Dr Paul Allen

Jesus is God (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Consider the story of Mark Baurelein, professor of English at Emory University . He describes his teenage conversion to atheism as beginning with nothing. One morning he looked out at the shrubbery in his front yard, and he saw nothing. The landscaping pointed simply to itself and not to a grand designer in the sky. The bushes didn’t host fairies or goblins. They had nothing to do with gods or holy books. They just were. Let’s be honest, nothing can be quite therapeutic. It’s likely that nothing has soothed your fears at some point in your life. Parents calm their children with the words, “There’s nothing in the closet.” No monsters. No boogiemen. Nothing. You can go back to bed and rest in peace: Nothing can’t hurt you. This is why the recent atheist marketing campaign caused such a stir. For many the message connected with a deep longing for ultimate freedom, “ God probably doesn’t exist. Go ahead and enjoy the rest of your life.” This...

English: Jesus Christ - detail from Deesis mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) When they came to Jesus , they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. Mark 5:15-17 Do we really want Jesus to show up? Because when He showed up in this community, they lost a huge part of their economy . Yes, He had done a great thing for a crazy man living by himself in a cave. But He was messing up their lives and freaking them out. So they asked Him to leave. As soon as He touched their money, His presence wasn’t welcome. I think most people want Jesus to show up and have their lives improve. Fair enough. Jesus told us He came to bring us abundant life , full life, and that’s what His presence brings. The probl...

ANGELICO, Fra Resurrection of Christ and Women at the Tomb Fresco, 189 x 164 cm Convento di San Marco, Florence (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 27:62–66  It is important to know how secure Jesus ’ grave was from outside influences. The tighter the security, the less likely the body could have been tampered with. Archaeologists have been able to determine from excavations of first-century sites how Jesus’ tomb was probably constructed. There was likely a slanted groove that led down to a low entrance and a large disk-shaped stone was rolled down this groove and lodged into place across the door. A smaller stone was then used to secure the disk. Although it would be easy to roll this big disk down the groove, it would take several men to roll the stone back up in order to reopen the tomb. In short, it was quite secure. In addition to the physical weight of the rock at the tomb’s entrance, guards stood watch around the tomb. In fact, Matthew reports that when the guards repo...

We preach not for applause or acceptance or accolade or approval, but because our hearts are ablaze with the risen Jesus . The worst thing about comparison for preachers is that we compare ourselves with something we were never meant to be. WHERE you're going and WHAT you're doing isn't nearly as important as WHO you're becoming. Related articles Jesus Prays for His Disciples (vineandbranchworldministries.com) Coal, Breakfast with Jesus, and Beauty in Failure (anakinredeemed.wordpress.com) A Motivation Beyond Duty (pastorpaulvbsblog.blogspot.com) Preaching the cross is talking about necessary death (radiqx.com) Is "Asking Jesus into your heart" an unhelpful Christian cliche? (atwistedcrownofthorns.com) Irresistible Adoption (jonahmb.wordpress.com) 150 Titles of Christ from the Scriptures (adw.org) Monday (July 16): "Whoever receives me receives the one who sent me/" (shechina.wordpress.com) "Un"titled (The One)...

Have a look at DoubtingDawkins.com Related articles Richard Dawkins and his Foundation at the Reason Rally - - - - (richarddawkins.net) Pell vs. Dawkins (unlearningtheproblem.wordpress.com) Richard Dawkins is good for the Reason Rally (skepticalseeker.com) Richard Dawkins Admits Atheism Is a Delusion (mundabor.wordpress.com) Neil deGrasse Tyson: Atheist or Agnostic? (bigthink.com) Atheism: Richard Dawkins' Beliefs (brighthub.com) Richard Dawkins - a bad spokesperson for atheism [Alan Stevens] (ecademy.com) Dawkins and the Aliens (dangeroustalk.net) Speaking of Q&A... What Happened to Cardinal George Pell Last Night? (frstephensmuts.wordpress.com) The Illusion of Atheism (quest4light.net) Ryan: Doubting Dawkins (withalliamgod.wordpress.com) You're Grieving? Let Richard Dawkins' Words Comfort You. (anotherchristianblog.org) Dawkins as 'Most Respected Figure in Atheism' (atheistrev.com) VIDEO: Richard Dawkins & Rowan Williams Archb...

Image via Wikipedia Too many pundits tell us that if we want to have a successful marriage we need to make Jesus the center of it. He is the glue, the center, the guide. There is wisdom here, but also danger. Is Jesus a means to a happy marriage? No, He is the end. Jesus does not exist for our marriages. Rather, our marriages exist for Him. Related articles #255: God's Vision for Marriage (ilovethishusbandandwifestuff.com) Reflections on "Sex, Marriage and Fairytales." (trishadm.wordpress.com) Nate Berkus Will Destroy Your Marriage (riggledo.com) Poem: Sex, Marriage, & Fairytales (withalliamgod.wordpress.com) In Such Cases They are Not Enslaved (?) (arightscepter.com) Family Life in Heaven (new.exchristian.net) 7-Critical Prayers during Marriage conflict (9millionvoices.com) Marriage conflict? Use this 3-point prayer (9millionvoices.com) Wednesdays Are For Women: Ministry, Marriage, Mistresses, Jesus by Trisha Davis (sharpenher.wordpress.com) Rev....

