A Thousand Years is Like a Day: A Thought Experiment

Here’s a thought experiment. Suppose that we were to take the statements in Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 about a thousand years being like a day literally (which are probably not literal in their literary settings). Then let’s assume that the difference is not just how God sees time, but also represents the difference … Continue reading A Thousand Years is Like a Day: A Thought Experiment

How Wrestling with Hard Bible Passages Expands our View of God

My thoughts wandered this morning on my prayer walk.[1] I kept bringing my mind back to prayer, but my mind was wandering from my very first steps. I decided to use the Lord’s Prayer to guide me—I sometimes do this when I’m struggling with mind-wandering—but I still had trouble concentrating on prayer. (By the way, … Continue reading How Wrestling with Hard Bible Passages Expands our View of God

Wait Training

God trains us through waiting. On the day I started writing this post, I was waiting for God to answer a prayer. You see, Trudi and I have been leading up a residential discipleship community of Christian college students (known as “The Berdhouse”) for the past eight years while I have continued to teach full-time … Continue reading Wait Training

Temptability: Not the Same for Everyone

Everyone is not equally temptable. One person can be severely tempted by something that another person barely or is not-at-all tempted. Some people, for example, are tempted to drown their sorrows in alcohol. That isn’t a temptation for me—or at least so far in my life it hasn’t been. But I am tempted by other … Continue reading Temptability: Not the Same for Everyone

What Should You Do When There’s No Time to Pray?

What should you do when there is no time to pray? On the surface, this appears to be a simple question, but it turns out to be a bit more complicated in practice. Here are four perspectives that may help. First, we need to call out the uncomfortable truth that most people who claim to … Continue reading What Should You Do When There’s No Time to Pray?

God-pleasers not People-Pleasers: How Important is it for Students to Like their Teachers?

Not long ago, I shared a devotional with the Talbot School of Theology faculty. Here’s a summary of that devotional.[1] I have recently been thinking about Galatians 1:10: “For am I now trying to win the approval of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please … Continue reading God-pleasers not People-Pleasers: How Important is it for Students to Like their Teachers?

Intense Verbs for People Doing Ministry: 1 Timothy 4:11-16

This morning while reading in 1 Timothy 4:11-16 (in Greek), I was drawn to a surprising cluster of intense verbs that the apostle Paul uses to describe how attentive we should be to the way we live our lives and carry on our ministries. Notice as I walk you through these powerful verbs just how … Continue reading Intense Verbs for People Doing Ministry: 1 Timothy 4:11-16

“And They Are Crucifying Him” (Mark 15:24)

I opened my Greek Bible this morning (that is, the day I originally wrote this) simply to read God’s Word. I looked down at the first three words on the page: Καὶ σταυροῦσιν αὐτον (literal translation: “And they are crucifying him,” Mark 15:24). These words arrested me—and if I’m fully transparent, instantly reduced me to … Continue reading “And They Are Crucifying Him” (Mark 15:24)

The Peace of Christ

“How are you today?” Like many of you, I hear this question many times a day. The expected response to this question when I was growing up was, “I’m fine, thank you.” Now, most of my students in California simply say, “I’m good.” (Let the record show that I have never really appreciated this bit … Continue reading The Peace of Christ

Prayer or Sleep? Which is More Important?

Last night before going to bed I asked my wife an unusual question, “Should I get up at my normal 6am time and take my regular prayer walk followed by some time reading the Bible, or should I set my alarm a half hour later, forgo my prayer walk and only spend time reading my … Continue reading Prayer or Sleep? Which is More Important?