Reflections on the loving kindness of the Triune God
As I’m traveling myself I recruited Mark Nicklas, a pastor in Beaverton, Oregon, and good friend to share from his own heart for God. As you will read here, we once shared in a 4-month Bible read-through together, sharing with me the pleasure I always find there. I’m pleased to have him fill the post …
Read More I hear voicesI preached a sermon on 1 Corinthians 7 today, calling it “Marriage Matters.” The double entendre was intended. Paul addressed matters of marriage that Christians need to embrace; and the text reminds us that marriage is wonderfully important. The chapter also illuminates the weak status of marriages both in and outside the church throughout human …
Read More Marriage MattersThe heart is mentioned throughout the Bible—used as a term that summarizes the motivations of both God and humanity. Anyone who reads through the Bible very boldly, say in five to six weeks—or less—will be struck by the role the heart plays in God’s conversation with his people. So much so that when I encourage …
Read More Out of the HeartMany in the church of Corinth were enamored with style. And Apollos had style to spare. He seems to have been bright, articulate and alert to the philosophical streams of his day. In a nutshell, Apollos and his offspring are the sort of men every church wants to recruit as a speaker for their annual …
Read More The Wise FoolDr Peter Mead of OM [Operation Mobilization], a Brit living near London and a dear friend, is my first guest contributer. There is a need to offer God’s love in ways that meet people both affectively and effectively—that is, in heart and in practice! I asked Peter to share something on that topic in line with …
Read More Preaching and Affective HermeneuticsI’m writing this at the beginning of December as a nudge: New Year’s day is coming and it’s a great time to launch a Bible read-through! So let me encourage you to pray and plan accordingly. Here’s my unsolicited advice: be very ambitious! A six-week reading of the entire Bible will have a dramatic impact …
Read More Reading as a New Year DelightAfter an early church service this past Sunday I drove to Hug Point. It’s an aptly named scenic section of the Oregon coast, a few miles south of Cannon Beach. I visit there at times to enjoy God’s embrace—a good time of Bible reading, praying, and taking a nap while serenaded by the thundering surf. …
Read More Standing in God’s CouncilIsaiah should be read relationally, as God’s heartfelt gift to us. His self-disclosure. His invitation. A resource from his heart meant to awaken our hearts. Three chapters are especially powerful. Read them and see for yourself: 52, 53, and 54. In chapter 52 the LORD speaks to his people in their captivity. First the slavery …
Read More Three chapters in IsaiahI was once at a weekend retreat, speaking about God’s overflowing love. “This triune love,” I said, “explains the creation as God’s selfless giving of himself in a work of joy. The creation was made to receive and reciprocate that love.” I pointed, for support, to Genesis 3 where God came “walking in the …
Read More Which starting point?Some time ago I was asked to participate in a formal dialog with some fellow teachers about the role of history and historical studies in Bible interpretation. The topic was important because I held historical context to be very important in doing effective Bible study; yet I also knew that at least one of my colleagues was very …
Read More Reflections on Hermeneutics, History, and the Bible