It’s Valentine’s Day. So, in honour of such, I wanted to post about some recent discussions and debate surrounding the biblical first Valentine’s couple, Adam & Eve. They were the first lovers.
If you aren’t aware, there is a lot going on in both the book and blogosphere world discussing the literal historicity of Adam (and, by association, Eve). Actually, this has been going on for some 150-200 years, but has moved into the more popular arena of theology in recent years. Continue reading
Interesting how things get around on the internet these days, heh? Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and all the other possibilities. If it weren’t for blogging and these other social media outlets, we probably would have not known as much about something like Rob Bell’s recent release, Love Wins. Nor would there have existed the more recent mania over the video Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus (now sitting at some 18.5 million hits on YouTube).
But there is an even newer legend floating around on Facebook these days, one about economics and socialism. It is a ‘myth’, meaning it is a story given to try and relay truth.
It goes something like this: Continue reading
For those interested, I put together a short (6 minute) video recapping my time in Zambia.
Tonight concludes a 3-day visit from Ravi Zacharias, where he will have spoken each of the 3 evenings in 3 different venues across Belgium. We were told in a pastor’s gathering a few months back that it takes 3 years to reserve a speaking engagement from Ravi. But here he is now. (And notice the us of the #3 in this first paragraph!)
I attended the first evening at the Catholic University (KU) in Leuven. It was good to see a nice turn out with my estimations being about 700 attendees. I wasn’t sure how packed it would be, as it didn’t seem the meetings have been that greatly promoted, at least amongst the international churches. But the large lecture hall was pretty much filled from front to back. Continue reading
I came across this cartoon today. It made me chuckle.
A year ago, I shared how Amazon, the world’s top bookseller, stated that they now sell more books via the Kindle device and app than they do paper copies. For me, it was a difficult decision to think of going towards an e-book reader, as I like paper books with a nice warm cup of coffee alongside it. Continue reading
Yesterday, I returned from my trip out to be with our ministry friends and to teach at Hope College in Lusaka, Zambia. I tried to explain to the Zambians and Zimbabweans that I would be more blessed than be a blessing. I only hope they understand the truth of that statement. This is a wonderful time for Africa, and other developing areas of the world, to help us move forward into the purposes of God for the 21st century. I only hope we can receive in the west.
If interested, I am posting my teaching notes here. These notes are an introduction to Genesis, hermeneutics and biblical themes beginning in Genesis.
PDF document: Genesis & Bible Themes
When many Christians read the Bible, it is possible that an underlying notion exists that the Old Testament presents a different picture of our God than that of the New Testament. Not wholly different altogether, but different nonetheless. God expresses His judgment and wrath in an overwhelming sense, whereas, in the New Testament, He is shown as a much more gracious and loving Father. Or so it goes.
And we might read passages like John 1:16-17 and believe it helps underline this thinking:
16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
But I want to suggest to us that our God, as revealed in the old covenant, is full of grace, mercy and love. Of course, Jesus is the greatest expression of God’s love and grace, the exact representation. He is grace and love incarnate. But our God has always been a God full of ferocious chesed and agape from the beginning. And He has always been a just God as well, though I would argue His justice is about making things right, which becomes good news for believers, but bad news for non-believers.
And so, in Genesis 3, maybe the great black mark for humanity, where our first parents ruined it for us all, I still believe we can find great expressions of God’s grace even in the midst of pronouncements of judgment.
Let me suggest 6 points of grace: Continue reading
