“The Lord wants me to tell you something.” “I’ve got a message from the Lord.” “God has laid it on my heart to do this.” Most of us have heard someone uttering a phrase like these. Spoken by well-meaning Christians, these people are convinced that God has singled them out with a particular message. They have “heard” His […]
Christian Theology
My thoughts on theology
Keeping the Faith During Good Times
Very few people enjoy hardships. As a matter of fact, we do all that we can to avoid them. We purchase insurance policies so that when difficult times come, the losses we suffer won’t be as bad. We also avoid unnecessary risks because they may lead to unnecessary hard times. But, if there is a […]
Does the Bible Predict That Muhammad Would Rise As a Prophet?
Recently, I heard a Muslim attempt to support his claim that Muhammad was a true prophet. Surprisingly, he cited some passages from the Bible to build his case. He wanted to show that the Bible predicts the coming of Muhammad, thus proving that he was a true prophet. Let me begin by saying that I believe Islam’s […]
Why I Am a Believer
This question was originally raised as a topic of discussion in our Sunday School class. However, it has been something that I routinely address during Bible studies at the jail. I address it often because the constant change in jail population brings new faces – men whom I haven’t met yet. Therefore, I find that I […]
Does the Immaterial World Exist?
Although there may be some who subscribe to the view that the physical, substantive world around us is just an illusion, it is probably safe to say that most of us would agree that the material world exists. I believe it is generally apparent that we have bodies that take up space and we are […]
Why is the God of the Old Testament So Mean?
Someone recently asked me this question. But, it’s not the first time I’ve heard it asked. In fact, I’ve heard it a lot. Sometimes I even hear it from good Christian folks; people who have read the Bible and know God. That surprises me a bit, so perhaps the answer isn’t as obvious to everyone as […]
When I Fail At Ministry
Sometimes I fail at ministry. I have the Scripture selected and know it intimately; I can exegete it flawlessly. I’ve selected each song that we will sing and, with perfect precision, have tuned my guitar. I have mapped out my time with the inmates and know what ground I hope to cover with them. […]
Where Did God Come From?
This question was recently posed by an inmate during a Bible study. Actually, the inmate was asked the question by another inmate. He didn’t have an answer, and so he wanted to hear what I might say. Since this is a question that I have given considerable thought to in the past, I felt like […]
Why Would God Order the Execution of a Sorcerer?
A good friend recently offered this question. It comes out of Exodus 22:18. In that verse, God plainly said, You shall not permit a sorceress to live. Old Testament passages like this have disturbed a lot of people. They see Jesus of the New Testament as the kind of person who would stop a stoning, not start […]
Should Churches Display the American Flag?
My wife and I recently were guests at a wedding. As we sat down in the church, we both immediately noticed a large American flag hanging on the left side of the front of the sanctuary. On the right side was a large Israeli flag. Both flags were draped boldly in front of worshipers. They weren’t […]