How often have you heard the phrase “prayer warrior”? Have you ever attributed it to someone who prays a lot or prays with effectiveness? Interestingly, those two words are not used together in the Bible.* I wonder if the warrior metaphor is more a construct of modernity and a colonization mentality and not at all […]
After Jesus is criticized for driving out demons, he addresses his detractors. In doing so he makes a curious statement. He asks, by whose power do you drive out demons? Implicitly, Jesus was not the only one with the power and ability to drive out demons. In considering this, a bunch of questions come to […]
Once Jesus drove a demon out of a man. The man had been mute, but when the evil spirit was exorcized, he began speaking. The people should have been in awe of the power Jesus displayed. They were not. Instead they chose to be critical. Some questioned the source of his power and others insisted […]
I recently read about someone who is credited with producing over 55 million decisions for Christ. That’s the most impressive number. However, I wonder if it’s the correct focus. He needs to make disciples instead. Jesus didn’t tell us to go and make decisions—or to get people saved, to make converts, or to have people […]
Letters to Gabriel: The True Story of Gabriel Michael Santorum By Karen Garver Santorum (reviewed by Peter DeHaan) Karen Santorum’s book Letters to Gabriel is a touching true story about life and celebrating life, no matter how brief. The book is comprised entirely of letters Karen wrote to her son, Gabriel over a 16 month […]
For much of my life when I would stumble upon a confusing section in the Bible, I would rush through it to reach something else that made more sense. Lately, I’ve been doing the opposite. When I reach a confusing passage, I linger, seeking to dig deeper, contemplate more fully, and discover hidden truths. Such […]
Jesus told us to ask in order to receive, to seek in order to find and to knock in order for the door to be opened. ask -> receiveseek -> findknock -> open God responds. This seems straightforward: ask, seek, and knock. But what is the door that will be opened? Is it a door […]
Some people who follow Jesus give his church 10 percent of their income. The Bible calls this a tithe and it was a requirement from the Old Testament portion of the Bible. Other people say 10 percent is more a guideline than a rule. I don’t see much support for this perspective—other than the fact […]
A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back By Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent (reviewed by Peter DeHaan)Not yet four years old, Colton Burpo’s life was slipping away. His burst appendix was misdiagnosed and left untreated for days. Now it was likely too late to save him. His parents’ prayers became […]
The Lord’s Prayer contains a curious phrase that gives me pause. Frankly, it makes me uncomfortable every time I say it. The passage in question is “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” We mean the first part, but do we really mean the second part? When we ask this of God, are […]