The world in which we live is either the sphere of our control or the sphere of our accountability. The core of our life is either filled with time and chance as expressed by our soul-less existence or the core of our life is occupied by the creator God who revealed himself, who gave us choices though we fell. That is the sphere and the core, now for the outer edge.At the end or edge of our lives ...  Read More

How many of us have ever muttered these words, “Why does God allow suffering?” We all have when we see, experience, or witness tragedy. For Christians, though, these questions can be even more acute because we believe and proclaim that at the bright center of the universe, there is a good, loving, and all-powerful God. In fact, there is a classical argument against the very existence of God that g...  Read More

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)These words in 2 Timothy are often used as a prooftext for the inspiration and infallibility of the Bible. While I will be using these words as such this Sunday, it is important to remember that -...  Read More

I’m not the smartest person I know, and I’m OK with that. I’m also not the wisest, though I would like to be. God also knows I’m not the smartest or wisest person, but I am deeply grateful that his love for me is not based on how wise or foolish I am (Romans 1:14). Yet God does draw some lines that I need to understand.According to the Bible, God does reveal himself to all people through his creat...  Read More

It wasn’t that long ago that a certain something swept throughout our world that caused economic, political, social, and physical chaos. However, history is full of similar stories. Change is constant, and any hope we put in the status quo will be dis­appointed. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 7:24-29 that it’s not a matter of “if” those storms come; it’s a matter of “when.” Twice, he says, “The rain ...  Read More

The New Testament includes gospels and letters from a few of the first Christian disciples and believers, but have you ever wondered or imagined what some of the other early believers in Jesus might say if they were able to speak to us? What experiences and surprises might they speak about to encourage us to fully trust Jesus with an eternal perspective, even today?Perhaps I have an overactive ima...  Read More