These last two years have been difficult ones for so many people. But one look at Jesus—at His incarnation and the redemption He provided us—should silence the argument that God has withdrawn to some far corner of the universe where He keeps His hands clean and maintains His distance from human suffering and pain. We can’t say “He just doesn’t get it or care,” because God’s love comes to us soaked in divine blood. He has firsthand experience in life... Read more
Earlier this year I did a podcast with Jordan Raynor to talk about the difference between Heaven and the New Earth, and what it means for our work. Also, how the certain hope of the Gospel is empowering my wife Nanci in her struggles with cancer. Here are the audio clips from the podcast: Do You Narrate Your Own Audiobooks? What Motivated You to Write Your Book Heaven? Debunking Common Misconceptions about Heaven How Does a Theology of Heaven Shape How... Read more
These reflections on the coming of Jesus are from my book Face to Face with Jesus. As you read them this Christmas season, contemplate what amazing grace God showed to us by inhabiting space and time as a human being. Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9 CSB) The baby of Bethlehem was Creator of the universe,... Read more
Have you ever come across something, or been given something, whether a photo or recording or something written, that has taken you back in time, and stirred up something in you that was either forgotten or dormant, just waiting to be remembered? That happened to me recently when my long-time friend Alan Hlavka, who was one of my fellow pastors in the early years of Good Shepherd Community Church in Boring (yes, that’s the real name of the town), Oregon,... Read more
In this two-minute video, I talk about Deuteronomy 28:47, which says, “Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart…” In the video, I share a quote from A.W. Tozer, who said, “The people of God ought to be the happiest people in all the wide world!” He offered this explanation in his book The Attributes of God (vol. 1): Goodness is that in God which desires the happiness of His creatures and that irresistible urge in God... Read more
The death of Jesus may not be frequently talked about at Christmastime, but may we never forget that the miracle of the cross was made possible by the miracle of the incarnation. The baby born in that Bethlehem barn was God, and He was born to die. The death of Jesus delivers us from our fear of death. His suffering on the cross atoned for our sins. Paul David Tripp recently wrote on Twitter, “That baby in the manger had... Read more
Recently I shared this story on my Facebook: I took a road I normally don’t and was stuck at a long red light. A woman called, “Got change for a dollar?” I gave her money and one of my little books about Heaven, which includes the Gospel. She said, “Cool” and thanked me. Had I driven a different street, we wouldn’t have met. This was a divine appointment. I don’t know whether she read the book, or whether it will end... Read more
Many of you have watched the first two seasons of The Chosen, but if you haven’t yet, I highly encourage you to start! The first year was consistently excellent, and season two was just as good. I actually think The Chosen is better than any portrayal of Jesus I’ve ever seen—the presentation of Christ’s love, wit, humor, and delight with His disciples is amazing! In this clip from my message “No More Curse,” I talk about the show, and how we too will... Read more
In this excerpt from my novel Dominion¸ two characters discuss racial stereotypes about black people. If you’d like to explore more about racial unity, I highly recommend the resources of Tony Evans, many of which are available for free, including his booklet A Personal Challenge to Black and White Americans. Jake’s face turned serious. “So, since we’ve been talking about race, can I bring up something you and I almost never talked about when it happened?” Clarence studied him. “Now you’ve got me curious. What?”... Read more
“If an individual Christian does not show love toward other true Christians, the world has a right to judge that he or she is not a Christian.” —Francis Schaeffer I read Francis Schaeffer’s The Mark of the Christian shortly after it was published in 1970. Schaeffer quoted Christ’s words in John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Then he cited Jesus’s prayer in John 17:21 that the disciples “may... Read more
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