“By faith, Abraham heard the call to leave his home for the place he would receive as his inheritance, even though he didn’t know where he was going” (Hebrews 11:18). To me, the most obviously difficult aspects of faith are its unknowingness and seeming invisibility. The story of Abraham is cautionary and emblematic. Every piece...... Read More

Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8). Jesus Christ is the same – yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews...... Read More

The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Do not lie to each other but speak the truth to each other in love. (Ephesians 4:14, 25; Colossians 3:9) – Part 4 Over the past month or so we’ve been developing an evolving response to Pilate’s question of Jesus on the matter of “what is...... Read More

The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Do not lie to each other but speak the truth to each other in love. (Ephesians 4:14, 25; Colossians 3:9) – Part 3 In Book 7 of his Confessions, the early church writer Augustine speaks of discovering that all that is true in the world comes...... Read More

The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Don’t bite and devour each other, or else you will end up destroying each other (Gal. 5:15), part 2 I have always been grateful that neither of our kids were biters. This is, of course, a good thing in and of itself. None of us is...... Read More

The Alelyon (one another) passages in the New Testament: Encourage and build up each other (1 Thess. 5:11), Part 2 I was thinking that this week we would move on to a new “one another” passage, but a comment by my good friend Sam Williamson (see his excellent blog at beliefsoftheheart.com) has vaulted me right...... Read More

The “alleylon” (one another) passages in the New Testament, Part 5c: Bear each others’ burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2) So for the last couple of weeks we’ve been peering into the meaning of this verse in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, attempting to understand what all this carrying...... Read More

The “alleylon” (one another) passages in the New Testament, Part 5: Bear each others’ burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2) A couple of weeks ago in my previous blog, we were sitting at table with Jesus, the Son of God, having our feet washed in a kind of act...... Read More

Thoughts on the Beatitudes, Part 7b: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Last week we considered the fact that, when God answers the question, “Who are You?” his self-descriptive disclosure is this: The Lord, the Lord; God gracious and merciful; slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness … From...... Read More

Thoughts on the Beatitudes, Part 7a: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. My wife Joanne and I often have a discussion about people whom we know and the positive traits that make them who they are. In some of our conversations, we discuss certain individuals who we are convinced will inhabit a...... Read More