“Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “Futility of futilities! All is futility.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 NASB Futility – “Ecclesiastes is a strange and disquieting book. It gives voice to an experience not usually thought of as religious: the pain and frustration engendered by an unblinking gaze at life’s absurdities and injustices.”[1] The Preacher (Teacher) Qohelet writes…
No verse today. Just some personal reflections. For many years now, you and I have been exploring the origins of our faith. That means investigating the history of the ideas that we once accepted as part of our religious beliefs. What I’ve learned, and perhaps what you have also learned, is that most of my…
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:11 NIV Full armor – In my dream I’m covered with some kind of black plastic tarry substance. It tries to hold me down to the ground. I try to fight it off, but no matter what…
“Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” Habakkuk 2:4 NASB Faith – Years ago we spent a lot of time examining this critical verse from Habakkuk, cited by Paul as the summary of the letter to the Romans (if you want to review, try…
“It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands and I ordained all their host.” Isaiah 45:12 NASB Ordained – Perhaps you’re familiar with the rather famous Evangelical apologetic book by Paul Little, Know Why You Believe. First published in 1967, it is still a standard of…
And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7:25 ESV Did not fall – You want your faith to stand, right? You want it built on the solid rock, able to weather…
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB Grace/works – I used to think I knew what Paul was writing about. Decades ago, I had the right theological perspective on Paul. He was…
The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. Deuteronomy 32:4 NASB All His ways – “‘When a person suffers afflictions, he must express gratitude to the Holy and Blessed One. Why? Because it is his afflictions that draw him…
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 NASB Seek first – We live in a world that relies on a magnificent lie. That lie is fundamental to our way of life. It gives us the illusion of control, the expectation of a better future, the hope…
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you…
