Dr Paul Allen

I n the spring of 1992, after the former Soviet Union had been dissolved, then-Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lukin asked American Robert Gates, “So when are we going to get together and make some new rules for spying on each other?” What is true of the CIA and other intelligence groups is openly admitted (the lack of trust), but what is not as openly admitted is that these problems also exist in people’s personal lives. The sad reality of living in a sinful world is that most people are usually untrustworthy and unfaithful. It is difficult to find someone faithful, one who tells the truth and is trustworthy. While that is the unfortunate reality of the world, the church is called to be different. The world is characterized by unfaithfulness and deception. However, God’s people are called to faithfulness without compromise. To help us understand what it means to be faithful and what this work of the Spirit looks like in our lives, there are three questions to help us gain a deeper underst...

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (Eph. 6:10–11) You know, O Lord, what is most profitable and expedient for me. Therefore, do with me in all things as it seems best to you, for, despite the way things might seem to me, what is best for me is that you do whatever is most just and blessed according to your godly wisdom.   Thus, whether it be by prosperity or adversity, loss or gain, sickness or health, life or death, your will be done. Cast out of my heart all unprofitable cares of worldly things. Suffer me not to be led with the unstable desires of earthly vanities. Instead, give me grace that all worldly and carnal affections may be mortified and may die in me. Grant unto me the strength of your Holy Spirit to subdue this body of sin with the whole lusts thereof so that it might be obedient both in will, in mind, and in members—that it might do your holy w...

 What does the once-glorious city of ancient Babylon look like today? Have the prophecies of Isaiah 13:19-22 and Jeremiah 50:39 come true? Watch Expedition Bible’s video to see for yourself!

  Here is what Chat GDP said: 1. Why is there suffering and evil in the world? "Why do bad things happen to good people?" "Where are you suffering?" "Why did this happen to me/my loved ones?" This is perhaps the most universal and emotionally charged question Christians bring to God, especially in times of grief or tragedy. 2. What is your will for my life? "What should I do next?" "What is my calling or purpose?" "Am I on the right path?" Christians often seek divine guidance for big life decisions—career, relationships, ministry, etc.—hoping for clarity and direction. 3. Do you really love me / have you forgiven me? "Am I truly accepted?" "Can you forgive what I’ve done?" "Why do I still feel distant from you?" This taps into core concerns about grace, guilt, shame, and assurance—especially in traditions that emphasize personal salvation. 4. Why do you f...

It has been a good term for religious freedom at the U.S. Supreme Court, and predictably, LGBT activists are outraged. Their anger, however, reveals how far their crusade to hijack public education has gone and how necessary judicial pushback has become.  Exhibit A is Mahmoud v. Taylor, considered a key test case for parental rights – a concept that many LGBT activists reject entirely. The case centred around Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, which had introduced LGBT books into the pre-kindergarten through Grade 5 curriculum, and, in March 2023, eliminated a policy allowing parents to opt their children out of LGBT lessons.  Led by Tamer Mahmoud, a group of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish families sued the school board generally and Superintendent Thomas Taylor specifically, saying that their First Amendment right to the exercise of religion was being violated because their families were being forcibly exposed to content that directly conflicted with their religious...

Fruit of the Spirit, we took a general look at the list to begin to uncover the meaning of the Apostle Paul’s words to the Galatians. Now we will examine each of these slices of the Spirit’s fruit, starting with love. What is this love produced by the Spirit?  Defining love is not an easy task, but here’s one that attempts to sum up the biblical nature of love: Love is a holy, divine affection toward others produced by the Spirit of God in all believers. This is spiritual love – produced, wrought, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. So, what does this love truly mean? First, spiritual love is not a natural phenomenon. Spiritual love is not the natural affection of the world. The world might be capable of love in the human sense of the term. We know there are unbelievers who have good marriages. Some unbelievers are willing to sacrifice for the greater good of humanity. It is possible to do these things without having true love as God defines it. As Paul says, a person can be a great ...

A little over ten years ago, the book "The Shack" became an unexpected bestseller, sparking debate and garnering appreciation from across the evangelical landscape. Although the author originally wrote the book for his children and had it copied at Kinko’s, it reached number one on the New York Times fiction best-seller list after its release. In 2017, a major motion picture based on the book returned to the top spot once again. The themes of the book are heavy, at times harrowing, and inescapably theological, though they are presented in such a way that the reader can forget it is indeed a work of theology. The theological themes touched on include the character of the church, the problem of evil (theodicy), the nature of revelation, the depiction of God, and our understanding of the Trinity. I want to speak to an element of this last theme because the novel assumes something we are all tempted to assume: in reference to God, ”Father” is ultimately a metaphor and, as such, c...

