In the beginning. Or maybe shortly after the beginning. Either way, at some point, the earth was formless and empty. What does that mean? Was it the beginning or not? Is there any significance to formless and empty?
Now the earth was formless and empty More
Did God really create everything in six 24-hour days? Is it seven days of creation or seven creation days? Is that wordplay? Or is there really a difference? The two are not at all the same. And they make a huge difference in whether or not the so-called seven days of creation is a stumbling block to believing in God and the Bible.
Did God really create everything in six 24-hour days? More
Some people ask, “How do we know the Bible is true?” Some Christians will say, “Of course it is”. But hey – that’s not really an acceptable answer for someone who’s asking, “Is the Bible true?”, is it? My first thought after hearing that is, “Do you want to believe the Bible is true?”
Do you want to believe the Bible is true? More
Predestiny and free will are two choices given to us by Christian denominations. By people, really. Those who influence what denominations believe about what God said. But are they choices given to us by God? You know, the One who gave the words to the people who actually wrote the books in the Bible? What if God’s words, not men’s words, say that predestiny is about the free will choices we make? We begin with Calvinist core beliefs.
Is predestiny about who we are or free will choices? Calvinist beliefs. More
The problem of praying to be healed? Really? There’s a problem with praying to be healed? Maybe. It depends. The person praying probably has good intentions. Wants what’s best for the person they’re praying for. And yet, one question remains. What does the Bible say, in its full context, about praying to God for someone to be healed?
The problem of praying to be healed More
We move on to the third of the seven letters in Revelation. This time the letter to the compromising church in Pergamum – also called Pergamos in some translations. Jesus has good things to say about the church in Pergamum. And some things that aren’t good. Given the warnings though, it seems like more bad news than good. We’ll see if that’s the case. Just how bad is the compromising?
The letter to the compromising church in Pergamum in Revelation More
And so it begins. The first of the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation. The Letter to the church in Ephesus. Jesus had some good things to say to them. And some bad things. But then another positive statement. The Ephesian church certainly wasn’t in the worst condition of the seven. But then, it wasn’t the best either. So there’s plenty to look at. Both for the church in Ephesus at the time and for us today.
The letter to the loveless church in Ephesus in Revelation More
The Great Commission and The End Times – Is the completion of one the beginning of the other? When the Great Commission has been fulfilled, will The End Times begin? Are we actually working to bring about the events in Revelation when we spread the Gospel? In a sense, even without tying the two together, every second that passes by is bringing us one second closer to The End Times. It’s just a fact of time. The question is one of whether there’s a Biblical link between the two.
The Great Commission and The End Times More
When we left Jonah in part 2 of this series, he was just vomited onto dry land by the great fish God send to bring Jonah back to Him. It seems there’s a great lesson, pun intended, that Christians need to learn about God from Jonah. Something that kind of reminds me a bit of a scene from Star Wars. The thinking behind “Let the Wookie win” is quite different from the contest of wills between God and Jonah. And yet, the idea of “Let God win”, is just so striking.
What Christians need to learn about God from Jonah More
Sometimes I wonder, is there anybody here but me? There’s so many people. But we can feel so alone. Christians believe in a big God. Loneliness still happens.
Sometimes I wonder, is there anybody here but me? More
