A friend recently posted a video that makes claims concerning the “number of the beast” in Revelation 13:18 (it can be viewed HERE) . I found the following graphic posted on Facebook of Walid’s claims about the symbols/words written in “Sinaiticus” (a Greek codex with many sections dating from the fourth century). Walid claims that… Continue reading The Number of the Beast and Wild Claims
I was asked today about the seeming disparity between the genealogy of Matthew and Luke, both of whom provide a different father’s name for Joseph the (supposed) father of Jesus: Jacob (Matthew 1.16) and Heli (Luke 3.23). There are two basic proposals: 1) That both genealogies refer to Joseph, with Matthew’s account intended for Jesus… Continue reading Who Was Joseph's Father?
I recently bought the blue-ray edition of Ben-Hur (1959) and we had a family movie night last night enjoying it. One thing, however, kept coming up. Cambria (8) kept commenting how badly she wanted to see Jesus’ face. If you have ever watched the film you will know that you NEVER directly see his face… Continue reading I Can Almost See Jesus
Yesterday, my eight year old daughter (Cambria) was commenting on the amazing bouquet of flowers beautifully displayed on our table. She got after one of the other kids for knocking some of the babies breath off telling them, “Don’t kill it!” I felt bad breaking the news to her that “The flowers and greenery are… Continue reading The Life of a Flower
We live in a time where there is extreme fascination with things found in the book of the Revelation (though this has really always been the case). You know…that book at the end of your Bible with all of those psychedelic visions of creatures doing bizarre things, angels trumpeting or pouring out destruction on the… Continue reading The Mark of the Beast Revealed!
<!–[if !mso]> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } <![endif]–> There can be no missing that something is terribly wrong with the world. One need not look far to conclude this. Sin and evil; death and suffering; sorrow and loss abound. Not that there is never life and hope or blessing and goodness, but that all things are not well… Continue reading A Brief Theology of Suffering: The Story of God and Man
I recently read something by Lesslie Newbigin (that great missionary statesman of the twentieth century) that struck a chord with me. He wrote the following concerning the Jerusalem congregation’s recognition of the validity of the Gentile mission that Peter had just returned from (Acts 10-11): “They were silenced because they had to recognize something new.… Continue reading Forever Listening to the Spirit
I’ve been reading through Karl Barth’s “Dogmatics in Outline” (for a third time now and eagerly awaiting the arrival of the complete fourteen volume “Church Dogmatics” this coming November first) as prep for Sunday nights working through the Apostles’ Creed and happened upon this wonderful extended quote dealing with Jesus Christ and time. I just… Continue reading Jesus Christ and Time
Perhaps you may be wondering why I would say that I’m done with the Christian life (which is following suit after Dietrich Bonhoeffer who states as much in the final pages of his “Cost of Discipleship”). I’m a pastor after all and shouldn’t say such things…right? Before you start writing to me to compel me… Continue reading Why I'm Done With The Christian Life
There was a wonderful and concise blog post over on the Desiring God Blog that I rather enjoyed (you can read it here). It’s about the fact that there was never anyone who knew the Old Testament (or Hebrew Bible) better than Jesus. (I especially thought the quote at the end was noteworthy…and quite funny).… Continue reading Jesus and the Old Testament
