In step

[RiverOL]

Satan Has Vested Interests in Making Unbelievers Think They Are Going to Heaven​

I’ve read many accounts of experiences in which people who do not know Christ claim to have gone to Heaven, or its outskirts, and were reassured by a “being of light” that all is well with them. I’m convinced that though some have had real supernatural experiences, the one who reassured them was not Jesus. Obviously, Satan has great vested interests in deceiving unbelievers into thinking that what awaits them after death is a place of serenity rather than of eternal punishment. Scripture says, “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:15).

Years ago, one of my friends, a trustworthy and credible doctor, recounted an experience that really disturbed him. He observed a patient who appeared very close to dying have terrifying and inconsolable visions of where he was about to go upon his death. He actually recovered, but when the doctor attempted to share the gospel with him, the man remembered his dreadful experience as a wonderful dream of Heaven. This incident wound up as a story thread in my novel Dominion:

Clarence called Ollie from the hospital to update him on his father.
“You won’t believe this,” Ollie said. “Norcoast is in the hospital. He attempted suicide.”
“What? Which hospital?”
“Right where you’re calling from—Emanuel.”

Clarence went to the front desk to get Norcoast’s room number. He’d just been moved off critical condition and out of ICU but was still under close monitoring. Clarence went to his room on the fourth floor and stood over him. The councilman was drained of color, pale and pasty. Unconscious, he lay very still. Clarence stood over him for ten minutes before Norcoast started to move. He shuddered and trembled. He started mumbling, appearing to be seeing things and hearing voices.

“O God, they’re trying to get me.” Clarence backed away from the tortured voice. “Monsters, demons attacking me.” His arms flailed. “It’s so hot. Hurts so bad. No. Stay away. Don’t hurt me.” After a few minutes of incoherence, he calmed down a little, then spoke again, eyes closed. “Gone now. Where is everybody? I’m so alone. I’m burning up! Help me!” He screamed out, writhing, soaking himself in sweat, casting the sheets to his side and bumping against the bedrails. Two nurses ran into the room.

Clarence backed out of the room, shaken. He went directly to the hospital chapel and prayed fervently for his father, but even more fervently for Reggie Norcoast.
The next morning Clarence came early to the hospital, first visiting his father, who was unconscious. Then he went up two floors to visit Norcoast. The door was closed. A nurse told him the councilman had had terrible hallucinations all night, but he was now awake and out of trouble.
Clarence peeked in the door. Norcoast, usually vibrant and healthy, looked pale and peaked, like a man who’d been through a wringer. Clarence knocked lightly on the doorframe.
“Hello, Reg, can I come in?”

“Clarence?” Norcoast looked down. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am about Esther and Gray and everything.” He lay there looking dejected and pathetic. Clarence pitied him.
“Reg, I need to talk to you about some things. I know I’ve never talked with you about my faith before, but I feel it’s—”

“Clarence, something wonderful happened last night.” Norcoast suddenly sounded euphoric. “I was just about to die—in fact I think I may have died, really. I was walking down this shining corridor and there was this magnificent angel of light. It was so beautiful. The angel assured me there’s a special place in heaven for me. He said I just needed to get in touch with myself, live a good life, and do the best I could to love others. It was so real. I was on the verge of heaven, and I didn’t want to come back. But I realize I was sent back for a reason. To tell people about God’s love and acceptance.”

Clarence looked at him, slack-jawed. “Reg, I was here last night. I heard you crying out to God and screaming and talking about demons attacking you. You felt like you were on fire, then you talked about being all alone. You weren’t on the verge of heaven. You were on the verge of hell!”

“What are you talking about?” Norcoast said. “No, you’ve got it all wrong. I remember it clearly. A bright angel, a beautiful home, peaceful feelings. Serenity. It was the most wonderful place I’ve ever been. The most extraordinary experience I’ve ever had. I’ve lost so much that’s dear to me in the last few days, but this is a great comfort. I’ve made contact with my angel now. Esther says eventually I’ll learn to talk to him and get his guidance.”
Clarence stared at him, at a complete loss for words.

Let’s pray for the unbelievers in our lives, that God will open their eyes and “grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25).

 

[RiverOL]

The Man of All Talents: the Extraordinary Life of Douglas Clark​

As legends go, he was the genuine article.

Douglas Clark was a champion wrestler and rugby legend before going off to war. He hauled ammunition on the Western Front in World War I, suffered horrible injuries, won a medal for bravery, and then came home to wrestle, play some more world class rugby. He helped create “professional” wrestling where he was an early international superstar.
Steven Bell has written a delightful summer read (Pitch Publishing) about this amazing man.

Clark grew up throwing sacks of coal for the family heating business, so he gained his remarkable strength through early hard work. In the era before such things were quantified, he was viewed as one of the strongest men in the world. He was certainly a great rugby player and a genuine wrestler. He was winning important real world meets well into middle age. “Duggie” was the perfect “good guy” for the promoters of professional wrestling, but he was smart enough to keep control of his career.

He was a teetotal family man. Duggie was from the era of “fair play” in sports, played by the rules, and after he was famous, kept supporting his local town. His wife loved him, his neighbors loved him, and the British public loved to root for him as the British Bulldog in the scripted world of professional wrestling.
Why not? The man really was a hero, a good guy, having nothing to do with the storylines playing out in the ring.

The book is based on enormous amounts of research, genuine labor of love work. As an author Bell may sometimes veer into an overly prosy opening chapter paragraph or two, but mostly he gets out of the way of his subject’s remarkable life. Bell uses Duggie’s own words, when he can and this is a revelation. Duggie has a wholesome style that reflects his pre-World War upbringing that reveals as much about the man as the amazing stories.

Duggie did not have much use for school as a boy. As a man, he kept reading and (we are told) developed a fondness for Shakespeare. The bits of text we get from him show the result: a blend of Edwardian schoolboy piety, Shakespeare and other English “classics,” from a man who had lived a remarkable life. The result is fascinating and no more reproducible today than a man like Douglas Scott.

Bell has done us a big favor by making big doses of Scott’s writing available.
The brilliance of the book is how ordinary Clark and his life often were. He kept going home to his Mother and Father after his adventures, until he started going home to his wife. Douglas Clark was common. He was not a gentleman, had an indifferent formal eduction. What he had was a thriving, healthy common culture in which to grow up, find, and use his uncommon athletic gifts. His character transcends his trophies. Those gifts are even easier to explore in Coles Catalogue. As an American, with only a faint knowledge of rugby, some of the game details miss me, but Duggie is universal as a hero. He has grit, dash, and a team spirit. He will not cheat, but he wants to win.

Of course, when he went off to war, as a man who did not believe in war, he did his duty bravely. What else does a common man do if he has all talents?
As a boy, a certain sort of snob would say a man was “as common as dirt.” They missed what every Frank Capra hero sees: dirt holds up our lives and grows our food. Dirt is common, but excellent dirt is the stuff of life. God made Adam from the dirt. A mark of a decent culture is one that can create a man like Douglas Clark.
There is much to ponder there.

 

[RiverOL]

Burdens . . . Bad? ​ [ 1 min read ★ ] ​

Count it all joy, my brothers—James 1:2-4 ​

This age regards the burdens of struggle/hardship/pain as simply bad, to be avoided at all cost—the loss of a job, loss of a career, loss of financial stability, loss of an image, loss of a marriage. So we medicate, distract, deny—anything to make them go away. And, when we just can’t, we direct our frustration toward God: “Where are you?” “How could you allow this?” But . . . what if . . . these burdens are actually good things? Constructive things? What if they have a purpose? What if they’re not random things, but parts of a program to make us more mature, more focused, more rugged, more fruitful? Jesus taught that God prunes “every branch that does bear fruit,” so that “it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2). And, indeed, most men will concede that—while they’ve certainly not enjoyed the struggle/hardship/pain of the past—they do like the people they’ve become as a result. They prefer their post-burden selves to the men they were before. Maybe we’ve got this upside down. Maybe we need to think differently about struggle/hardship/pain? Maybe the words of James aren’t so crazy? “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). ​

Okay, so what do we do? Are you going through something tough, right now? If not, enjoy this time. If you are, recognize the pain. Talk about it with trusted friends. But don’t try to escape it. Let it do its work. And, trust that it will not last forever. Trust that, after a little while, it’ll go away and you’ll emerge a better version of you.​

 

[RiverOL]

A little water won’t hurt​

It’s always interesting to see how informal groups quickly fall behind a person. There’s always somebody that has the magnetism and the drive that others recognize. Every group needs a leader, otherwise it will quickly fall apart.


The ragtag group called “the disciples” were obviously led by Peter. Full of vim, vigor and bluster he seemd to be the first one to make the leap. He wanted to show the world that he was a true believer.


He stood in the courtyards and tried to keep the mobs from trampling his Lord. Running the security detail, he was the one who pulled the sword in the Garden. When times got tough, he rallied the troops. He was the muscle behind the message.

So it’s no surprise that he was the first one out of the boat.


Oh. The boat. The one that Jesus sent to the other side and a storm kicked, threatening to capsize the boat. And then suddenly, walking on the water, He appeared. The disciples were relieved and simultaneously scared out of their wits.
Not Peter. “Let me walk,” he said. “I can do this.”