One woman with cancer told me years ago, “I’m not a believer anymore—that doesn’t work for me. I can’t believe in a personal God who would do something like this to me.” Cancer killed her God. What would happen to me? I felt like a surgeon who was suddenly on the operating table. Would I be able to take my own advice? Facing such a serious diagnosis, Keller was forced to reexamine not only his “professed beliefs” but his “actual understanding of God.” He writes, Had [my ideas about God] been shaped by my culture? Had I been slipping unconsciously into the supposition that God lived for me rather than I for him, that life  should  go well for me, that I knew better than God does how things should go? The answer was yes—to some degree. I found that to embrace God’s greatness, to say “Thy will be done,” was painful at first and then, perhaps counterintuitively, profoundly liberating. To assume that God is as small and finite as we are may  feel  freeing—but it offers no...

Kevin De Young  We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Cor. 5:10) In 2 Corinthians 5:18–20, Paul explains that he has a ministry of reconciliation. This invites the question: How are we reconciled to God? That may seem like a silly question to us. “What do you mean, how are we reconciled? We say we’re sorry for our sins. God says it’s not a problem. And everything’s all better.” But God’s forgiveness doesn’t work like that. It would be a violation of his own nature. God is loving, but he is also just. God cannot simply pass over our sins because he feels like it. Sin is a personal offence to God. If God were to look past our sin just because he really likes us, he would treat his name with contempt. There needs to be some kind of restitution for our wrongs and satisfaction of divine justice. Proverbs 17:15 says he who justifies the wicked is an abomination to the Lord....

I dwell...with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit. (Isa. 57:15) Matthew Henry, in the eighteenth century, wrote,  “He that dwells in the highest heavens dwells in the lowest hearts, and inhabits sincerity as surely as he inhabits eternity. In these he delights.” 1 Franz Delitzsch, in the nineteenth century, put it beautifully:  The Holy One is also the Merciful One. . . . The heaven of heavens is not too great for him, and a human heart is not too small for him to dwell in. He who dwells among the praises of the seraphim does not scorn to dwell among the sighs of a poor human soul.2 John Oswalt, writing in the twentieth century, says it this way:  “He offers life to those from whom the life has been all but crushed out; he offers life to those whose spirit has been ground down to nothing. They need not be captive to their sin and shame.”3 Our tenderhearted King knows that being alone at rock bottom is unspeakably painful. He vividly remembers that day on his cross ...

I could strengthen you with my mouth,  and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain. (Job 16:5) Job’s sufferings reveal Job’s heart. What he says in suffering opens a window into his soul. He is under intense pressure. He has lost his wealth, position, children, and health. But the worst pressure is that his so-called comforters accuse him of unforgiven sin. They say that his accursed state proves he is under the curse of God; the fact that he is “shriveled... up” is “a witness against” him (Job 16:8). There is something of Job’s comforters in us all. We hear of someone’s misfortune, and we can hardly help but wonder if, in some way, they deserved it; in the same breath, the thought occurs to us that perhaps our own happy state shows we deserve that too. How wrong we can be! In this speech, Job's heart is described in two remarkable ways. First, despite how badly they are treating him, Job longs to comfort and bring solace to his friends (v. 5). Far from wanting to “get back a...

The reign of Christ represents the ultimate standard of truth, justice, and righteousness. However, throughout history, various ideologies, practices, and worldviews have emerged as counterfeits of His rule. These counterfeits often appear to address societal needs but ultimately deviate from biblical truth, undermining God’s design for humanity and creation. Below are 10 prominent counterfeits of the reign of Christ, structured to highlight their biblical contradictions and societal implications. Socialism vs. Meritocracy Based on Sowing and Reaping The Bible affirms the principle of sowing and reaping, as outlined in Galatians 6:7: “A man reaps what he sows.” This principle underpins a meritocratic system where individuals are rewarded for their labor, diligence, and stewardship. Socialism, by contrast, redistributes resources irrespective of effort, undermining personal responsibility and the biblical work ethic. While Scripture calls for generosity and care for the poor, these are ...