God’s Toolbox is His Mouth
From nothing God creates. This is the affirmation of creation ex nihlo (out of nothing). With no raw materials he brings forth […]
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Creation by Grace
The first line of the Apostle’s Creed reads, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” It asserts
Lament and Unseen Footprints
For the singer of Psalm 77, comfort is a stranger. His is a season of sorrow and spiritual fatigue. I value the authenticity
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Lament Dramatized
Claus Westermann called the book of Job a “dramatized lament.” In the psalms we only hear the voice of the lamenter and
Rhythm of Life: Orientation, Disorientation, Reorientation
Death and resurrection are the center of our faith, they also form the rhythm of life for the believer. We move from
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The Anatomy of the Soul
John Calvin called the psalms the “anatomy of the soul.” He recognized that the diversity of the psalms correlated to the diversity
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Luther on the Gift of Psalms
Martin Luther loved the book of Psalms. His thinking and theology were greatly influenced by his meditation on this book. When he
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Take care when interpreting God in your experiences
Job did not share our perspective of his experience. He never knew the events of chapters 1-2—ever. The reality behind the events
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Martin Luther’s Pastoral Approach to Predestination
Martin Luther was aware of the challenges of certain doctrinal issues. Predestination has always been an area that can produce philosophical anxiety and deep-seated
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C.S. Lewis on Predestination
Predestination is a biblical term and concept that has received a lot of flack over the years. C.S. Lewis has some helpful
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The Cross and Criticism
Martin Luther famously stated, “the cross is our theology.” He was adamant that all good theology is rooted in, shaped by, and
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Broken characters for broken readers
I recently spent some time in 1-2 Samuel, and something interesting happened as I read. I found myself connecting to an unlikely character
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A Biblical Framework for Encouragement: The Coming
It is fitting that the final pillar of encouragement centers on the return of Jesus. It is no surprise that the New
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A Biblical Framework for Encouragement: The Church
The presence of the church in the world is intended to be a tremendous source of encouragement. It is for encouragement that
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A Biblical Framework for Encouragement: The Cross
We have looked at the God-centered foundation of encouragement as well as the first pillar of creation. In this post we explore
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A Biblical Framework for Encouragement: The Creation
In the previous post we launched a blog series on encouragement. We explored the foundation of a framework for encouragement as we
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A Biblical Framework for Encouragement: The Creator
Encouragement is an underestimated force in our lives. It has the power to redirect our steps, change our future, eclipse our past and
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What you won’t find in God’s heart
God is sovereign and pain is pervasive. This is a tension I uncomfortably affirm. There is a text from the book of
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The Unsurprising Incarnation
I continue to be amazed by the humility of God in the storyline of Scripture. God persistently comes low to engage his
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The Holy Spirit’s Role at the Cross
God’s saving work, often called the atonement, largely centers on God the Father and God the Son. When we talk about the
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The Creative Presence of the Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the quiet, humble power standing behind the world’s greatest moments. His personal presence is identifiable at the critical
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Around the table with God
Jesus is God in the flesh. He reveals the heart, nature and intentions of God. When you read the gospel narratives through
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The three rules of theology
In John Doberstein’s The Minister’s Prayerbook, he discusses Martin Luther’s understanding of the development of a theologian. Luther believed that the “right way to study theology”
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What makes a theologian
Oswald Bayer wrote a fine book titled Martin Luther’s Theology: A Contemporary Interpretation. In this book he summarizes Luther’s thinking on what makes
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Walking with people in grief
“If your desire is to support a fellow human in grief, you must create a ‘safe place’ for people to embrace their
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