He actually did — but then, the reality of the situation gripped him. There’s no ground, nothing solid to stand on. He realized that he wasn’t supposed to do this and he began to sink.
And I think that was a good thing. It still is. So what if you sink. So what if your nostrils fill with water and you push up with all your flailing strength just to get a gasp of air. So what if you feel like this time, it’s the end.

We could all use a little sinking in our lives, in order to build reliance on the unsinkable One. We all could stand to go hungry for a day, to lose a little sleep, to miss a paycheck, to lose a friend.

When you’re in the middle of adversity, when you miss a breath, you feel like it’s the end. It isn’t.


What if we didnt know where our next meal would come from, if we would have another hour, if we couldn’t be sure of the next breath. Utter reliance isn’t such a bad thing.
We could all stand to lose something, in order to gain everything.

I’m not afraid to sink, and I won’t drown.

 

[RiverOL]

Confession? Ugh . . . ​ [ 1 min read ★ ] ​

. . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God—Romans 3:23 ​

Confession—real, raw confession—is a critical component of a healthy spiritual life. It’s also an essential element of robust Christian brotherhood. We may not want to admit it, but we men need to be known, truly known . . . and be accepted by our brothers still. We’ve all believed, though, that to be accepted we can project images that are only partially accurate. It seems so right, at first. But make no mistake—it’s not. It’s a lie from our enemy. As long as we conceal parts of our lives, we cannot know the true depth of friendships. As long as we hide, brotherhood is never tested. As long as we hide, we harbour doubts: would they stand by me, if they knew the real me? This leads to shame, and we forsake the compassion of true Christian community. "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). Moreover, if friends see us only partially, they cannot fight for us—because we obscure what’s going wrong. But we’ve all "sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And when we fall short, we need others to see . . . to step in, to help, and to pray. "Therefore, confess your sins to one another . . . pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power" (James 5:16). ​

Okay, so what do we do? You must figure out what to confess and to whom. What is easy: whatever you haven’t already. There shouldn’t be anything in your life that someone doesn’t know. Who requires you to ask God and to search your own heart. He’s put men into your life specifically for this type of transparency. Reach out to them today and have a conversation.​

 

[RiverOL]

Outwardly Wasting Away, Inwardly Renewed Day by Day​

There’s nothing like the feeling of renewal that comes with looking out over Lanikai Beach, Kailua. This photo was taken during a family vacation back in 2013. Christopher loved visiting this beach. Hoping and praying we can take Christopher there again in the future.

I received a triple dose of good spiritual and emotional meds Wednesday. First, my daughter Julianne shared with me the Scripture she read for devotions Wednesday morning: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16; NIV). She applied it to her older brother Christopher, who endured a traumatic brain injury earlier this year. We do not know what is going on inside Christopher, but we hope and pray that he is being renewed daily spiritually, as well as mentally.


Second, my sister Nancy texted us the following prayer: “We pray for that preliminary healing that goes undetected until it presents itself.” Knowing that we were going to be receiving training to assist with Christopher’s therapy Wednesday, she added, “What the ‘hands’ learn we pray translates into new brain pathways.”
Third, my friend Joe wrote in response to my post mentioning Christopher smiling as I sang the hymn “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”: Christopher was “probably” thinking “something like ‘That was some soulful singing my man!’” Joe continued, “If you have ever needed to be patient with your child, it’s right now. I really think he’s trying his best to communicate through a barrier.” I’m still riding the wave of these spiritual and emotional meds today.

I have been reflecting on that text in 2 Corinthians the past few days, along with the surrounding verses: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; NIV). Paul alludes throughout the chapter to the trials he endured in sharing the good news of eternal life in relational union with Jesus in all his travels throughout the Roman Empire. Earlier in the passage, Paul writes: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you” (2 Corinthians 4:7-12; NIV).

I am left dumbstruck every time I consider Paul’s trials recorded here and in 2 Corinthians 11. How did he endure such hardships? No wonder he felt like he was wasting away on the outside. It’s a tribute to God’s mercy and miraculous power that Paul wasn’t wasting away on the inside.

I sure feel like I am wasting away outwardly at times, as well as inwardly, in view of the relentless struggles surrounding Christopher’s traumatic brain injury. A friend recently told me how tired I look. A CNA only missed my age by three years (lower) the other evening as we were tending to Christopher. That wasn’t a compliment! How I wish they could have been with me at the checkout stand at Trader Joe’s recently, when the clerk asked to see my driver’s license on account of the six-pack of heavenly nectar I sought to purchase. I told the clerk that he made my day—in fact, my life! It’s amazing what a face mask, sunglasses, and a baseball cap can do for one’s countenance!

All of us will waste away outwardly in due time. No matter how many vitamins and face lifts and exercises we do, we can’t fight age forever. But it is not a foregone conclusion that we have to waste away inwardly. The Apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthian Christians not to lose heart. Though he and they were wasting away outwardly, he assured them that God was transforming them in their inner being. I need to rely like never before on the hope of God’s desired transformation of my inner person. It can make up in dramatic ways for the struggles that go on all around me about which I have no control.

With that point in mind, I have always been amazed how my mother’s countenance was often so vibrant and radiant, no matter how old she was. Her steadfast gaze on Jesus filled her soul with light and life. As with Paul and my mom, Christopher’s grandmother, I pray for such spiritual transformation in my inner being. As stated above, I also pray that Christopher is undergoing a transformation of his person spiritually and mentally.

I thank God that I now see light in his eyes, whereas there was only darkness in them for weeks following the injury. My son looks so much like his old self now. All the more, I long to see increasing evidence of the healing of his person. While undetected in large measure now, may other dimensions of healing present themselves to our naked eye in due course. To that end, as we assist with therapy day in and day out, may new brain pathways emerge in Christopher.

We all need therapy in one way or another. I pray that God is creating new pathways within me for spiritual and relational connections through the relentless ordeal involving Christopher’s TBI. Two of the pathways that I hope will emerge in me are long-suffering patience and lasting hope. It won’t be easy, though. The spiritual and emotional therapeutic exercises that are intended to assist me in getting there can be so exhausting. Yet, rather than give up, I desire to grow up in patience with God, patience with Christopher, patience with others, and patience with myself. I also hope that God will bring about a transformation in my various relationships that reflects Jesus’ eternal radiance and glory.

Please pray for Christopher to keep healing and fighting to communicate through the barrier of his traumatic brain injury. Pray that he also grows in patience and hope. Pray that we all grow in patience and hope as we learn how to communicate with others through barriers of various kinds.
It is not only those with traumatic brain injuries that struggle to communicate. We erect so many relational barriers through which we struggle to communicate with others. We need patience in the process and hope that God will break through the barriers and bring about an inward and relational renewal in all of us. May this life-generating renewal make itself known in increasing measure in our world that is so lonely, tired, and prone to decay.

 

[RiverOL]

If We Fear God, We Can Trust His Provision​

There are people who reason, If I give generously, I’ll have to worry about where the money will come from to replace what I’ve given. But Jesus actually says the opposite. Immediately after He commands us not to store up treasures on Earth but store them in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21), He says we are to adopt the right perspective (verses 22-23) and serve the right master—God, not money (verse 24).

Our Lord immediately follows this statement by saying three times, “Do not worry” (Matthew 6:25, 31, 34, NIV). Anyone who is investing in the right treasury, adopting the right perspective, and serving the right Master has nothing to worry about. In contrast, those who invest in the wrong treasury (Earth, not Heaven), adopt the wrong perspective (the temporal, not the eternal), and serve the wrong master (money, not God) have every reason to worry.

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15, ESV). Since we can’t serve two masters, our fear of not having enough reveals our true master.

Jesus specifically tells us not to worry about life’s necessities—food, drink, and clothes. Then He says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). According to our Lord, giving isn’t what leaves us short of material provision. In fact, it’s part of the solution to our material needs. God promised to provide for givers in Old Testament times (Malachi 3:8-11). And Jesus promised the same in the New (Luke 6:38). When we give away our treasures, we are seeking God’s Kingdom first. And therefore, “all these [material needs] will be added to” us.

Paul told the Philippians, “I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18, CSB). Their financial gifts were gifts to God. Since they gave so generously to provide for him and his work, Paul was confident God would provide the same for them: “My God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, CSB). This is a familiar promise, but most people don’t realize that in context, it is specifically for givers who have stretched themselves to become sacrificial partners in Kingdom ministry. “For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times” (v.16).

In some cases, God’s provision is obvious—we get an unexpected check in the mail or are given something we thought we’d have to buy. One time Nanci and I discovered an error we’d made in our bank balance, finding we had significantly more money than we realized.
In other cases, God’s provision is less obvious but equally generous. A washing machine that should have broken down a decade ago keeps working. A car with more than two hundred thousand miles runs for three years needing no repairs. A checking account that should have dried up long before the end of the month somehow makes it through.

As God miraculously stretched the widow’s oil supply in Elisha’s day (2 Kings 4:1-7), and as He made the Israelites’ clothes and sandals last forty years in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:4), I’m convinced He sometimes graciously extends the life of things that would normally need replacement.
The God who fed a million-member family in the wilderness for forty years, fed five thousand with one boy’s lunch, and who is perfectly capable of turning water into wine and stones into bread, will not have any trouble providing whatever He knows you need.

