The Book of Revelation Explained Simply
Do you ever like to experience the thrill of a good scare? For some of us growing up, that was what the book of Revelation was for. Perhaps as a kid, there were times you would be glancing through a Bible, and then—after checking to see if anyone was watching—you’d quickly flip to the end […]
Good News for the City
We know that gospel means good news, but what does that mean? The gospel has too often been reduced, personalized, and spiritualized so that it’s merely about acknowledging sin, accepting Christ, and securing a spot in heaven. This is tidy; but it’s not easily found in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Paul focuses in on a different […]
Where Is God in the Fire? Reflections on the California Wildfires
January 27, 2025 Long Beach, CA “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. […]
Jesus and the Buddha: What Was Their Diagnosis of Humanity’s Problem?
According to Jesus and the Buddha, what is fundamentally wrong with humanity? As we will see, Siddhartha Gautama’s diagnosis of humanity undercuts the human problem by changing our perspective about what a human is. He does this by having the adherent realize that she isn’t an enduring self. Once an adherent is cured of her […]
What Does the Bible Say About Heaven?
Christians long for our eternal home in heaven. When we look at the scene of the final judgment in Revelation, we notice that the most important consideration that will determine our eternal destiny is whether our names are written in the lamb’s “book of life.” This is a record of all true Christians, those whose […]
Renew Review: ‘What Comes Next’ by Max Lucado
In What Happens Next: A Traveler’s Guide Through the End of the Age, popular writer Max Lucado walks through what he calls “heaven’s timeline” in order to bring the reader hope in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. New Testament theologian John Whittaker offers an overview of Lucado’s book, including its strengths and weaknesses.
What Does the Bible Say About Hell?
We live in a time when few people have difficulty believing in a God of love. Some central texts in Scripture emphasize this point. Here are a couple key passages emphasizing God’s love, one from the Old Testament and the other from the New Testament: “[God] passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the […]
Review of Max Lucado’s ‘What Happens Next: A Traveler’s Guide Through the End of This Age’
In What Happens Next, well-known inspirational writer Max Lucado takes his turn offering his understanding of the end times. His motivation is to provide hope for believers today because “hope is an endangered species” (p. 3), and his encouragement is to fill the reader’s mind with the Bible’s teaching about our ultimate destination. Therefore, we […]
