If you don’t believe in the devil, then …
The man’s gentle face slowly sagged and became a picture of foreboding. “I can hardly advise you, who thinks the devil is only hot air, now can I?”
from “Immanuel’s Veins” by Ted Dekker
Ted Dekker really has a way of getting right to the point, doesn’t he?
He looks at the dark side of life. The all-too-real dark side of life.
If you don’t believe in the devil, then … More
We complain to God. God actually responds! But are we happy? No! We complain about God’s response to our complaint. Does God smite us? Well, no. But maybe it does help when we complain with respect.
When we complain about God’s response to our complaint 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
I was just beginning to write about – no kidding – in the beginning. I’m getting stuff from both a Jewish and Christian point of view. And then it hit me. Can we have faith in God if we want to know everything? Can we reach a point where our need to know everything brings us to a point where faith means little to nothing?
Can we have faith in God if we want to know everything? More
We move on to the seventh and final letter in Revelation. The end of the road, as far as the delivery of the Revelation given to John along the path of these seven churches. This time the letter is to the lukewarm church in Laodicea. Jesus has no good things to say to this church. Therefore, the examination will obviously be about what’s going wrong here. What did they do, or not do? How might they have achieved no good news from Jesus? And what can we learn for us today, both for our churches and for us as individuals?
The letter to the lukewarm church in Laodicea – Revelation More
Advent is the time when Christians celebrate the first coming of Jesus. But that’s only part of Advent. Old Testament prophecy told the people at that time about the promised first coming of Jesus. God sending a Messiah to save His people. And an offer of salvation to those who weren’t (yet) His people.
Old Testament prophecy on the first coming of Jesus More
What’s the difference between knowledge of evil versus actual evil? Well, in But I was certain that evil existed, we saw that both good and evil have always been present in our part of God’s creation. But if both have always existed, then how come God said, after He created everything, “it was very good”? Did God just say that evil was good?
The “knowledge of evil” versus “actual evil” More
On this rock … Something happened at that rock. Something incredible. It could literally save the world. Unfortunately, too many people either don’t know or don’t care. Do you? Do you care enough to risk everything? That rock represented the start of a revolution. One that you can take part in. If you’re willing.
On this rock Part 1 – Who doesn’t love to win? More
We talk about something being Hell on earth. But is this really it? But before we got there, let’s see what Hell means. Of course, it’s about the devil, Satan, being in charge. And everything happens his way. That’s what being in charge is about, right? And one other thing. For those of you that believe in God, He’s not there.
Is Hell on earth a real thing? More
Christmas. It’s the time when we hear so much about how it brings out the best in people. It’s time to give gifts. It’s time to be nice to other people. All those things.
Scary stuff – isn’t it?
And then there’s the baby – Jesus – the true “reason for the season”.
A little baby.
Very scary.
Don’t laugh.
It’s true.
Why is Christmas so scary? What it’s really about. More