 

[RiverOL]

Keep Watering in Hopes of New Life​

We have experienced scorching heat several days this summer. As a result, one or two plants in our yard have died. Other foliage has not yet recovered from sun shock. One or two forms of vegetation didn’t even get that far. They never emerged from winter hibernation. One of those dormant-gone-dead garden victims was a flowering plant, or so we thought.


Yesterday, my wife Mariko shared the good news that the flowering plant we thought was dead is alive. She had been watering plants nearby day in and day out, not even thinking about the wood box in which a few old gray stubs from last year’s plant remained. Unintentionally, water from the hose fell in the wooden coffin. Lo and behold, after not seeing anything for months, our flowering plant has returned! Mariko was thrilled, and so was I.

It got Mariko to thinking about our son Christopher, who has been bed-ridden since January on account of suffering a traumatic brain injury. We’ve heard our fair share of premature prognoses that our son would forever remain dormant and never gain consciousness. While we do not know the future, or to what extent he may recover, we have not lost hope. After all, as I have noted many times before, time is the ultimate prognosis, as our medical consultant has shared.

Mariko drew upon the image of the dormant plant that has now sprouted green leaves. Effortlessly, she applied it to Christopher’s no longer dormant and now minimally conscious state, which manifests itself at times in response to prompts. “So, we’ll keep watering.”

We hope the flowers will return and accompany the green leaves of the once dormant plant growing in our garden. We’ll keep watering it. We’ll also keep watering our son with words, with prayers, with a gentle, loving touch. Who knows? He just might flower again.
Thank you for showering our son and family with your caring prayers, compassionate thoughts, and sacrificial gifts.

 

[RiverOL]

What’s the meaning of “blood is thicker than water”?​

What is the meaning of the phrase “blood is thicker than water”? We’ve all heard this idiom, but are you sure you understand it? Search the internet for a while, and you’ll find out very quickly that its origins are anything but clear.

The Origins of an Idiom
Most people “know” that the phrase “blood is thicker than water” means that family relationships are more important than any other relationship. However, several writers challenge this common interpretation and even suggest that the idiom has the exact opposite meaning than we typically assume. Some people suggest that this phrase stems from the longer expression “the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” According to the latter, the blood one sheds with another in battle is of greater worth in knitting people together than any blood relationship.

Researchers have difficulty identifying the exact origin of this idiom because other languages and cultures have similar expressions. So we are unsure of the influence that those non-English idioms might have on our contemporary language. In the 1800s, H.C. Trumbull references another phrase “blood is thicker than milk” (a mother’s milk). He explains,

“We, in the West, are accustomed to say that “blood is thicker than water”; but the Arabs have the idea that blood is thicker than milk, than a mother’s milk. With them, any two children nourished at the same breast are called ” milk-brothers,” or “sucking brothers”; and the tie between such is very strong. […]
But the Arabs hold that brothers in the covenant of blood are closer than brothers at a common breast; that those who have tasted each other’s blood are in a surer covenant than those who have tasted the same milk together; that “blood-lickers,” as the blood-brothers are sometimes called, are more truly one than “milk-brothers,” or “sucking brothers”; that, indeed, blood is thicker than milk, as well as thicker than water.”

With these factors in mind, are you still confident that you understand the meaning of the phrase “blood is thicker than water”?
I hope not. Even if you can do an exhaustive search and synthesize your findings to draw a definitive conclusion about the meaning of this expression, you already will have made my point.

A Change of Meaning?​

At this point, I fully expect someone to reply, “Why should we care? All that matters is what the expression means today.” And that reply illustrates a recurring problem or challenge facing biblical interpreters and missionaries.

Let’s assume, for example, that the idiom actually highlights the significance of close friendships over kinship. Therefore, what we now consider the expression’s meaning is not what the original speaker intended. Instead, we’ve merely grown accustomed to the idea that the idiom underscores the priority of familial relationships.
What if this same dynamic occurs when we interpret scripture or try to explain the Bible to people in other cultures?

How many concepts have we misunderstood because we assume that a word or expression meant for the biblical writers the same thing it means to us? A frequent example that I give is that of “law.” Current notions of law are distant relatives of the Hebrew concept of the Torah. It is an accident of language and translation that most English Bibles use the word “law” to translate Torah, which, and its written form, could be considered wisdom literature. Furthermore, Torah functioned as a covenant giving the people of Israel in national identity.

Likewise, modern Christians understand countless words (e.g., “love,” “conviction,” “conscience,” “slave,” and “faith”) through the lens of our contemporary culture and background. Most readers are unaware of the language found in ancient near eastern covenants forged between kings. The subordinate, conquered king would swear his “love” to a higher, suzerain king who is subjecting his nation. Sometimes the lower vassal king would be called a “son,” and the oppressive suzerain king would be called a “father.” Obviously, in this context, “love” does not refer to a sentimental emotion. At the very least, “love” signified honor and allegiance expressed in obedience.

We could go on and on with other examples. So often, the so-called “plain and obvious meaning” is nothing more than the meaning that we are accustomed to and familiar with. However, what we think is obvious often is anything but obvious. What matters foremost when interpreting the Bible is the meaning given to it by its original authors. Only then can we begin to wrestle with its significance for us.
Contextualization begins with interpretation. Let us be careful whenever we encounter a so-called “obvious” biblical text. Perhaps its meaning is straightforward. Then again, maybe it’s more complicated than that.

 

[RiverOL]

At the Heart of Worship​

You can don ancient vestments, light candles, and chants prayers amid clouds of incense; you can preach like Martyn Lloyd-Jones, sing great hymns accompanied by pipe organ, and love the dappled rainbows the stained glass throws; you can put up the largest LED screens, hire musicians that rock, get the stage lighting just right, and kill it with a genius Powerpoint.



You can meet in an arena or a tiny rural clapboard or in the North Korean underground, or in a storefront or a living room or under a tree outside your African village or near the fountain in a suburban park.

You can think you worship Jesus best or in the most authentic way or place or with the right kind or amount of people—from a crowd to a small group, from a cathedral to skid row to your back porch around a fire pit—but if the people of God do not show up alive with gratitude for the breath that the Spirit grants them in every waking moment, ready to adore the presence of the resurrected Jesus in their midst—wherever they meet, however they worship, no matter what the numbers—you’re just going through the motions, just spinning wheels.

What makes the Spirit glad is a people of calm joy and humble wisdom with contrite hearts and compassion for all, gathered because of a spring of gratitude that wells up within them, a community of servants ready to get to work on the beautiful tomorrow Christ calls the kingdom of heaven, ready to offer the sacrifice of praise to the Father who forgives them before they knew they even needed forgiveness.

Joy is what is present when Christ is present and joy is not a respecter of places or people or the trappings of our worship—and we all have trappings, don’t we? Joy favors gratitude. Joy favors mercy. Joy favors forgiveness. Joy favors peacemakers and the charitable. Joy favors the authentic heart that desires above all else to give thanks for the inexplicable mystery of this world.

Prayer. Fellowship. Teaching. Meal. These are the things that matter no matter what the ornamentation and lighting, these are the spaces—intercession and petition, bread and wine, what the apostles had to say about the Christ, belonging to something greater than the self—in which matter’s Maker who became flesh for us shows up every time and every where and anytime two or three are gathered together in his name with—I will say it again—an exuberant Pentecostal gratitude for the humility of God in Jesus Christ.

 

[RiverOL]

3 Tips to Help Find Common Ground​

It is difficult to have good conversations today. Sometimes, conversations can be nearly impossible if participants are so committed to their worldview that they cannot look beyond themselves to find common ground. As social media continues to exacerbate the polarization of politics and ideology, conflict—as well as sheer arrogance and dismissal—have become almost expected when engaging with people of different beliefs.

While this is a sad reality, we at Premier recognize the command for Christians to live out their faith, and we seek to inform and equip people to share the Gospel confidently and convincingly in our increasingly secular world. My work is specifically focused on exploring common and contested ground concerning difficult and controversial issues of faith. In doing this, I have found that Christians and non-Christians are not as different as people may initially suspect. If this is true, how, then, can we navigate tough conversations to find areas where we do agree? Consider these three strategies to help open yourself to others and encourage others to open themselves to you.

1. Get out of your echo chamber.​

In Jonathan Yates’s landmark book “Fractured,” he tackles a deceptively simple idea: The more we spend time with people unlike ourselves, the more understanding, tolerant and friendly we become. However, one of the predominant issues with our culture is that we only associate with people like us. Yates calls this the “people like me” syndrome.

We prefer having an “in” group and an “out” group, and social media profits from the arguments and conversations that exist among these groups. While there is beauty in being different, Yates admits the problem stems from people being distant. To advance the cause of Christ, we must look beyond these groups and get out of our echo chambers.

Proverbs 27:17 declares that “iron sharpens iron,” and I can stand as testament to the edifying and “sharpening” effect that comes from interacting with those who are different. You do not have to agree with people, but it’s critical that you meet with them. I encourage you to follow social media accounts you don’t agree with. Read a book written from a perspective you don’t agree with. Talk with someone you don’t agree with. The key is engagement—and in a civil and compassionate manner. Jesus did this all the time. He constantly stepped over barriers to engage with those who were deemed “dirty” or less “worthy”—those people who were different. In order to find common ground, we must follow his example.

