Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” (Matt 5:9). So why did the Teacher from Nazareth say on another occasion, “Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one […]
On this long Labor Day weekend, many of us have mixed feelings not only because another summer vacation season is slipping away from us, and not only because it will now be back to school, and business as usual– but because of a churning monster named Gustav. Seems like cruel irony that while the rest […]
A few months ago I did a couple of posts on whether the implications we see in the Bible are: (1) necessary, (2) probable, (3) possible, (4) improbable or, (5) impossible implications. I mentioned that I learned this from Haddon Robinson who, from his years of experience as a pastor, seminary professor, and mentor to […]
“Our Father, At the end of another day, we come to you not just by ourselves– but together. Many of us will readily admit that you have given us again today far more than we deserve. But some of us find ourselves reeling with news that we have not yet been able to understand or […]
Few of us enjoy waiting in line. We probably like even less the pushing and shoving that happens when lines don’t form. So does that mean that when we are stuck in a line, we have no choice but to wait? In far more extreme conditions, Victor Frankl learned something about the options that are […]
Yesterday I mentioned that we are working on some video and web-based programs that tell the stories of some courageous men who have been willing to talk about their escape from pornography. The men told their stories in an empty warehouse that provides a visual backdrop for the lonely, secret obsession that had been consuming […]
To move ahead– without forgetting what we were saying to one another in the discussion about what God uses to open our hearts— I’m going to pick up our conversation here… In response to an expressed concern that I’ve been putting to much value on sources outside of the Word of God (i.e books, doctors, […]
My son and his wife asked us if we’d stop by their house and let out the dogs while they were out of town. We were happy to. Just one problem. They had recently gotten a new dog, a large bulldog that I had only met once. When I got to the house, he didn’t […]
Because of the problem of pain and evil that raises disturbing questions about the God of the Bible, I thought it might be a good time to talk about “The Shack”. Finally read the 248 page paperback that so many are talking about. In the meantime I’ve been seeing reviews that go from likening it […]
Now we know. Michael Phelps has made believers out of us. His hope of breaking Mark Spitz’s 1972 Olympic record of seven gold medals was not just hype. But as impressed as I am by his dominance of Olympic waters, and his endurance of swimming 17 races in 9 days, what Michael repeatedly acknowledged in […]
