Dr Paul Allen

Planets of the Solar System (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “[They are] wandering stars , to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” ( Jude 1:13 ) This short reference is somewhat enigmatic. The five “wandering stars” of Mercury, Venus , Mars , Jupiter , and Saturn were clearly known in Jude’s day, and their behavior had been plotted for many centuries. The Bible also uses “stars” as figures of speech for angelic beings in Job and Revelation. It is clear in context that Jude is referencing ungodly people, most likely influential leaders in the churches who are damaging and defiling the work of the Kingdom. The particular focus of this example is that they are “reserved” for a “blackness of darkness for ever.” Earlier, Jude cited “the angels which kept not their first estate” as being “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” (v. 6). Peter alludes to the same punishment of “angels that sinned” who were delivered “into chains of

The Antennae Galaxies are undergoing a collision that will result in their eventual merger. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) In the morning I lay my requests before you and I wait in expectation . Psalm 5:3 Prayer is so much more than the puny, ordinary thing we make it out to be. And that’s because the One we’re praying to is not only so much bigger than we’ll ever be able to comprehend. But also so much more willing to respond to us than we’ll ever be able to comprehend as well. Think about this: Our galaxy has approximately 250 billion stars and it is estimated that there are 100 billion other galaxies in the universe, each with hundreds of billions of stars. And He’s named each one. The universe is so vast in relation to the matter it contains that it can be compared in this way: A building 20 miles long, 20 miles wide and 20 miles high that contains 1 grain of sand. And He’s holding it all in the expanse of His hands. The largest star to date, Canis Majoris, is so large tha

Image via Wikipedia In the morning I lay my requests before you and I wait in expectation . Psalm 5:3 Prayer is so much more than the puny, ordinary thing we make it out to be. And that’s because the One we’re praying to is not only so much bigger than we’ll ever be able to comprehend.  But also so much more willing to respond to us than we’ll ever be able to comprehend as well. Think about this: Our galaxy has approximately 250 billion stars and it is estimated that there are 100 billion other galaxies in the universe, each with hundreds of billions of stars.  And He’s named each one. The universe is so vast in relation to the matter it contains that it can be compared in this way: A building 20 miles long, 20 miles wide and 20 miles high that contains 1 grain of sand.  And He’s holding it all in the expanse of His hands. The largest star to date, Canis Majoris, is so large that if Earth’s Sun were replaced by it, its radius would extend beyond the orbit of Saturn .