2. Make friends with your enemies.​

Making friends starts with listening. Humans are more than just walking intellects; we possess the capacity for a whole mixture of thoughts and emotions. While this is true, we are also guided by biases that stem from our experiences. Think of these biases as a lens through which you view, interact with and interpret the world. When you enter conversations with people, it is valuable to uncover this lens so that you can establish a mutual respect.

People know when they are just being treated as a project. As Christians, we can—and need to—do better than that. We must find the human being behind the issue. We have to connect with them. Besides, only offering someone a proper hearing will allow them to hear you.

3. Stop arguing and start persuading.​

Peter 3:15 instructs, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” If we truly desire to share our beliefs with others, gentleness and respect are necessities. How we say things is just as important as the things we say.

Don’t assume that merely stating your argument or shouting it louder will make any difference. Real change requires holistic engagement with people. Ultimately, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. That said, our duty as Christians is to make people thirsty. Rather than arguing, our conversations must model community, winsome engagement and utmost love. Through our example, our persuasion is implicit, and many people will naturally crave the gift we have.

I have often seen people win an argument but lose the person. Even if you lose the argument, we should be more concerned with the long view. What impression do people have of Christians? In the end, have we actually demonstrated that Christianity is worth living regardless of its defensibility or truth? Even when there are significant matters at stake, we should never stop being Christlike in the way we engage with God’s children. So continue to engage alongside the Spirit of Christ and His guidance, knowing that it is only through putting on the character of Christ that we can ever truly find common ground.

 

[RiverOL]

Where is Peace in Our Chaotic Anxiety Ridden World?​

Circumstances that Cause Stress
The events of the last six months have unveiled an almost unending barrage of human suffering. Uvalde, Ukraine, and a major church denomination scandal had inundated the headline news. We struggle through an uncertain economic future as well as rising Covid-19 cases. Well-meaning friends encourage us to ignore current events hoping to salvage our mental well-being. Tuning out media may provide temporary relief, but our minds tend to veer back into the pit of despair. It’s easy to drift into neutral and waste precious time in sadness and anxiety.

Encouragement of Peace from Paul​

Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7, encouraging the stress-ridden Philippian church to petition God in prayer with thankful hearts and that God’s peace will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Refocusing our minds and attention on God and letting him bear the weight of our worries places a guard at the door of our minds and heart – the peace of God.

We Need To Mitigate This Anxiety Problem​

It is simply not enough to will our minds to cease falling down the spiral of anxiety. We bought an old fixer-upper earlier this year – a house built in 1939 with a full basement. I love to work on home improvement projects, and a clean basement workshop is essential. However, years of neglect have left this basement smelling musty. It also occasionally leaks water during heavy rain. Removing the water and washing the mold away will suffice for a while, but after the next storm, these things will return, filling my mind with tension and worry that my tools will rust and I will have to breathe unhealthy air! I must implement the things that I know will remedy the basement.

The antidote for water intrusion begins with thinking of a plan that will be right for my situation. I first deal with the problem by repairing the leaky gutters. I then seal the cracks in the wall from the outside and finally paint the interior walls and floor with good water-resistant paint or sealant. However, this one-time fix is only the beginning. I must constantly keep the gutters clean and seal any new cracks, careful to observe any place where the paint may begin to chip.

Paul uses two imperatives for the church – think and practice. What is Paul referring to when asking the believers to think about and practice “these things?” Thinking about the things that are true, worthy of honor, and pure encourages love and readies the mind for action. When our minds are thinking correctly, we can imitate what Paul did by walking with God.

Relationships Matter​

My father-in-law stayed with us for a few weeks last April to help improve our home. He is the quintessential handyman and is more experienced than I in keeping a basement clean and dry. When I get frustrated when my skills come up short in a task, he is always patient with me, offering me advice and stepping in to do the work. He even painted the entire basement himself! He is intentional not only in showing me but also in demonstrating the appropriate way to do things. He is with me through the whole process so that I may do the same for my child or grandchild down the road. At the end of Paul’s final admonishments to practice the things they have seen in him, he promises that the God of peace will be with them.

Verse 7 promises that by laying our petitions before God, the peace of God will guard our minds and hearts against anxiety. By the end of verse 9, we see the result. The God of peace – God himself will be with us! As I contemplate the distressing recent events of the last few months, I am reminded to stay on course by filling my mind with the promises found in God’s word. These promises include salvation, an eternal dwelling place with Him, and the ability to serve those around me in the power of the Holy Spirit. Many faithful Christ followers are doing the work of God through serving our neighbors or offering hope for a friend despite the difficulty because I know they are not alone. I find encouragement to stay the course through these believers, knowing that God – the God of Peace is with us.

Societal depression and anxiety continue to rise. The mental health crisis is only getting worse. Life demands more and more of us, and with it comes added stress. In March 2022, an HHS study found that from 2016 to 2020, the number of cases involving children diagnosed with mental illness rose significantly. Fortunately, with the help of professionals, many are finding sustainable treatment options. However, life is not supposed to be this way. Often, we need someone to come alongside us and encourage us through words or to be present.

The Hebrew culture reveals a starkly communal aspect of their daily life. Children, as in many societies worldwide, do not leave their parents’ homes until they are married. Days-long celebrations with friends and family accompany marriage. Community members watched out for one another and shared daily life. God weaved laws protecting the community’s well-being into the warp and woof of the Pentateuch. In today’s western culture, we value our individualism which comes at the price of increased isolationism and greater fear of the dangers that lurk around the corner.

Teleos – Finding Peace In New Creation​

The book of Revelation is a promise for the suffering church that God will put things right in the end. In the new creation, sin will lose its hold on our lives, and we will continue without its effects. In the meantime, Jesus has promised his Holy Spirit to come as the comforter and helper. Matthew’s gospel ends with a promise that as we go about the work of the Great Commission, He will be with us to the end of the age. Who better than Jesus can one have on this journey to offer peace to our anxious hearts and a friendship that no one else can secure? The church stands as a witness to his presence. May the God of peace be with you on your journey, my friend.

 

[RiverOL]

Confession Isn't Sufficient ​ [ 1 min read ★ ] ​

But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins . . . he shall surely live—Ezekiel 18:21 ​

Confession is necessary, but it is not sufficient. Sufficiency is achieved only when confession is connected with repentance. You see, confession is making our sins known—to God, to wives, to trusted brothers. Repentance, though . . . repentance involves a turning: turning away from those sins; turning our backs on our old selves, on the men who committed those sins. Repentance is saying, we don’t want to be those men anymore. Repentance is turning toward God. It’s a willingness to become new men, loyal followers. Confession is critical, but it’s only the first step. Repentance is the ultimate step. Ironically, confession requires great courage, but repentance just requires a soft, willing heart. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus taught that it’s not sin itself that imperils us, but rather a hard, stubborn heart, an unwillingness to turn, an unwillingness to repent. The younger son lived a life with ostensibly more sin. The older brother simply harboured resentment and jealousy. The younger repented of his sins, though; the older did not. The father welcomed the younger and celebrated his return: “for this your brother was dead, and is alive” (Luke 15:32). The father pleaded with the older to also join in celebration, to soften his heart. He would not. Without repentance, we continue in our sin. Without repentance, we continue on our own path . . . toward death. Said Jesus, “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). ​

Okay, so what do we do? That stuff that you need/needed to confess, brother . . . yeah, that. Repent of it now. Turn your back on that man, that man who committed those sins. Soften. Be willing to listen to God. Astonishingly, he’ll always let you start anew. “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19).​

 

[RiverOL]

Miraculous Change ​ [ 1 min read ★ ] ​

For the grace of God has appeared—Titus 2:11-12 ​

For us men to truly, in our hearts, want to repent of our sins, repent of our screw-ups—for us to truly want to turn our backs on our old selves, on the self-indulgent men we’ve been—we’ve got to first trust that we can change, that we can become new men, if we do. I mean, we’ve been the way we are for a very long time, so it’s understandably hard to trust that there’s new life available, right here, right now—life that’s God-connected, God-filled, and God-honoring. So . . . can we trust it? Well, yes and no. On our own, new life is not available, and it never will be. On our own, we’ll remain our old selves until we die. Though we might want to become better men, we’ll only become worse. That’s what’s behind Paul’s frustration: “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15). To just “man up” sure sounds good, but it doesn’t work. We’ve all tried it and it’s never enough, not even close. But with God’s help we can become new men. With his help we can become his men. And, he can’t wait to help. He’s wanted to for a very long time. He can’t wait to lend us his superpower called grace: the divine empowerment to do right, to do what we, by ourselves, cannot. ​

Okay, so what do we do? Jesus’ story is the greatest story the world’s ever known. It’s the story of a father and son, working together, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to do massive, miraculous things. It’s your story too. Trust that he can change you. Allow that trust to fuel your willingness to confess and repent and obey.​

 

[RiverOL]

Lord, Give Us A King to Lead Us​

Note: These are my thoughts and mine alone. This is also raw, as I’m sure it is for many reading this. I just had to write some words down on it.


