Reflections and meditations about the Bible by Peter DeHaan, PhD.
When you read the Bible, do you wear glasses? I mean metaphorically. Seriously, do you? Communication experts tell us that we take in and process information through filters—or lenses. Often this selective process is helpful, removing the minutia of life so that important and relevant information can be observed, remembered, and contemplated. Sometimes, however, this […]
The Bible says that when we are tempted to do wrong, God will provide a way out so that we can avoid it. That is an encouraging promise, but does that really mean that every time—or just some of the time? I think it is every time—really, I do. The challenge is to be able […]
The Bible says that our being—our entity—is comprised of spirit, soul, and body. That is something to contemplate. At first glance, I’d be inclined to reverse the order, from the most tangible (body) to the least (spirit). However, considering that God—who is spirit—made us in his image, it is appropriate to list spirit first, thereby […]
If we were created, as the Bible says, how did it really happen? I have heard different views on the subject: One of these is probably true—or perhaps there is a completely different understanding. It is easy to fixate on the details and lose site of the critical unifying element: that God was instrumental in […]
My prior post, “In the Beginning…”, may lead some to quip, “Well, where did God come from?” If there is the assumption that God’s existence is like that of our own, then a creation view has the same limitation as an evolution view: something had to come from nothing. However, in considering the creation account […]
The entry “Omni God” mentioned that, among other things, God is “omnipresent.” This means that God is present everywhere or that he exists in all places, at all times. This is a grand and awesome concept, to realize that God simultaneously exists everywhere. It is huge, immense, and at times a bit overwhelming. Sometimes this reality […]
The word love is overused and misused. Consider the following: Love, then, can mean anything from complete devotion to a slight preference—and everywhere in between. As such, when love is used, it takes on a vague connotation, expressing a feeling that is open to wide interpretations. Another overused and misused word is awesome. Its usage […]
They Carried Weapons In the Bible, Dr. Luke records the scene: Jesus is eating his final meal with his followers. He is sharing some parting words when he makes a perplexing remark about buying swords. His disciples matter-of-factly reply that they have two swords. Did you catch that? Jesus’ disciples carry swords. I don’t know about […]
The Bible contains four separate accounts of the life of Jesus. They are biographies of Jesus, which we call Gospels. The question is often asked, “Which one should I read first?” That is a hard to answer, as each one has its own strengths. Matthew The Gospel written by Matthew does much to connect Jewish […]
In this Christmas season our thoughts turn more intentionally and more frequently to Jesus, the reason for this annual celebration. In consideration of the first Christmas, my thoughts are warm and cozy, happy and joyous, and idyllic and serene, with angels singing, kings bearing gifts, and happily contented shepherds shepherding. This is all true, but […]