I have sometimes envisioned what it will mean for every tribe, nation, and language to gather together and sing the praises of Jesus, as is depicted in Revelation 5:9 and 7:9. I’m sure we’ll learn a lot of great new hymns and songs once we’re with Jesus, most of which we’ve never heard. But I feel nearly certain that one of those songs we’ll sing forever from this life is “Amazing Grace.” It is one of those hymns that is cross-cultural and is... Read more
The widely stated notion “all sin is alike to God” is not grounded in Scripture. Yes, all sin is bad, separates us from God, and is deserving of God’s wrath. All sin crucified Jesus, and He freely offers His grace because no sin is beyond the reach of God’s grace. But it’s a myth that every sin is exactly the same to God. Think of what 1 Corinthians 6:18 says: “Flee sexual immorality! Every other sin a person commits is outside the... Read more
I have posted previous blogs and articles on racial justice, including my last blog post, with an excerpt from my novel Dominion. At the risk of being misunderstood or misquoted by some who will say, “This is no time to defend cops,” I want to also address the role of righteous people of all ethnicities serving in law enforcement, and say something to police officers that I feel deeply. First, I believe 100% that what was done in Minneapolis to George Floyd was evil... Read more
In my book Heaven, I share how years ago, Nanci read me letters we’d never before seen translated, written in 1920 by her grandmother Anna Swanson to her family in Sweden. Anna suffered severe health problems. While she was in Montana, cared for by relatives, her husband, Edwin, was in Oregon, working and caring for their seven children day and night. (Anna and Edwin are with five of their children in the picture; two more were to come. Nanci’s mother, Adele,... Read more
Almost eight and a half years ago, I shared this on my blog: Nanci and I are enjoying our first week with our new Golden Retriever puppy, Maggie Grace, who is nine weeks old. She’s pretty adorable, so I keep pulling out the camera. These are two slideshows, one of which I posted on Facebook Monday night, the second of which I haven’t posted until now. God graciously links the hearts of people to their animals. That was his plan... Read more
Our family has continuously sponsored a number of children through Compassion for over 30 years, since our daughters were small (I believe they were six and four when we first started!). It seems the photos of Compassion children, and their letters to us, have always been on our refrigerator. Those are heartwarming memories. It has been a joy to be connected with their ministry. With the help of Pro Athletes Outreach, Compassion has recently launched Fill the Stadium: COVID-19 has left nearly... Read more
I met Keith and Kristyn Getty at a worship conference I spoke at many years ago. When they sang their recently composed (with Stuart Townsend) song “In Christ Alone,” my heart soared in worship, and I came home and told people, “You’ve got to hear this song!” Here’s a short bio: Irish singer/songwriters and recording artists Keith and Kristyn Getty are among the preeminent modern hymn composers of this generation. They’re best known for “In Christ Alone,” along with the popular U.S.... Read more
I’ve been reflecting on 2 Timothy 2:3–7: Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. What do the... Read more
Today, May 21, is Ascension Day. A reader asked me, “I hear talk about Christ’s death and resurrection, but seldom about his ascension. Why is that?” The ascension was considered more important to earlier generations of Christians than it is today. Gotquestions.org explains: According to one of the early church fathers, Augustine of Hippo, the Feast of Ascension originated with the Apostles. It may be one of the oldest feasts practiced by the Church, possibly going as far back as AD 68.... Read more
When I was writing my book Happiness, I knew that the chapter on “What’s the Difference Between Happiness and Joy?” would likely prove to be one of the most controversial. To verify my assertion that joy and happiness are synonyms, I cited more than one hundred verses in various translations that use joy and happiness together, as well as numerous quotes from trusted Christian pastors, writers, and thinkers who use the two synonymously. (A summarized version of the chapter is available on my blog.) Still, the... Read more
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