“Make America Great Again” was a great slogan when Reagan used it and it’s been a great slogan for the years that the Trump campaign has used it as well. It taps into a primal desire of ours: the desire to be great.
The desire to dominate rather than be dominated.
An inspirational nostalgia that tells us, “We did this before. We can do it again!”
As a brand and rallying cry, it’s effective. We know that from the 71 million people who told us so with their votes.

But there is a significant problem with the slogan. And no, I’m not talking about the obvious problem: that it’s difficult to find a period of comprehensive greatness in American history, especially for the poor and the marginalized (who are the ones who truly matter). I’m talking about the fact that the criteria is wrong, at least for the Christian. Our goal is not ever to be great, but to be good. And while some have called the nation to goodness, the nation has never been good.
In terms of greatness, we’re still, and will continue to be, the biggest economy in the world. We’re the richest. But one of our problems is that we very easily conflate wealth and goodness. It is one of the indications that we do not believe Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:24: that we cannot serve two masters. God and Mammon continue to wage cosmic war over our souls.

But as human beings, we are insistent on making the same mistakes over and over again. And what many have done is repeat the most significant ethical and theological failure of the people of God in the Old Testament besides our Edenic eviction. We find that failure in 1 Samuel 8.
Following the period of the Judges, a period where everyone did what was right in their own eyes, the people of God were desperate. Judges is a brutal book filled with physical and sexual violence and you can understand why the people cried out for deliverance.

The problem, however, was that they stopped crying out to God and looking to Him and the guidance that He offered in the Law. Instead they looked around at the nations around them. They chose to sacrifice their intimacy with God, their calling to be an alternative among the nations and many of their freedoms on the altar of monarchy.
Samuel warned them in 1 Samuel 8:11-17. And we have heard similar things.

Your king will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and ot make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and your vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. (1 Samuel 8:11–17)

The people were warned that their king would basically create a military-industrial complex, that he would economically exploit them, that he would take their best and give it to those who were loyal to him, and that he would ultimately seek, not their best, but his own best and those who align with him. He will live by the logic of violence, using it to secure and defend land. Samuel (and the Lord) warned the people of God that the logic of the kingdoms of the world is the logic of selfish domination. And yet, the people cried out again, “Give us a king! Give us a king!” Many in our churches have uttered that same cry and now they have found a politician fully willing to embrace that title and all that comes with it.

How should we interpret these times? Some think that 1 Samuel 8 was the acquiescence of God: basically, a beleaguered God saying, “Fine, if this is what y’all want, here you go.” As though God was just wearily giving in to a persistent people. Hosea frames it differently in Hosea 13:10-11: “Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities? Where are all your rulers- those of whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”? I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath.”
In the Old Testament, the provision of a king was an act of judgment on the people of God. None of the kings were good. None of them.

What about David? Don’t gloss over the rape and the murder.
What about Solomon? Don’t gloss over the idolatry and the exploitation of women.
The results of such a system were the oppression of the poor, both from within and from without, idolatry, war, and ultimately exile. I don’t want any of those things!
My indictment is not of the nation as a whole. I have no jurisdiction there. But for the people of God, particularly those who claim to be a people ruled by God, to desire a king, a strongman who will fight their battles, is for the people of God to sacrifice the most precious thing that God has given us: Himself.

Now I don’t want to seem alarmist and hopeless. I’m neither of those things. But I do want us to be honest about the rhetoric that soon-to-be-president-again Trump has used and continues to use, as well as the rhetoric of the folks he has surrounded himself with. The poor, oppressed and marginalized will likely continue to be trampled. I don’t want it to be the case, but it likely will be. The obscenely wealthy will get more obscenely wealthy. I don’t want it to be the case, but it likely will be. Either candidate winning would have still exposed us to the demonic reign of an exploitative political economy, which neoliberal, racialized and financialized capitalism is. But those wounds will likely be rent open much more quickly now. So this leaves us with one option in the midst of it.

It is the option that the seven Asian churches in the book of Revelation were offered: a vision of Jesus and a call to bear witness. The Church of God aligns itself with the one who is clothed in a long robe with a golden sash around his chest, whose hair is white like wool and snow, whose eyes are like blazing fire, and whose feet are like bronze glowing in a furnace, and whose voice is like rushing water.

The Church of God aligns itself with the one like a son of man, who holds us in His hand and who walks among us.
The Church of God aligns itself with the Lamb, who pursued and enacted justice through suffering, solidarity, and death, and against the Beast, who knows nothing but force and violence.
Where some will utter, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?” as they have uttered about many empires in human history, whether Babylonian, Greek, Roman, British, Portuguese, or American, we will cry, “Who is like the Lord?”

The call for the people of God is endurance and faithfulness. It is the call to be relentless in standing alongside those who are trampled, imprisoned, starved and killed by the state. It is the call to bear witness to a Gospel that promises personal, communal and cosmic redemption. It is to resist the domination and exploitation of the empire, to resist the violence of the empire and to resist the vitriolic, propagandistic lies of the empire. The people of God hate (at least) three things, for they are three things that the Lord hates: the trampling of the poor, the killing of the weak, and lies about one another and about the Lord. We can build communities that resist those particular things by the power of the Holy Spirit. Such work has always been necessary. Maybe this will remind people of that fact.

Some are tired and weary right now. Some are approaching despair. Some are overjoyed. All of that is an indication that our communal identities have been bound up in a nation and series of institutions that has never been and will never be comprehensively good. We should (and will!) advocate for it to be better, but we ought never place our hope in it. Empires rise and fall. It’s what they do. The gates of hell can prevail against any human institution.
But they cannot prevail against those who are united to Christ and who walk by the Spirit of God.

So to those who did not get what they wanted on Election Day, do not lose hope. Christ is on the throne and is coming quickly and He is operating now with a people, a people who insist on being witnesses to the way of the Lamb. And to those who did get what they wanted on Election Day, do not rejoice too much. Be ready to struggle when the antichrist, Hydra-like tendencies of domination, exploitation, murder, and lies rear their heads and aim at your communities.

Who you vote for for president is a small piece of your political witness, but some of y’all voted for a convicted felon who has publicly spouted vile racist claims, called for revenge on his political enemies, and has surrounded himself with folks who have little interest in building a multiracial democracy. Each of those things is just demonstrably true and our consciences must not be so seared that we believe that we will just be able to sit and let that run its course.

So I’ll end with this: love your neighbors, love your brothers and sisters, and love your enemies. Invest in the material wellbeing of your neighbors, your brothers and sisters, and your enemies, especially those who are in need. That means if you claim to be a Christian and you have neighbors and brothers and sisters who you are afraid of because they are either Marxist or fascist, figure out how to love them. Because if we as disciples are not known by our love, we ought not be known at all. Let’s seek to make America good.
Lord, give us a King to rule us. Oh wait. You already have.

 

[RiverOL]

No Lone Ranger Christians​

We often think of the Apostle Paul as the Lone Ranger, gallivanting solo about the empire, leading everyone to Christ, never afraid, never struggling, often alone, but never lonely.
Scripture corrects this impression as Paul recounts for the Corinthians one of his recent stresses:

Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-bye to them and went on to Macedonia. (2 Corinthians 2:12-13)

Did you catch that? This is Paul—the courageous apostle. He says God opened a door of ministry for him. So what did he do? He went through the door, right? No. He moved on! Paul actually turned his back on a God-given opportunity to minister. Why? Because, he says, “I did not find my brother Titus there.”
Paul needed the encouraging presence of a friend. He felt he could go no further without a comrade—someone to listen to him. The principle is clear; when we are isolated from God’s family, it’s hard to accomplish the tasks of life.

Paul David Tripp writes this in his book New Morning Mercies:

One of the themes that courses through the New Testament…is that your walk with God is designed by God to be a community project. Anonymous, consumerist, isolated, independent, self-sufficient, “Jesus and me” Christianity is a distant and distorted facsimile of the faith of the New Testament. You and I simply were not created (“It is not good that the man should be alone”; Gen. 2:18) or re-created in Jesus Christ (“For the body does not consist of one member but of many”; 1 Cor. 12:14) to live all by ourselves. The biblical word pictures of temple (stones joined together to be a place where God dwells) and body (each member dependent on the function of the other) decimate any idea that healthy Christianity can live outside of essential community.

…the Bible is clear. When each part is working properly, the body of Christ grows to maturity in Christ (see Ephesians 4). We each need to live in intentionally intrusive, Christ-centered, grace-driven redemptive community. This community is meant to enlighten and protect. It is meant to motivate and encourage. It is meant to rescue and restore. It is meant to instill hope and courage. It is meant to confront and rebuke. It is meant to guide and protect. It is meant to give vision and sound warning. It is meant to incarnate the love and grace of Jesus when you feel discouraged and alone. It is meant to be a visible representation of the grace of Jesus that is your hope. It is not a luxury. It is a spiritual necessity.

 

[RiverOL]

Attributes of God: Righteousness​

Cremer, The Christian Doctrine of the Attributes of God: 2. The Righteousness of God, pp. 29-43


This is an invitation to comment for those who have read this portion of the book. Others may ask. In about one week I will comment on the second half of this portion—pp. 43-47. I am going slowly now so you can re-read as needed. I usually re-read before commenting. This section is about The Righteousness of God.

