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Would You Vote for Samson?
“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how a body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things” (Ecclesiastes 11:5). We are a week out from what is certainly a consequential election. We are living in crazy and scary times. Thankfully, up to this point in our history, we have had the opportunity to vote for a new president every four years. Imagine living in times or places where people did not get that opportunity, when a king or dictator ruled for life. Our ability to vote is something for which we should thank God.…
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He Regrets Us
“But the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time. The Lord REGRETTED that he had made humankind on the earth…. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth – everything from humankind to animals, including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I REGRET that I have made them” (Genesis 6:5-7). “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. People were…
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Slavery and Abortion in a Nutshell
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Proverbs 14:14 In these most recent heated debates, I thought some food for thought might be appropriate: SLAVERY existed in America for about 300 years. It is possible that up to Approximately 60 million human beings died in and due to the American version of slavery during that time.[1] Half the country believed they were “free” to own slaves and that it was their “right.” (Constitutional right, certainly. God-given right even.) Many argued that blacks and Africans were not even human beings but were property. Who were others to tell them what to do with their own property?…
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Does God Prefer Elephants or Donkeys?
I remember a pastor making jokes from the pulpit about Christians who were democrats. According to him being a republican was akin to being a Christian. I laughed nervously as the congregation nodded in agreement. But this just didn’t sit right with me. How could man, being finite and flawed suppose that the will of God was fully represented by either side of the political spectrum? The idea that we can fit the God of the universe into our political system is counter to the very nature of God. Isaiah 55:8-9 summarizes the transcendence of God, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares…
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Are We Losing Our Souls?
I’m been very disturbed the last few years by the types of posts I’ve seen on social media coming from Christians. Full of lies and hatred, they divide Christians from one another and paint those who disagree as monsters. Jesus famously said, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and because of the gospel will save it. For what benefit is it for a person to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his life?” (Mark 8:34-36). In context Peter has just…
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Charlottesville One Year Later: A Call for the Church to Unify
*Just over a year ago, the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA resulted in death and division, showcasing the deep tensions surrounding race relations in our country. Today, most Americans feel the divide has only increased. The reminders below are a call for the global church to highlight the unity and dignity of all human beings. Like many of you, I watched in disbelief as white supremacists spouted bigotry, violence, and KKK rhetoric last weekend at a “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, VA. For a brief summary of the weekend’s events and aftermath, see:https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/13/us/charlottesville-virginia-overview.html I’ve noted two common responses to the persistent racial and political divide in our…
