve Arterburn and Jack Felton

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 2:21–23, Exodus 3:7–10, Isaiah 55:10–11, John 9:1–7 , Acts 10:34–35 , Psalm 19:3–4

Some time ago, I read about the work of a Wycliffe Bible translator in a remote village in Papua New Guinea. When the opening chapters of Genesis were first translated into the native language, the at...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Isaiah 40:21-31

Author

Jeff Volkmer

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 40:21-31, Deuteronomy 1:5, Deuteronomy 4:25-26, Deuteronomy 28:49-52, Leviticus 26:, Genesis 15:, Exodus 6:6-7, Leviticus 26:11-12, Jeremiah 30:22, John 8:34, Romans 6:17-18

Context A Dire Warning All the way back in the Pentateuch God warned the people of Israel that their residency in the promised land was predicated upon their obedience to the Torah . This can be ...

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Psalm 130 | Waiting upon God

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 130:, 1 John 4:8, Exodus 34:6-7, Psalm 107:

ANCIENT LENS What’s the historical context? Historical Background The Songs of Ascents celebrate the journey from Babylonian captivity to freedom in the homeland of Judah, and ultimately celebrat...

lectionary

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Author

Jeff Volkmer

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 40:21-31, Deuteronomy 1:5, Deuteronomy 4:25-26, Deuteronomy 28:49-52, Leviticus 26:null, Genesis 15:null, Exodus 6:6-7, Leviticus 26:11-12, Jeremiah 30:22, John 8:34, Romans 6:17-18

Preaching Commentary Context A Dire Warning All the way back in the Pentateuch God warned the people of Israel that their residency in the promised land was predicated upon their obedience to the ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Mark 7:1-23

Author

Darren Pollock

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 7:1-23, Mark 7:1-12, Isaiah 29:13, Exodus 12:6-20, Deuteronomy 6:20-25, Joshua 4:1-9

Context Ritual Purity The most important broad contextual issue to address with this passage is the concept of ritual purity, and the ways in which this served as a boundary and identity marker for ...

lectionary

15th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Darren Pollock

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, Mark 7:11-12, Isaiah 29:13, Exodus 12:6-20, Deuteronomy 6:20-25, Joshua 4:1-9

Context Ritual Purity The most important broad contextual issue to address with this passage is the concept of ritual purity, and the ways in which this served as a boundary and identity marker for ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Exodus 20:1-17

Author

Rachel Clark

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 20:1-17, Matthew 5:17-48, Matthew 6:25-34

Ancient lens What's the historical context? Covenant first These words spoken by God to the people of Israel were spelled out within the covenant-making process. God has promised to be with t...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Mark 2:23-3:6

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 2:23-28, Mark 3:1-6, Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25, Acts 15:37-39, Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 1:24, 1 Peter 5:13, Mark 1:14-15, Mark 2:1-22, Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15, Exodus 34:21, 1 Samuel 21:1-6, Luke 11:37-54, Mark 2:1-17, Genesis 1:26-31, Genesis 2:1-2, Genesis 3:null, John 19:30

Context Authorship of Mark Mark’s account of the story of Jesus is commonly held to be the earliest of the four canonical Gospels. Early church tradition identifies the author as Mark (or John Mark)...

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Growing Deeper in Existing Strengths

Author

Tom Nelson

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 18:17-23, Proverbs 9:9, Nehemiah 2:17-18 , Matthew 25:14-30, Philippians 4:11-13, Psalm 90:12

Peter Drucker suggests that we should always sustain two streams of learning and self-improvement. And though he is speaking specifically about work and career, what he says is equally applicable whet...

Quote

Author

Will Durant

Keywords

Scripture

Proverbs 4:23, Daniel 6:3-4 , Exodus 35:30-35, Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:23-24 , Psalm 1:1-3

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation: we not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but rather have these because we have acted rightly; these virtues are formed in man by d...

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Author

Tim Muehlhoff & Richard Langer

Keywords

Scripture

Joshua 24:14-15, Daniel 1:8-21 , Exodus 1:15-21, Romans 14:5-6, Acts 4:18-20 , Psalm 15:1-2

We might say that convictions are firmly held moral or religious beliefs that guide our beliefs, actions, or choices.

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Pragmatism vs. the Pursuit of Truth

Author

R. C. Sproul

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 1:15–21, Daniel 3:16–18 , 1 Kings 3:16–28 , Matthew 4:1–11, Galatians 1:6–10, Psalm 73:

Pragmatism may be defined simply as the approach to reality that defines truth as “that which works.” The pragmatist is concerned about results, and the results determine the truth. The problem with t...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, John 6:35, 41-51

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

John 6:35, 41-51, Isaiah 54:13-14, Exodus 16:1-36, Numbers 11:1-9, 2 Samuel 18:5-33, Psalm 130:, 1 Kings 19:4-8, Psalm 34:1-8, Ephesians 4:25-32, Ephesians 5:1-2

Ancient Lens What's the historical context? Back to the Wilderness As he has been doing, Jesus calls the people’s minds back to the wilderness during The Exodus and reminds them of the manna ...

lectionary

Second Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Gabe Fung

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 2:23-28, 3:1-6, Mark 2:23-28, Mark 3:1-6, Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25, Acts 15:37-39, Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 1:24, 1 Peter 5:13, Mark 1:14-15, Mark 2:1-22, Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15, Exodus 34:21, 1 Samuel 21:1-6, Luke 11:37-54, Mark 2:1-17, Genesis 1:26-31, Genesis 2:1-2, Genesis 3:null, John 19:30

Preaching Commentary Context Authorship of Mark Mark’s account of the story of Jesus is commonly held to be the earliest of the four canonical Gospels. Early church tradition identifies the author...

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