As before, with the holiness of God, Cremer rejects much of traditional Christian thought about God’s righteousness and ours. He believes and says that too much of it has focused on righteousness as the highest virtue, something he thinks derives more from Greek thought than biblical religion. He also rejects the idea that righteousness is God’s punitive justice, also something he believes derives more from Greek thought than biblical thought.

Cremer points out what he regards as the awful result of these misunderstandings of God’s righteousness: “Christianity came to be seen almost entirely as a new law.” (34) In this I find some vindication as in The Story of Christian Theology I said as much about a defection from the full gospel that began to happen in the early church after the apostles.

Cremer repeats his basic axiom about the attributes of God known only though revelation: “Righteousness, like holiness, is an attribute of God, of which one can have no idea apart from revealed religion.” (31) “For it is in showing grace that God is experienced as judge and as righteous.” (31)
Cremer insists that God’s righteousness and God’s grace and forgiveness not be separated or place in any tension. God’s righteousness is manifested precisely in his forgiving grace for the elect. And election is not based on any moral achievement; it is sheer gift.

Cremer’s biographer reports that he was an advocate of social reform. On pages 38-39 he delves into the OT prophets and preaches that their idea of God’s righteousness was his defense and deliverance of the afflicted and oppressed. On page 40 he asks “How can a sinner be righteous?”
Then things get complicated. So, here, I will summarize what I understand Cremer’s answer to be.

First, a person or group is righteous when he is/she is/they “who by their conduct rebuke the injustice of others, and so provoke violence against themselves.” (40-41) Also, “He is righteous who has received justice.” (41) How does one receive justice? Only from God through election. “In its election, and not in its conduct, Israel has an indisputably righteous cause, against which no one can rise up, for who wants to dispute with YHWH?” (42) Righteousness is “not moral faultlessness but holding fast to God.” (42-43)

The “upshot” seems to be that God’s righteousness resides precisely in his electing and forgiving grace and all that it entails.
Does Cremer’s emphasis on election mean that people are not responsible for their own salvation? He says not: “We are responsible for the state of our own salvation.” (30) Election, then, does not mean automatic salvation; it means God’s choice to save. Who, then, is elect? So far, Cremer does not answer that, except “Israel.” But it is fair to say that he does not mean that every Israelite is saved simply by election of the people and nothing else.

Brunner had the answer to this. To be elect is to believe in the God of election, to trust in him. Barth argued that all people are elect, but he acknowledged that the status of “elect” can be rejected if not lost.
The achievement of this part of a chapter is that Cremer separates “righteousness” from “moral perfection” even in God (although he does not deny God’s moral perfection). God is righteous in his election, judgment, grace, and salvation, apart from the moral law. This is what God can do and in doing it he reveals his unique righteousness to all.

 

[RiverOL]

Don’t miss this moment​

I was in the stands along with other long-suffering parents. We were all there for a T-Ball game with kids just a little young for Little League. It’s a chance for them to get out, run around, and get dirty. But for the parents, you know the drill. It’s kind of like baseball with four bases and nine players on a team. But that’s where the similarity ends. The ball is a whiffle, and it’s stroked off a Tee. No one ever gets out. The first team to 15 … or is it 30, wins? These games seem like they never end.




But in the meantime, the kids are having a blast, and that’s what’s most important—or so we say to each other.
The parents bond over their time, their shared suffering. At the end of the game everyone smiles, the kids get popsicles and compare grass burns.
But there was one game, and I missed the moment. My son was at bat, and I was talking to a friend about a real baseball game, work, or the weather. I don’t remember, but I wasn’t interested in this “sport”. My son’s at-bat and subsequent mad dash to first base caused much cheering from his teammates. But all that mattered was what I thought. He glanced up in the stands to catch my face, my cheering. And I had missed the whole achievement because I wasn’t paying attention.

Minutes with meaning​

Life is a total time continuum. The 70 years or so that I’ll live to make up the sum of my days. But what marks life as important are just a few moments in time: a first kiss, the first glance at an ocean overlook, a high school diploma, a baby’s first breath, and a daughter at the end of the aisle. We can all remember those singular seconds that changed our lives and directed our future.

There are other moments, singular minutes, that should have meant something, but they passed me by because I was busy, distracted, or disinterested. By missing the moment, I missed the opportunity.

And God moves in my life – giving me refreshment, or wisdom, or encouragement. But I often miss the moment of His interaction because I am too concerned over my bruised and bloody past, or too worried about my uncertain future. I miss the present blessing by missing the moment.
When Jesus wept over Jerusalem,he was sad because they missed the opportunity to turn and embrace their King, the moment of his appearance. Their Saviour visited them, but they did not know it. He was weeping over the tragedy of a lost opportunity.
Does He weep over me, because I’ve missed the moments of His blessing? Is He sad because I won’t let go and let Him bless me?
Am I missing the moment?

 

[RiverOL]

A Journey of Gratitude: Tri Robinson’s Call to Slow Down​

In a world filled with noise, constant distraction, upward mobility, bad stewardship, and the relentless pursuit of more, it can be hard to hear the still, small whispers calling us to live with intention and simplicity. Recently, I read Tri Robinson’s A Journey of Gratitude which offers a refreshing antidote to this chaotic lifestyle. Robinson and A Journey of Gratitude are one of those small whispers calling us to live with intention and simplicity. In this memoir, Tri Robinson walks readers through the four seasons of his life, telling the story of a life lived with the wisdom gained through decades of intentional living, sustainable stewardship, and a deep connection to the land, Tri’s reflections challenge us to slow down, embrace the quiet, and find purpose in the small moments that make up a life well-lived. After a divisive and polarization election season, maybe this book as an important reminder in it for us. This Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos has often reflected on my journey to live a quiet life, minding my own business (1 Thessalonians 4:11). This book is fuel for the journey.

Seasons of Life: A Journey Toward Simplicity and Legacy

In this autobiographical memoir, A Journey of Gratitude, Tri Robinson traverses what he calls the four seasons of his adult life. Robinson shares that just as the natural world experiences distinct seasonal cycles, “these cycles can also be seen in human experience.” For those familiar with Robinson’s stories and legacy as a man deeply connected to the land, his reflections on the seasons of his life, intertwined with the rhythms of the natural world, feel perfectly fitting. Robinson self-published A Journey of Gratitude in 2024, and this engaging read uniquely stands out as among his previously authored works. In the past, Tri has authored books such as Revolutionary Leadership, Jesus in the Mirror, Rooted in Good Soil, Saving God’s Green Earth, and my previous favorite – Small Footprint, Big Handprint.

In this autobiographical work, Robinson has deepened his understanding of self but also has evolved as an author, offering a new level of transparency and authenticity. Robinson’s skillful storytelling captivates readers with adventures of a bygone era, written with the thematics of the Wild West, but it also reveals how the small moments in our lives often serve as signs and preparations for the greater adventure God has woven into our journeys.

The book begins in 1966 as Tri prepares for his college journey and follows his life into retirement. The Spring season of his life is a season of breaking out and exploring the world for himself. It is a time to grow in “distinctive personality, character, and individuality” This season of his life reflects on his transition to college and the many adventures that followed. Chapters 1 through 12 cover these formative years of his adulthood, filled with exploration, meeting his wife, and discovering his desire to live in harmony with the land. This season was marked by hiking trails, flying his Piper Cub over the countryside, training to become a teacher, and preparing for the life God was calling him to. Early on, Tri aptly notes, “Through the years, I’ve learned adventure always has a cost.”

In the summer season of his life, covered in Chapters 13 through 22, Tri enters a period of personal cultivation and growth. He begins to mature, describing this as a “season of hard work that can be painful but necessary for human development.” Through stories of “weed pulling and the anticipation of faithfulness,” Tri steps into the person God created him to be as he starts a family and deepens his connection to the earth and its Creator. Reflecting on his experiences with a community inspired by the Jesus Movement, he shares, “God did a supernatural work in me, tenderizing my heart.”

Witnessing the change in his wife and feeling the intrigue of the Jesus Movement’s influence as it spread from Oxnard Beach into the small rural community of Three Points, Tri found himself drawn to the simplicity of a church plant where he could even arrive on horseback. For a man rooted in the land, disconnected from the excesses of technology and complexity, this felt right. However, his faith journey deepened in a unique way when he ventured into the woods, wrestling with his thoughts about God’s reality.

In a profound and otherwordly encounter with a deer, Tri experienced God revealing the presence of God to him, and was inspired to “pant for God in the way a deer pants for water.” At that moment, Tri realized God had “revealed himself to me in a way I could understand.” Tri finds himself on some adventures of a new kind – starting with the forming of the passionate Jesus community of the Desert Vineyard Church, a trip to China with the bible smuggling work of Open Doors, and Brother Andrew.