Image via Wikipedia What should you do if you know someone who seems to be more excited about movies than Jesus ? Many professing Christians give little evidence of valuing Jesus more than the latest movie they have seen. They know all the details, actors and plot of the movie The Ghost Protocol or they follow carefully  their favourite pop star, or the latest clothing they bought. Or the latest app they downloaded. Or the latest game they watched. Something is amiss. We are not God and cannot judge with certainty and precision what’s wrong. There is a glitch somewhere. Perhaps a blindness going in, a spiritual deadness at heart, or a blockage coming out.  Or some combination.  Christ doesn’t appear supremely valuable.  Or isn’t felt as supremely valuable.  Or can’t be spoken of as supremely valuable.  Or some combination. Instead of dampening their enthusiasm for movies, clothing, apps, and events, let that go as an expression of God-given p...

Image via Wikipedia I wonder whether Jesus was even aware of the nails and the thorns. He was overwhelmed by the outer darkness . On the cross, He was in hell, totally bereft of the grace and the presence of God , utterly separated from all blessedness of the Father. He became a curse for us so that we one day will be able to see the face of God . God turned His back on His Son so that the light of His countenance will fall on us. It’s no wonder Jesus screamed from the depths of His soul. Related articles God's Awesome Power (pastorht.wordpress.com) NEW/Jesus Is My Joy Ministries/12-7-11 (simpleme2.wordpress.com) Review: Erasing Hell, Chapter Five (chadelliott.wordpress.com) The Difference of this Presence (faithgirlsdiscipleship.wordpress.com) God Undefeatable (pinkforpeace.wordpress.com) But God... (goldenbible.wordpress.com) The Attack on Jesus (rodiagnusdei.wordpress.com) Does Charles Stanley Believe (And Teach) That Some Believers Will Be "Weeping And Gnas...

Image via Wikipedia "And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God , which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory." ( Revelation 16:9 )   There is much being discussed these days, in both the scientific literature and the popular press, on the issue of global warming . An increasing number of scientists and other intellectuals are insisting that the growing emission of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels is producing a significant warming of the whole planet, causing melting of the polar glaciers and probably an alarming increase in catastrophic events such as hurricanes and perhaps even earthquakes and tsunamis . Image via Wikipedia   On the other hand, many more conservative scientists keep insisting that this is a cyclic phenomenon, reminding us that it was not long ago that we were being warned of an imminent ice age. Who can say for sure?   We do know, however, that a terrible time of global wa...

Image via Wikipedia On the  cross ,  God  treated Jesus as if He had committed every sin ever committed by every person who would ever believe. Did you get that? God treated Him as if He committed, personally, every sin ever committed by every person who would ever believe though the fact is He committed none of them.  That’s the great doctrine of substitution.  And that’s the first side of imputation . God imputed our sins to Him. He was guilty of none of them. God treated Him as if He committed all of them.  And He just unloaded His fury for all the sins of all the people who would ever believe in Him in the history of the world. He unloaded all His fury against all their sins on Christ . To borrow the language of  Leviticus 16 , Jesus became the “ scapegoat .” The scapegoat was guilty of nothing. But the High Priest, as it were, laid all the sins of the people on the scapegoat and sent him away. He was without sin. But sin was credited to His acco...

Image via Wikipedia On the  cross ,  God  treated Jesus as if He had committed every sin ever committed by every person who would ever believe. Did you get that? God treated Him as if He committed, personally, every sin ever committed by every person who would ever believe though the fact is He committed none of them.  That’s the great doctrine of substitution.  And that’s the first side of imputation . God imputed our sins to Him. He was guilty of none of them. God treated Him as if He committed all of them.  And He just unloaded His fury for all the sins of all the people who would ever believe in Him in the history of the world. He unloaded all His fury against all their sins on Christ . To borrow the language of  Leviticus 16 , Jesus became the “ scapegoat .” The scapegoat was guilty of nothing. But the High Priest, as it were, laid all the sins of the people on the scapegoat and sent him away. He was without sin. But sin was credited to His acco...

Image via Wikipedia One of the remarkable things about this miracle of Jesus walking on the water, and the  disciples  being rescued from the wind and landing strangely safe at their desired haven, is that nothing is made of it in the rest of the Gospel .  We are in the middle of  chapter 6 , and the entire chapter is devoted to unfolding the implications of the miracle of the feeding of the 5 thousand. So that miracle gets a whole chapter of attention and explanation. This miracle gets none. So John is not telling this miracle as a way of setting the stage for a long dialogue about Jesus ' ability to walk on water . Instead this miracle is embedded in the story of the feeding of the 5 thousand. This miracle in John's mind served that story. John is telling the short and amazing incident of Jesus' walking on the water to clarify or underline something in the story about the loaves and fish. Here's a clue what that might be. So far as we know, the people that Jesu...

Image by dagnyg via Flickr The following is adapted from the section on Mormonism (or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ) in  the ESV Study Bible article on religious cults . The attempt is to be concise yet still accurate. I’ve added questions in bold to break it up a bit. What do Mormons believe about apostasy and restoration ? Mormons claim that “total” apostasy overcame the church following apostolic times , and that the Mormon Church (founded in 1830) is the “restored church.” What’s the problem with this understanding? If the Mormon Church were truly a “restored church,” one would expect to find first-century historical evidence for Mormon doctrines like the plurality of gods and God the Father having once been a man. Such evidence is completely lacking. Besides, the Bible disallows a  total  apostasy of the church (e.g.,  Matt. 16:18; 28:20 ;  Eph. 3:21; 4:11–16 ), warning instead of  partial  apostasy ( 1 Tim. 4:1 ). What do ...