What are we to make of Jesus’ warning that his Father will turn us over to prison and to torturers until we pay everything we owe if we do not forgive our brother and sister from our heart? (Matt 18:34-35) And is there any connection between this statement and the way (one chapter later) Jesus […]
We started in our last conversation to talk about why the term “disciple” fell out of usage in the New Testament after the Gospels and the record of Acts. Its formal absence from the letters of Paul, James, Peter, and John catches my attention just as I’ve often wondered why those same writers didn’t make […]
The good news of our age is that information is king. Knowledge rules. So by desktop, smartphone, or tablet, we have instant global access to the exploding journalistic, scientific, and commercial data of the world—sort of. The challenge is that we have a bit of an issue getting past the unnerving discovery that every question […]
There is such irony in our last conversation about Jesus’ words to “hate” family so as to give full attention to him (Luke 14:26). When any other religious leader asks for such commitment, most of us assume that the person is self-absorbed and dangerous. But for those who believe that the words of Luke 14:26 […]
Some themes keep coming up in our conversations regardless of where a post begins. For some time now I’ve been preoccupied with the thought that every proverb, prediction, song, and story in the Bible needs to be read first for what it is– God breathed writing to and through people living in ancient times; and […]
Does it take a course in music appreciation to read the songs of the Bible? I’m wondering this while reading Psalm 5, knowing that David was a man after God’s own heart; remembering that this song has been sung by God’s people down through the ages; and realizing that it is a song that is […]
The marketers of Nikon technology have done what clever advertisers often do. Whether intentionally or not, they have found a way of using words to tap into a spirituality that is much greater than the product being sold. I found this example of “I AM changing everything” on a Singapore billboard. Readers of the Bible […]
This question is important not only for followers of Christ, but for people of all religions and points of view. Ultimately, it is not just about God’s promise to Abraham that he would bless those who blessed him, and curse those who cursed him (Gen 12:3). It also raises the question of what the Apostle […]
As we enter another election cycle, we will once again see the way our political system inclines us to misquote one another in an attempt to create an unfair advantage over our political and moral opponents. Yet who can doubt that our own desire to be seen as conservative, Bible believing, followers of Christ also […]
We’ve probably all heard it said that a fool can ask more questions in a minute than a wise person could answer in a year. From its very beginning the Bible teaches us that some questions end up being out of bounds for those who trust God. But is wisdom or understanding ever found by […]
