“give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Does God really mean that in every circumstance that we are to be thankful? How can we possibly be thankful when things go horribly wrong? It’s easy to understand that we are to give thanks for all [...]
Archive for November, 2008
Provocative Bible Verses: Give Thanks In All Things
Posted: November 27, 2008 in Provocative Bible Verses, Theology thoughtsTags: 1 Thessalonians 5:18, being thankful, give thanks, suffering, where is God when it hurts
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Christians in Ukraine: The First Generation Grows Up
Posted: November 24, 2008 in Christians Outside the USATags: New Christians, Ukraine
As a republic of the former Soviet Union, the people of Ukraine lived under the forty-year domination of a communist system that worked relentlessly to destroy the church and any belief in Jesus Christ. With the fall of communism and the break up of the Soviet Union, Ukraine suddenly found itself free to determine it’s [...]
What if Atheists are Right?
Posted: November 17, 2008 in Theology thoughtsTags: atheism, atheists, Dostoevsky, existence of God, following Jesus, moral imperitive
I wonder if atheists have really thought through the implications of what they believe. By that I don’t mean the implications for what happens when you die. That is usually the first place Christians want to focus the discussion. Rather, I wonder if they have really thought about the implications of what happens when you [...]
Why America Was Never a Christian Nation
Posted: November 13, 2008 in Christians and CultureTags: christian nation, church and culture, church and state
In the wake of the election, all the debates, hype, and turmoil, it is clear that many Christians still do not understand what America is all about and what our place in it really is. I have seen numerous calls for a returning of America to a Christian nation. People; we never were a Christian [...]
Jesus Must be Weeping
Posted: November 11, 2008 in loving your neighbor, UncategorizedTags: Christians in conflict, Church of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Jesus wept
There are few things that can both depress me and make me furious at the same time. This is about one of those things. A headline on the BBC news website is titled Christian Infighting in Jerusalem. The title does not even begin to hint at the appalling nature of the story that follows. In [...]
Why God Had Obama Win
Posted: November 5, 2008 in Politics and the ChristianTags: church and state, election, Obama, politics
“for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” Romans 13:1 If Romans 13:1 is right, then Barack Obama won the election because God established it to be that way. If that is true then there are many Christians today who did not want [...]
Is Your Faith Relevant, or Provocative?
Posted: November 3, 2008 in loving your neighborTags: love your neighbor, missional living, relevant faith, serving
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they [...]
