On most evenings, I turn on the evening news. I want to see the the lead stories, to see if there was anything big in the world I missed while my nose was buried in crafting Bible studies. Inevitably, I’m bombarded with violence … another shooting … another looming health crisis … another round of… Continue reading Where’s the Love of God in This Dark World?
Tag: hope
Darkness is My Only Friend. A Statement of Hope. – Bravester
Psalm 88 is a psalm about faith that is mixed with total confusion, exposed vulnerability, and a smashed heart. Because this is still faith. This psalm is different from the other 150. This is an honest part in the Bible. For a holy book, the Bible is full of too much honesty. I’m not sure how… Continue reading Darkness is My Only Friend. A Statement of Hope. – Bravester
Two Key Descriptors of a Christ-Follower
One of the more profound texts in the New Testament is found in 1 Corinthians 6:11 – “And such were some of you…” Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the… Continue reading Two Key Descriptors of a Christ-Follower
Does God see my loneliness?
She probably didn’t feel pretty. She was rejected, humiliated and perhaps manipulated. Her name is Hagar. Her sad story is recounted in Genesis 21: She and Abraham conceived a son. Sadly, because of Sarah’s (Abraham’s wife) insistence, Hagar and baby son were rejected and sent off to wandered in the desert of Beersheba. (Summary paraphrased from Genesis… Continue reading Does God see my loneliness?
To The World Where Families Are Messy
God sent His Son to the world to offer hope and salvation to humanity. But what did Jesus find when he arrived? He did not find the sons of Adam tending a garden or the daughters of Eve tending a hearth. He did not find pristine human families patiently waiting for the Lord. It was… Continue reading To The World Where Families Are Messy
Light Constitutes Us into New Jerusalem
Revelation 21:11 tells us that New Jerusalem has the glory of God, and “Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, as clear as crystal.” New Jerusalem is the eternal lampstand shining to the whole universe. God is the unique eternal light. “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1… Continue reading Light Constitutes Us into New Jerusalem
Where Does Faith Come From?
Faith is one of the most misused words in the English language. Or maybe I should call it one of the most abused words. Faith is an incredible thing, but far too many of us make faith whatever we want it to be. We give faith our own definition and assume everyone is just fine… Continue reading Where Does Faith Come From?
The Hope That Won’t Disappoint
Are you a prisoner of hope? I am. It’s just not in me to give up. I simply cannot not hope. But that is not to say that all my earthly hopes come to pass. Far from it. Many, many, many are dashed. I hoped and prayed one son would start. Many games he barely played. Every drive home,… Continue reading The Hope That Won’t Disappoint
When God Created a Thing Called Light
The Gotcha While browsing an online media source this week, I read a statement that gave me pause. It’s a strange sensation we feel when someone posts what they believe to be the ultimate “gotcha,” but their gotcha is so far off base that we want to shake them awake and get them to see… Continue reading When God Created a Thing Called Light
I Am The Light of the World (Advent Devotional)
This post is a part of our Advent series. If you’d like a PDF version of the full Advent devotional,click here! As we celebrate Advent, the darkness of late autumn and winter begins to set in. When we rise from our slumber each morning, we are greeted by dark, starlit skies. Shortly after we pull… Continue reading I Am The Light of the World (Advent Devotional)