Recently, I led a tour through the ancient city of Jerusalem. Early one morning, I looked out across the skyline and read Psalm 46. You may know the first verse by heart: God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. I thought of how God had shown Himself strong […]
Read MoreCategory Archives: God
Does God Hate?
Hate is a powerful word. We are taught from childhood to avoid hatred at all costs and to obey the command of Christ to love everyone, including our enemies. So it’s shocking to read the words that Paul quoted from Malachi, who declared that God loved Jacob but hated Esau (Malachi 1:2–3). How can a […]
Read MoreThink Theologically, Not Logically
I confess to you, at times I doubt God’s purpose and promise. I say that to my own embarrassment. When things haven’t worked as I thought they would, when I received a no instead of a yes or a yes instead of a no, when I couldn’t unravel a situation and fit it with the […]
Read MoreThe Eternal I AM
Until your eyes are fixed on the Lord, you will not be able to endure those days that go from bad to worse. Fix your eyes on the Lord! Do it once. Do it daily. Do it ten thousand times ten thousand times. Do it constantly. When your schedule presses, when your prospects thin, when […]
Read MoreThe Trinity and Salvation
You can easily zip through 1 Peter 1:2 and miss the Trinity in the work of salvation. Many Christians forget—or at least fail to appreciate—the fact that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together in perfect harmony to secure our eternal destiny. One author writes, “Each person of the Godhead plays a distinct role: […]
Read MoreWhy We Praise One We Can’t Comprehend
The culture in which we live, work, and play complains that God makes no sense, so how can He be trusted? They refuse to worship a God they can’t comprehend. My thought is the exact opposite. Unlike others, I find God’s incomprehensibility absolutely refreshing. Especially in a day like ours when executive moguls prance like […]
Read MoreZoom Out, Zoom In
The Nineteenth Psalm is on my list of all-time greatest passages. The sweep and scope of its poetry is stunning – like the first time you see the Grand Canyon, or the Northern Lights, or a newborn baby. You are left slack-jawed and without adequate words. Read it with me as if with new eyes. […]
Read MoreSeeing Above the Clouds
Storm clouds gather. Problem is, they’re the wrong kind. We need rain desperately, but those clouds hold no rain. We need refreshment and renewal, a kind of inner relief. Like you feel when a sudden cloud cover blocks the burning rays of the sun and blows a cool breeze across the back of your neck. […]
Read MoreHow Much Proof Is Enough Proof?
I was talking to a lady over breakfast the other day. It was a church breakfast, where some people had been invited who were “casually curious” about matters of faith and the existence of God. I was there to answer any and all questions with grace, and not get too bogged down in the jargon […]
Read MoreWhat Does “Trusting God” Mean?
Trust is not one of my strong suits. I could try to blame my struggle on not knowing enough trustworthy people, but I know the problem is rooted in me . . . in my desire to protect myself and in my fear of getting hurt or let down. I know that not trusting others […]
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