The Westminster Standards (Longer Catechism) gives this concise and beautiful statement regarding how we know that the Bible is God’s Word. Q 4. How doth it appear that the Scriptures are the Word of God? A. The Scriptures manifest themselves…
9 Reasons Tim Keller’s Book on Suffering is Superb
I am not given to hyperbole. I’m the guy who starts a debate when someone uses words like “ever” or “all.” But here goes with a strong statement anyway. As a pastor, who who shepherds people, I would assert that…
“Men seek an explanation of suffering in cause and effect”
Francis Anderson, in his splendid little commentary on Job, compares how human beings view suffering with the biblical view: Men seek an explanation of suffering in cause and effect. They look backwards for a connection between prior sin and present…
Job: A Writer of Superlative Genius Has Erected a Monumental Work
With my October series on Job just around the bend, I’m studying the book of Job nearly every day. Francis Anderson’s commentary on Job begins with this splendid summary that our church may hear me quote in the fall. The…
“Once you are in a crisis, there is not time . . .”
This Fall, I am super motivated to be used by God to help people prepare for the sorts of crises we will all inevitably face. Tim Keller writing on the importance of preparing for a crisis before it happens: Once…
Ravi Zacharias: How Can a Good God Allow Evil? Does Life Have Meaning?
Thoughts worth considering regarding central questions.
When Suffering Avoid “I Hate Thee” and “I Hate Me”
Good theology will help us avoid blaming God (“I hate Thee”) or improperly blaming ourselves (“I hate me”) when we face great difficulty. I continue to prepare for my Fall series on the book of Job. As a part of…
Is it wrong to begin a sentence with a conjunction?
The answer is emphatically “no.” When I published my first book, I was told by my publisher that The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition is the gold standard of style manuals. Regarding whether or not it is proper to…
“Job is a fireball book”
I continue to think about the family in our community who lost everything in a fire at the same time that their twelve year old’s son was broken in an accident. At the same time, I am preparing my fall…
Help for a Family That Lost Everything in a Fire
Update 4: I am hearing that the family has solved their immediate housing need. I am thankful for a community where so many work together to care for the hurting. Rural northern Illinois people are good neighbors! UPDATE 3: The…