bridging the chasm
When a supervolcano erupts—and thankfully that’s extremely rare—it leaves behind a massive basin known as a caldera. But they are so huge we tend to overlook them completely. As geophysicist Bob Smith described the 45-mile wide Yellowstone caldera, “The size is so immense that people don’t appreciate it.”
the Trinity
Today, some churches will observe Trinity Sunday as a way to remember and honor the Holy Trinity—our triune God consisting of three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three, and yet one God. The word Trinity is not found in the Bible. But the New Testament reveals a triune God (Matthew 3:16-17, Matthew 28:19; John 14:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11, 1 Corinthians 12:3-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 3:14; Hebrews 10:29; 1 Peter 1:2).
changeless
She said to him, “I don’t want to try to fix our marriage. It’s over.” What had started with such high hopes and evident love was now a cold, lifeless thing. My friend desired to see renewal and restoration in their relationship, but his wife made it clear that the two of them had changed and that their marriage would soon end.
in the end . . .
“In the East End I found grace and faith and hope hidden in the darkest corners. I found tenderness and squalor and laughter amid filth. I found a purpose and a path, and I worked with a passion for the best reason of all—I did it for love.” This quote from an episode of the BBC TV series Call the Midwife captures not only life in the 1950s in a poor neighborhood in London, but it also reflects how we should live out our faith in Jesus.
you choose Q: do Gentiles who receive salvation become spiritual Jews?
Q: Is it correct to say that all Gentiles who receive [salvation] are spiritual Jews? —Elaine
A: Gentile Christians don’t become “spiritual Jews.” The term “Jew” or “Jewish” is a cultural/ethnic term, not a spiritual one. Although some Jews are spiritually the “seed of Abraham” (Galatians 3:1-7, 29), being Jewish has to do with whether one keeps Jewish traditions or has…
how we know
My sons are picking up on the way TV advertisers play games with viewers, twisting statistics and making outrageous claims. I fear it won’t be long before my boys become jaded and are slow to trust. Many of us struggle with this in our faith: How can I believe anything at all? How can I trust what God says?
walk worthy of God
Congratulations for doing so well!” Friends and family recently showered me with kudos. But it was due to the fact that my daughter had done exceptionally well in her national examinations. As a father, I couldn’t have been prouder of my daughter’s achievements. Likewise, we do our heavenly Father proud when we live our lives “in a way that God would consider worthy” (1 Thessalonians 2:12; see also Matthew 5:16).
forgetting
The river bulkhead where the Augusta Canal and Savannah River meet is one of the most scenic places to go in our hometown. Swirling in giant eddies, the canal moves from placid to turbulent as it flows against the foundation of the canal works. One day as a friend and I took our children walking there, I tossed a rock…
being sure of the cause
John Calvin once said, “All the exhortations which can be given us to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ and in defence of the gospel will have no effect if we do not feel sure of the cause for which we fight.” Jesus, in Luke 22, was absolutely sure of the cause for which He was fighting.
Luke’s account…
