Reflections on the loving kindness of the Triune God
A question. What are angels saying about you? Are you well known in heaven? C.S. Lewis teased this question in his Screwtape Letters when he wrote of a demon tasked with shepherding a man into hell—and how the demon failed. The storyline overlaps with Bible imagery from the book of Daniel that we’ll pursue below. …
Read More Daniel’s ReputationOne month ago I visited the abandoned Deerfield Illinois campus of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. I studied there in the early ‘80s with many hundreds of students. Now the central campus pond, where a cheeky sign once warned, “Sem students, do not walk on the water!” is quiet. On this visit two swans and their …
Read More Jesus and the SpiritA key but overlooked truth in the Bible is that all humans have a spirit-partner. Either the Holy Spirit or an unholy spirit opposed to God. In some cases, many unholy spirits—demons. One man in the Bible had a “legion” of demons [Mark 5:1-9]. In the Bible Jesus regularly confronted and exposed the demonic realm, …
Read More Spiritual SoulsGod guided Ezekiel to confront Judah, “The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice. And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the …
Read More Standing in the GapIn 2026 I plan to read through the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Can’t wait! It’s sure to be a rich time with three great benefits. First, focus. Jesus in John 8:31 called us to “abide in my word”—referring to the full Bible. It’s how he stirs his own priorities in us. Second, communion. …
Read More Bible Reading in 2026Good and evil coexist all the time and everywhere. This paradox reveals God’s providence as he swallows evil aims—both demonic and human—with his own good purposes. Evil may be a flood for now, but God confronts it all in Jesus. He who is greater than all turns every evil to good in his purpose to …
Read More God’s Providence IIIThe book, Patriot: A Memoir by Alexei Navalny, displays providence. Navalny’s writings were gathered by his lawyers and published posthumously. His Anti-Corruption Foundation was, and still is, exposing the corruption of Putin’s regime in Russia. It features bold activism in a very tough neighborhood—a primer for confronting broken leadership in a major nation. Navalny’s basic …
Read More God’s Providence IIThis is the first post in a series on God’s Providence A sore hard spot above my left eye bothered me for weeks. Eventually I pulled out a sharp-edged glass shard. It was an eighth of an inch wide and a little bit longer. I was fifteen years old at the time and the splinter …
Read More Eyes to SeeLife is real to anyone reading these lines. It’s the label for our physical animation. Yet Jesus pointed to two aspects of life—to an outer physical aspect and an inner soul. In Matthew 10:28, for instance: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” And, in John 3:6, “That …
Read More The LifeI learned orienteering in the Army. It takes a wilderness, a map, and a compass. My brother Dave gave me a superb compass after he picked up on my interest. So the compass and a Bible are both set out in my living room as directional treasures. The Bible gives spiritual direction. It’s the one …
Read More The Way