Money: How Much is Enough? How much money is enough when you give to charity? When considering gifts to God, that is a difficult question to answer. This is because God’s economy functions differently than ours. This is aptly illustrated in the following story: Jesus notices the rich people giving gifts to the temple treasury. […]
As followers of Jesus, we are encouraged to be generous and giving. Hospitality is part of that. Sometimes when we show kindness to others, we will never know the affect of our actions. As an encouragement in being generous and giving, Paul writes, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people […]
Miracle Workers, Reformers, and the New Mystics By John Crowder (reviewed by Peter DeHaan) The subtitle of this book serves as an apt description of what to expect: “How to Become Part of the Supernatural Generation.” Building upon the understanding of a Christian mystic to be “one who lived a life of deep, extensive prayer,” […]
The recent issue of Sojourners magazine cited some sobering facts about the state of the prison system in the United States: 7.4 million people were under the control of the US criminal justice system in 2007. I’m not exactly sure what is meant by “under control,” but that is over 2 percent of the population, […]
Fast for the Right Reasons In the Bible, Jesus tells his followers to fast. It is not optional. He doesn’t say, “If you do it…,” but rather, “When you fast…” Jesus’ teaching applies to us too. Fasting is intentionally going without something in order to better connect with God, such as to focus on prayer […]
When people call me during the winter months, they often ask about the weather. These queries are usually about the snowfall, but sometimes, temperature. I suspect that these questioners are hoping that my winter weather is worse than theirs—and most of the time, it is. Living east of Lake Michigan, our weather is greatly influenced […]
In the book of Genesis, chapter 5, Adam’s family tree is listed, including the ages of him and his descendants, with many recorded life spans hovering around 900 years, plus or minus a few decades. While some doubt the veracity of these records, I’m willing to accept these ages as presented. (In Genesis 6:3, after […]
Excerpts from the Miracle Ministry of John G. Lake By John G. Lake (reviewed by Peter DeHaan) This small book is a quick read, yet filled with amazing stories and accounts of God at work through his servant, John G. Lake. This work was compiled by Lake’s son-in-law and takes the form of a first-person […]
Last fall, the USPS notified me that my once acceptably positioned mailbox was no longer acceptable. It needed to be moved closer to the road so that I could reliably receive mail during the snowy winter months. I determined that it was in my best interest to acquiesce to their “request” and reposition my mailbox […]
In the past, I have blogged about my efforts to stop unwanted newspapers and magazines from showing up uninvited in my mailbox. This task has been quite successful and I have found that most publishers make it easy to be removed from their mailing lists (though often one or two mailings are already being worked […]