THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WEIGHS IN ON HELL For as long as anyone can remember, writers and photographers for National Geographic magazine have traveled the world to bring its readers illustrated stories of volcanos, geysers, and the like, so realistic that they almost singed the readers' eyebrows. On May 13, 2016, NG outdid itself with a superb article titled "The Campaign to Eliminate Hell"--indisputably the ultimate of all hot places. In almost 1800 words, author Mark Strauss describes the rethinking of hell … [Read more...]
VARIOUS MEANS OF GRACE
THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. A gracEmail subscriber inquires if God provides "means of grace." That expression includes anything we can do to release grace upon us. Liberation by God from all things that hinder uninhibited joyfilled companionship with him. There is finally only one "means of grace." That is faith--trust in God, dependence on him and his unmerited kindness. "We have access by faith into God's grace" (Rom. 5:2). As part of God's creation, we are totally dependent on him. "Know that the LORD is God! It is he that made us, and … [Read more...]
Family Notes 11/05/2016
THE ELEVENTH DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. YEARS OF STUDY EVIDENT IN J. JONES' ALL-ENCOMPASSING NEW BOOK ON MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, REMARRIAGE -- BUT ITS WISDOM AND 'HEART' POINT TO HIGHER SOURCE BOOK NOTICE: Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage Seen Through the Character of God and the Mind of Jesus. Jerry Jones. College Press, 270 pages, 2016. Dr. Jerry Jones had served God as an evangelist, local pastor, church-planter, and chairman of the Bible department in a Christian university, but no matter which hat he wore, he was called on to teach and to counsel … [Read more...]
GOD BLESS THE MOTHERS
THE EIGHTH DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. Today is celebrated as Mothers Day in the United States, a day for remembering and honoring mothers both living and dead. It seems clear that God approves, since the command to honor one's parents premiered as Number Five on his list of Top Ten Commandments (original Tablet edition). The Bible's wisdom literature repeatedly urges readers to honor ones mother and to make her proud by doing what is right (Prov. 1:8-9; 30:17; 31:1). When God wanted to explain his tender feelings and care for Israel, he illustrated … [Read more...]
WHEN WE REACH OUR LIMITS
THE FIRST DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. What can you do when you find yourself in a circumstance like this? Your cause is just, your motives pure, and you give it all you've got. When the smoke has cleared you look and find that nothing's changed at all. The problems that you face are real and do not go away. At such a time the Book of Psalms might be just what you need: testimony, ancient prayers, faith both strong and weak wait to encourage and refresh the person who will seek. When circumstances don't reveal God's presence, we repeat: "How long, O … [Read more...]
WORSHIP AND THE TRIUNE GOD
THE TWENTY-FOURTH DAY OF APRIL IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. A gracEmail subscriber writes, "I like your way of using the great church families to emphasize the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in worship. Would you spell that out again." * * * Different streams of the worldwide Church point us to Father, Son and Holy Spirit respectively, and we would be enriched to appropriate the good which each has to offer. The great Catholic expression of the Church (Orthodox, Roman and Anglican) preserves the rich liturgical tradition from early centuries, highlighted in the … [Read more...]
YOU ARE FORGIVEN–LET’S HEAR IT
THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF APRIL IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. This visit to the cardiologist is supposed to be routine, and that is what it proves to be--routine. We like It when a medical visit turns out to be routine. On this occasion, Dr. Doyle asks a few heart questions to bring my cardiac history up to date. His nurse shoots an EKG and the doctor reviews it. He feels my ankles and carotid arteries, then listens to my lungs and heart all over the chest and back. We chat a little and he rejoices that I have dropped a few pounds. Finally he stands, smiles, shakes my … [Read more...]
Family Notes 13/04/2016
THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF APRIL IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. C. S. LEWIS' TOP TEN TIPS FOR WRITERS C. S. Lewis was first known as a university professor of English literature and literary criticism. Over the years, he offered some useful tips for Christians who wished to become skilled writers. Here, then, in reverse order, are what I consider the top ten tips for writers from C. S. Lewis. My summary is inserted at the beginning of each suggestion in bold face type. Lewis' tip, or rule, or suggestion is indented, in quotes, and/or in italics. My comments follow at the … [Read more...]
THE BOOK AND THE AUTHOR
THE TENTH DAY OF APRIL IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. We Christians accept the Bible as "scripture" and as "canon", the Greek word for "measuring stick or ruler." By doing so, we affirm that the Bible, the combination of sacred writings of the Jews called the Tanakh, a name created by combining as an acronym the Hebrew words for the Law, the Writings and the Prophets, (our Old Testament) and 27 Christian writings (the "New Testament"), is our final test of all other messages or writings said to have come from God. This acknowledgement concerning Scripture gives rise … [Read more...]
THE CORE OF OUR MESSAGE
THE TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. A gracEmail subscriber wants to know what message the Apostles and other first-generation Christians spread, so potent that those who spread it were accused of turning the world upside down. * * * The Book of Acts reports the summaries of a dozen or more of those very messages, beginning in Acts 2, in which Peter tells the curious Pentecost crowd that Jesus is the Messiah whom they murdered but whom God raised from the dead (Acts 2:22-36). Peter and John heal a lame man and a crowd gathers. "You killed … [Read more...]
