The Third Heaven

I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven.  2 Corinthians 12:2  NASB Out of body – This strange verse (and the following two verses) needs some…

The Eternal Optimist

Those who love Your Law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.  Psalm 119:165  NASB Nothing – Wouldn’t that be nice?  Wouldn’t you jump at the chance to have “great peace; to live a life where nothing ever caused you to trip up”?  Sounds like paradise, or maybe heaven.  But it certainly doesn’t sound…

Birth Rite

So He drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.  Genesis 3:24  NASB Drove – Human birth is painful.  Every mother knows this.  The biblical account seems to establish this painful experience as…

Nostalgia

The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Genesis 2:8 NASB Garden in Eden – “The good ol’ days.” That’s what we really want, isn’t it? Those days that didn’t seem so stressful, so chaotic, so confusing. What we really want is…

The Big Question

He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” Genesis 16:8 NASB Where – So, where are you going? Perhaps this is the most important question anyone will ever ask of you, if you understand the…