Does the New Testament say to tithe ten percent?
Does the New Testament say to tithe ten percent? That's a question lots of people probably wonder about. And if it does, it it ten percent of gross income? Or ten percent of net income? Or was that just an Old Testament thing? ...
Blessed are those who mourn
Blessed are those who mourn. Oh yeah. That's a message we all want to hear. Especially when it's translated as "happy are those who are unhappy". But remember, this is Jesus. Everything's either upside down or backwards. After all, Jesus is the one who said, Mt 20:16 “So the last ...
Ancient Myths, Modern Poetry and Heaven
What do ancient myths and modern poetry have to do with Heaven? More than you might think. It's not that they actually describe Heaven. But there's something about them that's worth considering ...
Blessed are the poor in spirit
Blessed are the poor in spirit. Seriously? The poor in spirit are blessed? That sounds so backwards! It's even more strange when it's translated as happy are the poor in spirit! It seems like it should be blessed are the rich in spirit. And yet, that's not what Jesus said. ...
Will we be married in Heaven?
Will we be married in Heaven? That's a tough question. And many people don't really like the easy answer. That easy answer, of course is, no we won't be married in Heaven. And that's because Jesus said, The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those ...
Dragons and the things God has prepared for those who love him
The goal here wasn't to tell you that toothless will be in Heaven. And it wasn't to get you to want to ride around the universe on him. No, the goal was to get you to think. Even more so, to dream. And dream big. Really big. And very good. ...
Are most people good by nature?
Are most people good by nature? That's one of the questions asked by LifeWay Research. The answer was shocking. Shocking to me, at least. According to their survey, 66% of Americans say, "Everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature." Wow ...
The Beatitudes – Introduction
The Beatitudes - the "blessed are" verses. But Who are they for? And What do they mean? I mean, it's nice to be blessed, isn't it? But some of these don't sound so nice. Who wants to be poor in spirit or in mourning? Probably not too many people. Unless ...
A note on happiness
Are we supposed to be happy? To most people, the answer is probably obvious. At least it may seem obvious. But to others, like me, who have issues with depression - the answer is hardly obvious at all. Being happy can feel like something for other people. Whether happiness is ...
Why does Christmas matter?
Honestly, those are the reasons we celebrate. Not just because a cute cuddly baby was born. But because that cute cuddly baby was God in human form, who came here to suffer and die for us. And look what we've done with that day. That season. We commit even more ...
