A respected friend who does not yet know Christ or the Bible recently asked me what he was missing. These four gracEmails repeat what I shared with him in response. * * * I am humbled and honored at this privilege, and I commend you for your inquiry. This is the most important topic possible. It is foundational for abundant life now and for life eternal. I pray that God will give me clarity as I attempt to respond. We live in a broken world -- fractured relationships, inner turmoil, guilty consciences, civil and domestic strife, war, famine, natural disasters of flood, hurricane, drought. … [Read more...]

A respected friend who does not yet know Christ or the Bible recently asked me what he was missing. These four gracEmails repeat what I shared with him in response. * * * I am humbled and honored at this privilege, and I commend you for your inquiry. This is the most important topic possible. It is foundational for abundant life now and for life eternal. I pray that God will give me clarity as I attempt to respond. We live in a broken world -- fractured relationships, inner turmoil, guilty consciences, civil and domestic strife, war, famine, natural disasters of flood, hurricane, drought. … [Read more...]

A friend who is not yet a Christian but who is joyfully seeking after God tells me of budding faith and of happy anticipation in the spiritual journey. Can I say anything to encourage?" * * * Jesus came to reconcile "all things" to God and to each other (Colossians 1:19-20). Part of the result of his atonement is the reuniting, reconciling, healing of the human creature as an individual -- first with the Creator through Jesus Christ, but also with other people, within himself or herself, and with the cosmos, the rest of God's created order. The Bible tells us that when Jesus returns, God … [Read more...]

A friend who is not yet a Christian but who is joyfully seeking after God tells me of budding faith and of happy anticipation in the spiritual journey. Can I say anything to encourage?" *          *          * The Bible teaches that God is our heavenly Father who made us every one, hopefully for fellowship with himself. Unfortunately, from Adam on, all us humans have chosen to go our own way at some point and to disregard the relationship for which God made us. That is the meaning of the wonderful story of the two trees in the original garden paradise (Gen. 3). I understand that story to … [Read more...]

"How," someone asks, "would you summarize the Bible's message in a few paragraphs?" * * * There is one true God, who made all that exists. He made human beings in his image for fellowship with himself. We humans went astray, choosing to run our own lives without regard for God's will and purposes. Our sin separated us from God, divided our own hearts, alienated us from each other and threw creation into turmoil. God loves us despite our sin and set out to bring us back to himself. To that end, he chose Abraham and his Jewish descendants to become a model community of justice, mercy and love, … [Read more...]

A gracEmail subscriber writes: "I do not feel I am a good Bible student. I do not know how to conduct a comprehensive study of any subject. My usual study plan is to read a book of the Bible and glean from it what I can using my study Bible, but I am not able to make reference to other related passages. Can you recommend a study guide or provide any personal advice for growing in the knowledge of our Lord?" * * * You need a good study Bible with center-column references. The New American Standard, English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version and Jerusalem Bible are excellent … [Read more...]