This catalytic experience with the Jesus People and the Vineyard ushered Tri into his third, Autumn season of life. J. Robert Clinton might call this phase “convergence,” and for Tri, it certainly was. It was a time of learning how his story, skills, and gifts all fit together. Autumn symbolizes a season of seeing how God bears fruit in your life, creating a lasting legacy. Tri explores this chapter of his life throughout chapters 23 to 33, a season of completion and harvest. In many ways, Tri emerges as a new person. Alongside his adventures on the ranch and in the mountains, he embarks on trips to the Thai-Burmese border—adventures of a different nature—and faces some goodbyes, including one to his friend Pat and to teaching. He accepts a calling to serve Jesus, His Church, and His cause with the Desert Vineyard.

Tri learns about spiritual battles, especially through his experiences in Burma and Thailand with Shwe Ya Hai. He would go on to say yes to Jesus in such a way that broadened his worldview and led him to ministry and service in Asia, Zambia, Tanna Island, the Xingu River, Paraguay, Chile, Ecuador, and Nicaragua. This season, though rewarding, was also taxing—full of ups and downs, growth in understanding the Kingdom of God, and an increasing sense of responsibility as the church grew. As often happens in life, in a season of transition, something from the past reappears. Tri’s old friend Pat called him to help rebuild a backcountry airstrip in the Middle Fork of the Salmon River for the summer.

Though the church was thriving, Tri began to sense that he was ready for another challenge and adventure. While becoming aware that he was finishing the work he was ordained to do in that season, he embarked on the trip with Pat, where the call of the wild rejuvenated him, and a small yellow balloon tangled in the brush became an otherworldly, divine invitation. This moment called him to pull up roots and leave the ranch, where he had spent twenty years, taught for twelve, and honed his skills at the Desert Vineyard. God had given him a dream to move to Idaho, a new adventure that came with obstacles, setbacks, and tough moments, but through it all, it was clear that God was still with them. In this season, Tri and his family would go on to plant what would become Vineyard Boise Church in 1989. It was in this season that Tri also began to call for the church to live with a small footprint and to steward the earth well. His work would land him into the Windsor Castle, before presidential leaders, and across the United States (and a movie called Cowboy & Preacher).

The Call to Live with Intention in a Chaotic World​

Entering the Winter Season, Tri entered a period of afterglow—a season of completion and reflection. Quoting Billy Graham, he noted, “The gift of old age is remembrance.” Tri describes this season as winter, a time of longing for “warmth, security, and comfort” after years of growth, hard work, and fruitfulness. More than that, it became a season of “prayerfully reflecting with gratitude and giving thanks to God for the miraculous opportunity to experience the richness of every season.” Chapters 34-41 explore this era of his life. For 23 years, Tri and his wife faithfully served as Lead Pastors, challenging their church to love the world in radical, tangible ways and to be authentic disciples of Jesus, not just in words, but in actions.

In this season, they hear a new call—one that beckons them to return to a simpler life. As their parents pass on to eternity and they reflect on the work they’ve completed, the Robinsons (a fitting name for the season ahead—think Swiss Family Robinson) decide they are called to make a home once again, with a more intentional connection to the land. Through a God-ordained series of events, they begin to launch the Timber Butte Homestead, a place rich in beauty and history, which also holds a deep connection to their own story.

Through the Timber Butte Homestead, God brings new adventures their way, including a wine-producing vineyard, an unexpected opportunity on the Camino de Santiago trail, new friends, and the chance to enjoy God’s presence on their grassy Idaho grounds. This is the afterglow of a life well-lived—a sustainable, organic farm where the family comes together, learning the truth of Mother Teresa’s words: “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”

Lessons from Tri Robinson: Embracing Contentment and Stewardship​

I read A Journey of Gratitude for several reasons. As someone who was also shaped by the Vineyard Movement, I’ve often found myself connected to and intrigued by its early stories. This is full of those moments. Even more so, I read this because of Tri’s love for God’s creation. Through my first pastoral mentor, Jerry Shannon, I was introduced to Tri Robinson and his books as a resource because he was someone who viewed environmental stewardship as both a theological and spiritual responsibility, much like I do (and perhaps Tri embodies this even more!). However, there was even a greater reason to read this book. When I saw Tri share his book on Facebook, a deeper reason stirred within me, compelling me to read it.

A few years ago, I felt that God gave me 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 as a life verse—at least as a focus for this season I am in—and I’ve been wrestling with what this means for me and our family ever since. I’ve had seasons where I’ve learned well, and seasons where I’ve completely derailed. There is so much chaotic noise in the world that it can be hard to hear the still, small whispers about living a life that’s “on guard against all kinds of greed, and not in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15).

I’ve come to realize that we are never truly satisfied with income (Ecclesiastes 5:10), and even more so, that “the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). Along the way, it often feels like we lose part of who we are. As Parker Palmer once inspired me to think, we spend so much of our lives trying to become something, only to spend the rest of our lives unlearning what we’ve become to rediscover who God created us to be in the first place. This is why I read A Journey of Gratitude, to reconnect the things that have been choked out by the images we collect along the way.

A Life Well-Lived: Finding Purpose in the Small Moments​

In A Journey of Gratitude, Tri Robinson reflects on his life, recounting the various seasons he refers to as the four stages of his adult life—a profound journey toward simplicity and legacy that defines an extraordinary lifetime. There are more stories, kairos moments, and invitational calls for simplicity in this book than ten book reviews could fully capture. This autobiographical tale takes readers through four seasons of a life well-lived and inspires them to embrace a similar path in a contagious way.

Writing from the isolation of the Idaho mountains, Tri and his family have truly “learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11). In their connection to a minimalist way of life, they remind us that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Their story encourages readers to “not conform to the pattern of this world” but to live differently—for the sake of the Kingdom, for the earth, and ourselves (Romans 12:2). Readers will enjoy A Journey of Gratitude because it offers a rare and refreshing perspective on living a life of purpose and authenticity. Tri Robinson’s story is not just about personal achievement but about embracing a lifestyle that prioritizes simplicity, contentment, and a deep connection to both the earth and God.

Tri’s reflections provide valuable insights for anyone seeking to step away from the noise of modern life and live with intention but also have a way of calling us to reflect on our own lives. Whether you are searching for inspiration to find peace, to live simply in the midst of chaos, or looking for practical examples of how to lead a life of meaningful legacy, this book offers inspiration, wisdom, example, and encouragement. Through his journey, Tri invites readers to reevaluate what truly matters—living with gratitude, purpose, and a heart focused on legacy.

 

[RiverOL]

Simple Questions About Christian Faith Needing Answers​

We learn to cherish and challenge our questions about Christian faith at different times. Not everything in the Bible makes perfect sense to the average Bible reader and churchgoer, but it does create a fascinating study. Some of those probing questions can create tense moments around the dinner table or inside the local church.


For instance, how do you feel when asked the eternally cringe-worthy question, “If God is so loving, why do bad things happen to good people?” There’s also, “If faith in Christ is supposed to be pure, why do so many people die because of it?” Anyone can roll out a scroll of troublesome bullet points that create scratch-head moments to make you bald about what we discover in Christianity.

We have all experienced them, but if someone asks for an explanation, we go to Jesus with an open mouth, and nothing comes out. We know what happened. We can share how it happened. But why may never get answered this side of glory. Sure, we all go to church hoping a pastor or traveling preacher could bring the trivia. Yet, in reality, those puzzling moments of “Can I lose my salvation?” or “Am I always saved if Jesus really does love me?” can be perilous if we do get those answers.
Let’s cut the tension and take a casual detour from those ultra-serious conversations. Why? That’s something we can answer. Other questions about Christian faith would crack up any pastor or stuffy church elder any day. What are they? I’m glad you asked.

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1. Why did Moses write in the third person?​

A statue of Moses with the Ten Commandments
Show of hands for anyone puzzled by this one. Imagine being someone who only tells people about your actions with no pronouns. Read the Pentateuch. Moses is the author of those first five books, so why do we read about “Moses” by name so many times? His name appears anywhere from 767 to 852 times in the Old Testament alone, depending on the Bible version that you’re reading. Only arrogant tools who play squash at “the club” refer to themselves by name.

Moses was not that guy.
To be fair, theologians debate whether Moses wrote those books, but they agree that he was definitely the source of information as God spoke to him. That’s why references to “Moses” should be inferred as the literal Word of God because that’s how it was shared with either him or another scribe. While that makes sense, tell me Aaron or Miriam was not in the back of the tent shouting grammar lessons that Moses ignored. It’s cringy for Moses to talk about “Moses,” isn’t it?!

2. If Noah’s Ark landed in the Middle East, how did koalas and sloths end up in Australia?​

archaeologists and theologians as the location of Noah’s Ark. (Image Credit: @Alex9330 via Shutterstock)
Think about it. When the 150-day flood finally ended, the Ark rested on Mount Ararat (Genesis 8:1-4). The Bible also tells us the mighty ship found its new home on July 17 (approximately 2350 BCE). Every animal, mammal, or fish found its geographic home from there. Many forms of life are germane to only certain areas.

There is a Garter Snake that can only be found in San Francisco. The Pinta Island Tortoise is one of the most beloved animals of the Galapagos Islands, thanks to Charles Darwin. A unique bird, the Kirtland’s Warbler, needs dense jack pine areas, so they are only found in the upper peninsula of Michigan, near the southern tip of Ontario. Maybe these flew, swam, or hitched a ride to get to their “native lands,” but how in the world did the Three-Toed Sloth or the “Whatevs” Koala Bear make it to the Aussie Outback?!
If there was an Uber looking to pick up the Koala and Sloth in Turkiye and waiting to take them to Australia, the driver would be at least 80 generations deep by now—and still waiting for the ride to make it to the car. That’s a mystery never to be solved.

