Mark 5:1–20 speaks powerfully of an angry, alienated, and lonely man, driven to despair at the hands of evil spirits. This ancient story captures the emptiness and desperation of countless people today. “This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him…. He tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut... Read more
Self-described agnostic atheist Bart Ehrman writes, “I came to think that there is not a God who is actively involved with this world of pain and misery—if he is, why doesn’t he do something about it?” But what if God did do something about it? What if what He did was so great and unprecedented that it shook the angelic realm’s foundation, and ripped in half, from the top down, not only the temple curtain but the fabric of the universe itself?... Read more
Given the consistent physical descriptions of the present Heaven and those who dwell there, it seems possible—though this is certainly debatable—that between the time of our entrance to Heaven and our resurrection, we may be given temporary pre-resurrection bodies (Luke 16:19-26; Revelation 6:11). This fits the doctrine that, unlike God and the angels—who are in essence spirits, though capable of inhabiting bodies (John 4:24; Hebrews 1:14)—human beings are in essence both spiritual and physical (Genesis 2:7). A temporary body would allow us... Read more
This life is neither our only opportunity nor our best one for happiness, adventure, and fun. I’ve read books on happiness stressing that we must be happy right here and now, living in the moment, because this is our one and only chance. How sad! Thankfully, God says otherwise. His people will have an eternity of present and future happiness. Anticipation of an upcoming vacation or adventure brings us delight even in the midst of busyness and fatigue. On a larger scale,... Read more
Some Christians see happiness as the virtual opposite of holiness. But Scripture says otherwise. Greek scholar J. B. Phillips (1906–1982) translated Revelation 20:6 this way: “Happy and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection!” Similarly, the most literal English version, Young’s Literal Translation, renders it “Happy and holy [is] he who is having part in the first rising again.” Most translations of this verse read “blessed and holy,” with the result that modern readers (unaware that in old... Read more
In the first two chapters of Genesis, God had no competition for the affection of His creatures. Humanity found its meaning, purpose, and happiness in God. God was God; everything else wasn’t. And the only two humans knew it. The Fall tragically changed that. Ever since, every member of the human race has been an idolater. What began in Eden won’t end until Jesus returns and all idols crumble under His feet. Despite the fact that we’re surrounded by shows... Read more
To be godly is to resemble God. If God were unhappy, we’d need to pursue unhappiness, which sounds as fun as cultivating an appetite for gravel. Fortunately, however, God doesn’t condemn or merely tolerate our desire to be happy; He gave us that longing. Through the Cross, He granted us the grounds and capacity to be happy forever. He encourages us here and now to find happiness in the very place it comes from—Him. In one sense, the idea that happiness began... Read more
In the twentieth century, many Bible-believing churches moved from Charles Spurgeon’s “You cannot be too happy” to “God doesn’t want you to be happy.” Some Christian leaders—Oswald Chambers was one among many—saw the word happiness applied to sinful activities (e.g., people abandoning their families to “be happy”), so they started speaking against happiness-seeking. Their hatred of sin and disdain for pursuing it in the name of happiness was fully justified. But their response should have been, “God is happy and built us... Read more
As part of a study related to my Happiness book, I recorded a series of videos, 10 to 20 minutes each, on the subject of happiness in Christ. Though the DVD is no longer sold, our ministry is now able to share all six videos on our website as a free resource. (They correspond with the Happiness Bible Study Book, which is still available from our store.) The quality of the filming was excellent, so I encourage you to consider sharing them with your small... Read more
The entire physical universe was created for God’s glory. When we rebelled, the universe fell under the weight of our sin. Yet God did not give up on us. The serpent’s seduction of Adam and Eve did not catch God by surprise. He had in place a plan by which He would redeem mankind—and all creation—from sin, corruption, and death. Just as He promises to make men and women new, He promises to renew the earth itself. “‘As the new... Read more
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