Living in These Last Days
We need God’s Word and God’s Spirit to keep on track as we live between the times.
We might think that the idea that we live in the last days is an abstract doctrine unrelated to everyday life. But when we consider the matter further, we see that it is immensely practical, for it affects our view of sanctification, family life, church, politics, and much more. We can fall prey to underrealized... Continue Reading
Is It God’s Will to Always Heal?
Theology has consequences. And bad theology always produces bad consequences.
The false idea that God desires to always heal in every circumstanceproduces a tsunami of destruction by all who believe it. If you are sick and not getting healed, who is to blame? You are. If you are suffering and not getting a reprieve, who is at fault? Again, you are. My friend Alex is dying from brain... Continue Reading
When You’re Weary and Exhausted from Life
We can get to a point in life where we are almost on auto-pilot, going through a routine without much hope of something more.
“Pessimism is not in being tired of evil but in being tired of good. Despair does not lie in being weary of suffering, but in being weary of joy. It is when for some reason or other good things in a society no longer work… when its food does not feed, when its cures do... Continue Reading
God’s People in Exile
God’s people have been living as exiles in foreign lands ever since we were thrown out of the garden of Eden.
There was an attempt at restoring the kingdom in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, but it faltered because the people were unfaithful. Ultimately, God did what His people were unable or unwilling to do. He sent His own Son to lead His people out of exile and to build the kingdom of heaven throughout... Continue Reading
Five Reasons to Dust Off a Theology Book
Frequently I encourage my congregation to pick up a theology book and to slowly work through it.
Reading a good systematic theology will help you to know God. Systematic theologies are filled with biblical references and teach the reader how to connect the proverbial dots in the Word of God. This practice, for the believer, will aid in devotion to and in contemplation of the God of the Bible. “What are... Continue Reading
How do I Evaluate Claims of Supernatural Experiences?
If someone claims to have a true word from God for me, the burden of proof lies with the claimant. So, if I say I’m Superman I need to do more than remove my glasses and rip open my shirt to show an “S” emblazoned on my chest. To be credible I would need to... Continue Reading
Godly (Dis)contentment
Because we live in a fallen world and because we are not yet arrived at our eternal home, we will necessarily--and rightly--be discontent in some areas.
“To love Christ more — this is the deepest need, the constant cry of my soul. Down in the bowling-alley, and out in the woods, and on my bed, and out driving, when I am happy and busy, and when I am sad and idle, the whisper keeps going up for more love, more love,... Continue Reading
Eternity in Our Hearts
The expectation of seeing Christ by sight in heaven must inform how we live by faith here on earth.
This side of eternity, the Christian life is like an engagement. It is lived in anticipation of the wedding day. As Christians, we live in between the already of our betrothal to Christ and the not-yet of the wedding feast of the lamb. We are to be like the bride-to-be who takes every occasion to... Continue Reading
6 Ways Jesus Radically Altered Marriage
Jesus radically altered the meaning and purpose of marriage in his day which sent shockwaves throughout history.
Jesus provides the means in this life to flee immorality, lust, and adultery through the marriage of one man to one woman. The Lord does not take this institution away but rather shows how grace triumphs over sinfulness. Christ first shows us how far sin enters our hearts, how deep the river of sin runs,... Continue Reading
On Its Own Terms: Rightly Reading Scripture, Part 3
I want to further develop the Bible’s “own terms” by focusing on how Scripture has come to us, not only over time but also by the progression of the biblical covenants.
Our reading of Scripture will carefully unpack how themes such as temple, land, sacrifice, priest, etc., unfold across the canon. But before we do, we must first ask whether God has “put together” his plan and revealed it to us in Scripture in such a way that there is a correct structuring or backbone to the Bible’s storyline that... Continue Reading