'God' Tagged Posts
Does God Promise to Work Out All Things for Good?
I have gone on record in saying that Bible passages we think we know the most we know the least (see here and here). This is not any less true with Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This verse is often used to give hope and encouragement during suffering and trials. Often this verse is understood to say something like: Everything bad…
Does Christmas Promise Peace on Earth?
During this time of year—Christmas season—religious services and songs commonly speak about peace on earth: Hark! The herald angels sing/Glory to the newborn King!Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Unfortunately, however, traditionalism and sentimentalism obscure our reading of the biblical text from which this hymn is adapted. For hundreds of years, English speaking people have read in Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (KJV). But when…
Why Getting God Right Matters
As Christians, we believe that God has revealed Himself in the sixty-six books of the Bible. Any belief about God that does not line up with what has been revealed in the Bible is not the true God. It is an idol. Puritan William Perkins (1558-1602) once put it like this: “God is to be conceived as He reveals Himself unto us” in the Scripture, “and not otherwise; if otherwise, God is not conceived but a fiction or idol of…
The Father of Lights in a Changing World
In James 1:17 a curious title is given to God. God is called “the Father of lights.” Why does James call God “the Father of lights”? James calls God “the Father of lights” because he wants to communicate that God is unchanging. But how does God as “the Father of lights” relate to him being unchanging? Since God is the creator of the lights—the sun, moon, and stars, He does not change. The creation experiences constant change. Even in the lights. The…
Two Insufficient Ways to Deal with Difficulty
Over the years I have recognized that people deal with difficulty in generally one of two ways. One person deals with difficulty by looking out. When difficulty and conflict are present, the tendency is to want to look away and escape. Escaping can take many forms, like binge watching TV, gorging on food, or spending above your means. Another person deals with difficulty by looking in. When difficulty and conflict are present, the tendency is to want to look in and fix.…
Why Is God Enough?
In a recent sermon, I made the case that no matter what we experience in this world (good or bad), being in a close relationship with God through Jesus Christ brings lasting satisfaction and goodness, for God is good and enough. Of course, the key part of this sentence is the foundation upon which it is built: God is good and He is enough. God’s benevolence and sufficiency brings lasting satisfaction and goodness. But why? Puritan, Thomas Watson, helped me…
Is God Great?
I remember where I was standing in a local bookstore several years ago when the New York Times bestselling book, God is Not Great, appeared on the bookshelf. Scanning through the pages, I learned about the late Christopher Hitchens. The premise of Hitchen’s book is outlined in the subtitle: How Religion Poisons Everything. He asserts that religion is the main source of hatred in the world. I agree with Hitchens that religion is the main source of hatred in…
The Bible – the Greatest Literary Paradox
I love the Bible. I believe the Bible is the word of the Creator of the Universe to humankind. Because I believe the Bible is the very words of God, I believe it is inspired and inerrant without contradiction. I also believe the Bible is the greatest literary paradox known to man. Why is the Bible the greatest literary paradox? Because it has the greatest author—God himself. Here are a few paradoxes we find in the…
A Listening God
Sometimes, in the course of life, you only want someone to listen to you. You don’t want them to fix you or fix your problems. You want them to listen. When you find a person who listens to you, maybe a spouse or a friend, you know that person is expressing love. One day I was reading the Bible and came across a verse that teaches us that God is a listening God. He has a listening ear. And this…