Paul is one of my favorite people in the Bible, in large part because he was such a tower of strength and faithfulness. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 he discusses the many persecutions and hardships he endured: . . . beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times Read more…
I expect most of us are familiar with the parable of the Prodigal Son.[1] The younger of two sons receives his share of his inheritance from his father, squanders it on loose living, finds himself poverty-stricken, and finally returns home to a warm welcome from his kind and generous father. Read more…
Wars. Famine. Disease. Floods. Landslides. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Droughts. Crop failures. So many huge problems in the world causing suffering and death. And we can do little to nothing about them. But that’s okay. In 2018 the Christian singer Josh Wilson came out with a clever, fun song called “Dream Small.” Read more…
Last week I pointed out how the Jewish leaders, and especially the Pharisees, regarded Jesus as a law breaker because he did not conform to their interpretation of God’s laws regarding the Sabbath.[1] But that was not their only problem with Jesus. He offended the Jewish leaders by ignoring their Read more…
If you are like me, you probably think of chapters one and two of Genesis as the beginning of the Sabbath. After spending six days creating the world and the universe, Genesis 2:2-3 says: By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on Read more…
The Brooks Range is a sparsely populated mountain range located north of the Arctic Circle in northern Alaska and northwestern Canada. Named for geologist Alfred Hulse Brooks in 1925, these mountains stretch about 700 miles from west to east. The rugged Dalton Highway, which runs from near Fairbanks to Deadhorse Read more…
A former president is on trial and we could have a verdict from the jury soon, perhaps before I even finish and publish this blog entry. I’m sure everyone who is interested in his case hopes that justice will be done, although for some justice would mean a conviction, while Read more…
Every week I receive in my email inbox “An Encouraging Word” from Max Lucado. A recent Encouraging Word had a phrase that caught my attention: “To label is to libel.” Mr. Lucado’s point is that we often label people because we are judging them—and judging them harshly, I might add. Read more…
Aren’t Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism basically the same? No! And not just because Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”[1] Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, known as the “Buddha,” which means one who is “awakened” or “enlightened.” One Read more…
Last week, and in a past blog entry, I discussed why “bad” things happen—or more accurately, why God allows them to happen. And from a strictly objective and intellectual viewpoint, such explanations can make a lot of sense—until it’s your loved one who dies or it’s your own body that Read more…