Whatever else God is, God is “gracious.” One of the greatest summaries of God’s nature repeated a number of times in the Hebrew Bible is: God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). There is a lot of unwrap there, and to understand regarding the “Who” […]
What Is Religion?
A religion can be defined on the basis of how it responds to four primary concerns, four “B’s.” They are “belief, behavior, belonging and being-with.” First, religion establishes a set of “beliefs.” To be an adherent to a particular historic faith, means to believe in or accept certain doctrines. Religionists tend to spend much time […]
Laugh a Little Each Day
I wouldn’t want to live in a world without humor. Even a day without laughter would be unthinkable. Laughter has proven healing power; it also reduces tension and fosters comfort. Humor is like the air in car tires; you cannot get very far without it. Instead of moving, you just sit there, feeling the weight […]
Do Not Give Up
You can back up without giving up. The timing is everything. Like an old TV ad for a California wine company put it: “Nothing before its time.” Because you cannot seem to have something now does not mean that in time, it might still be yours. You may have to persevere, and find out through […]
What Is Love?
Love is a spiritual organism connecting people. Love is to the mutual world as gravity is to the external world. Though it evolves over time, love is a circle with three phases. These phases blend into one another seamlessly, around and around again, potentially lifelong. The phases are as the sweeps of a second hand, […]
The Final Show
Today is the final show on “Relationships.” On Sunday, May 8, at 8:15, I will begin a new show, called “God Talk.” I will tell you what the heart of the Bible really is, and what Jesus’ return is truly about. What exactly is salvation; what can you hope for here as well as after […]