3. Nearly 18,000 gods have been worshipped throughout history, so how do we know we’re right?​

It’s a chucklesome question about the Christian faith, but it demands an answer. Consider every civilization, from the world’s first, the Sumer, to the thousands globally today. The Norse, Greeks, and Romans alone worshiped dozens of gods. Egyptian mythology was populated by around 2,000 gods, and we may still be counting them in Hinduism. The Maori and tribal religions across Africa, and even today’s Wiccan, celebrate the lives of many gods and goddesses. Almost 18,000 entities have been deified, and Christians only have one.

How can many millions and millions of people be wrong, and Christians and Jewish people are the only cultures and religions to get it right? Some religions, primarily Buddhism, determined that gods are not external, so they are non-theistic. And then we have all the mere mortals who have been suggested they are deities, let alone canonized by the Catholic Church. If someone ever challenges you with this question, it may not feel funny, but that is our faith–Solus Christus or “In Christ Alone!” Amen.

4. There is no partiality with God, so why did Noah get one pair of animals and seven pairs of others?​

Anyone in the South hates mosquitos. They have no use except to bite humans and make us itch. Why couldn’t Noah take off without picking up those pesky insects? From spiders to snakes, bats or cats, skunks, or those creepy, demon-possessed at-night raccoons, there is a loathed creation of God buried in the hearts of every person. “Two by two,” that’s how we’re taught Noah rushed all species into the Ark. Even the bad ones.

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of animals that are not clean, a male and his mate, and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. For in seven days, I will send raid on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot from the face of the ground. And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
Genesis 7: 1-5 ESV

The Ark wasn’t populated by long-term couples with no friends or kids. God called for more animals than others. Noah brought seven pairs of “clean animals” and only two of the “unclean animals” for sustenance and sacrifice. In the words of Mufasa, it’s the “circle of life.” Regretfully, that circle wasn’t a tire that ran over a few million snakes, spiders, and cicadas, but there’s that.

5. If God knows our thoughts, why must we pray aloud?​

It’s okay. You can do it.
Isn’t it funny when we are alone and pray in a whisper, or even silently in our mind? Why? Is Satan going to hear what we say, know our plans, and then set up some traps? Don’t laugh. Countless Christians feel that way. Life can be difficult to navigate, and we search for all the shortcuts we can get when we’re desperate for God to move in our lives.

Your parents may have encouraged you to pray aloud if you were raised in a praying household. “Pray out loud. God can’t hear you.” Thanks, Mom, but that’s not quite how it works. It’s like an unwritten rule, like in Baseball or Golf, only not as rewarding. An explanation against giving God the silent treatment is found in Romans:

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Romans 10:17 NKJV

We should always be in a posture to hear from God and exercise our Christian faith. That’s the fuel we need for righteous living. Praying aloud should strengthen you, not be code in World War II deceiving the Germans. Try it and watch how faith will come by “hearing” what you pray, namely when it’s the “Word of God.”

6. Why do atheists use God’s Name in vain?​

Good thing we have a censor button. (Image Credit: @cottonbro studios via Pexels)
Why are God’s and Jesus’ names curse words anyway?! You don’t hear people of any age scream, “Aw, Buddha…or…Muhammad Damnit!” It doesn’t happen, but one errant toe stub and people are calling on the names of the Lord with passion. Despite someone’s faith or serious lack thereof, “GD” and “JC” are usually in high rotation for a sudden impulse to cuss. It’s not that these people care about Exodus 20:7, but why go there? Maybe because it takes too much time to smack your finger in the door and say, “Oh, I-am-not-convinced-of-your-existence, Damnit!”

The answer may be as real as Jesus’ Name. Any other name of a god, deity, or leader of a religion, ever, isn’t used in a profane manner. Not Zeus, Joseph Smith, the Great Spirit, Vishnu, or Allah–none are used to swear. Maybe it’s because they are all fictional or expired gods. Only Jesus is real and alive. Only His Father is real. And that is the only avenue people take to swear when they “really” mean it.

7. Why are saved women still punished for what Adam and Eve did wrong?​

Yeah, take the cute pictures while you can. (Image Credit: Renan Rezende via Pexels)
The gift of pregnancy feels wonderful only after the gestation period is complete. Delivering the baby is something only women are strong enough to do. If men had to do it, we’d call in sick and possibly move to an inhabited island. But why do women have to suffer? Genesis 3:16-20 says the pain in childbirth is because of Eve. In fact, Eve had pain delivering Cain, Abel, and Seth. The pain women have experienced since is “multiplied,” so childbirth pangs did exist. How could it not?

Many other things were cursed, banned, or outlawed in the Old Testament, which is fine to enjoy today. See shellfish (Leviticus 11:10), ripped jeans (Leviticus 11:13-20), tattoos (Leviticus 19:28), no wine in church (Leviticus 12:4-5), not standing when you talk to your grandparents (Leviticus 19:33-34), or even real estate (Leviticus 25:23). We can do all those without conviction, so why is pain in childbirth still a thing? That was a curse under the law, like all those others. Any answers?
I’m positive the 213 million women who are pregnant each year would be interested if any scholars would like to take a crack at this riddle.

8. Why are Father God and Mother Nature always confusing us?​

You need more than Christian faith to pick up this cutie. Try BBQ wool gloves. (Image Credit: Tennessee Aquarium via Wikimedia Commons)
Although we don’t live in the Garden of Eden, and life isn’t nestled in a perfect setting, why would natural things on Earth–made from God, most would think–be unhealthy or even deadly for us?

Like, there you are, frolicking on a hike during a vacation in Brazil, and you see this cute little golden or iridescent blue frog. You pick up the sweet frog for a selfie, and within a day, you’re dead. That was a poison dart frog whose skin is smothered in a “batrachotoxin,” which leads to quick heart failure. One of them can kill 10 to 20 humans. Sweet.
Maybe you live in the British Isles or along the Northwest Coast and are craving an organic meal. You walk to a park and see a squirrel or a rabbit nibbling on some large mushrooms. Cool. You take them home to make a wholesome mushroom risotto, and within minutes, you start convulsing and die. You picked up the “death cap mushroom” and those cute critters are immune to its deadly fungus that comes from tree roots. You were fooled and now, you’re in the ER because you were hungry.
And, on behalf of all treehuggers, when was the last time you hugged a cactus without excruciating pain? Even worse, hug the Peyote, Fishook Barrel, San Pedro, Barrel, or Cholla cacti, and their poisonous pricklers will have you dead in about a week. So confusing.

9. Since God didn’t want Adam to be alone, why didn’t Jesus get married?​

Like the Cristo Rei statue in Lisbon, Portugal suggests, Jesus stands alone. (Image Credit: Motoki Tonn via Unsplash)
It makes sense. God wanted man to have fellowship and someone to help him meet his needs. Yet, despite what some sects and Gnostics believe, Jesus didn’t need or have a girlfriend or a wife. He was fully God and fully man, but if He took a wife, wouldn’t that show favoritism to someone over another? He only had 33 years on Earth, so that would cut a good marriage short anyway. Imagine Jesus making someone a widow. Awful. Jesus could not become “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24) with anyone because the flesh is enmity against God, and His Son knew no sin.

He also didn’t have children because then a single person would have been the heir to Jesus’ work on the Cross instead of all humanity. A wife or a child would not have benefitted Jesus, much like they do for most people today. Not to mention, Jesus’ wife might have gotten frustrated because He was always out late with His friends–only guys. Think about arguments with Jesus Christ. The conversation is escalating, tempers are flaring, and then she says, “Well, you just think you’re perfect, don’t you?”
“Well, honey, now that you mention it…”

10. If failure isn’t good, did God plan on doing it multiple times?​

Typically, this is a sign we see on a regular basis. (Image Credit: Kind and Curious via Unsplash)
God, in all wisdom, power, and love, is perfect in action and thought. Yet, many people who aren’t Christian or just making it to the starting line of their journey with Jesus see things differently in the Bible.

• Adam & Eve failed, although the perfect Garden of Eden was their home sweet home
• Noah had to build a big boat for the Great Flood that sort of “etch-a-sketched” humanity
• Everyone wanted to speak the same, so they built the Tower of Babel, but that had to come down
• Sodom and Gomorrah fell because not one person could be won by the Spirit of the Lord, and no one had the chance to repent

This is difficult because empathy should take over for someone who doesn’t know the difference. The argument makes sense, even though God can’t fail. It’s sovereignty over choice, people losing over grace and mercy winning, or even God appoints a leader, like King David, who falls flat on his face. People have choices, and God has plans. His perfect love knows when we fail like David, break down in panic like Elijah, hate Christians and have to recoup their trust like Paul, or have a best friend and lie about him behind his back, like Peter.
God doesn’t plan on failing–He allows us to do so. We learn from mistakes and for our benefit. Life can happen, and it hurts. But God doesn’t fail. That’s why we have faith.