“The proof of the pudding is in the eating!” A famous old phrase that seems to make a lot of sense – in most cases. Basically the adage tells you that the only thing that matters is the final outcome. What it tastes like or how good the result is. Certainly no one would argue…
Political parties often refer to their platform as the foundation on which their messages are built. A platform is made up of various planks – the key pieces of structure that undergird the position and message. Well, similarly in distilling the message of holiness there are a few planks in the platform that are really…
You land in a different country. It’s early in the morning after a night flight and your energy is low, your mind is foggy and now you have to navigate the cheery people at the customs and immigration checkpoints of this new nation – which is completely foreign to you. You don’t know the language,…
Lately I’ve been taken with the vast difference in outlook that results from how we view truth. Now, before you dismiss these thoughts as so ethereal as to be of no use, please hang in there for a moment. In the 20th century evangelical mind, truth and Christian faith seemed to be largely a set…
The Story of God in relation to creation is basically a really simple story of a great relationship gone bad, and the way back. Clearly there are lots of twists and turns, nuances, and deep meaning, but at its root it’s a story of creative love that was broken and is being restored. You see,…
Have you ever seen a diamond before it’s polished? Actually, you may have seen one but didn’t even know it was a diamond. It’s not pretty. It isn’t polished, and it certainly doesn’t have the fire we look for in good quality diamonds. Most people might even sift through stones and toss out a good…
Have you ever read the newspaper and then noticed the dark ink on your fingers? It rubs off on your hands. Or what about leaning against a white-washed wall – then you notice the white dust on your clothes. Things are always rubbing off on you. People do too. Maybe you notice how when you’ve…
The story of salvation is a story of remembering and forgetting. Deep within every one of us is an image that was lovingly placed there by the creative imagination of God. When He conceived of us, He imprinted us with an image that was like Jesus. Over time and because of selfish choices, that image…
As you approach an intersection while driving, you notice a strange thing. The familiar red, hexagonal sign is there. The funny thing is there are no words on it. It’s a bit odd, but you know exactly what it is saying: “Stop.” You may not think much of it, but pretty soon you notice other…
Not long ago someone said they wanted to meet with me for a “purpose driven cup of coffee.” Who would deny such a request. Although a cup of coffee has its own pleasures and merits, when you add a purpose to it, the idea becomes compelling. Of course I had no idea what that purpose…