paravanes:meditations

How do I determine the ultimate goal and the ultimate purpose of my life?

Is the Genesis creation account reasonable? Can any reasonable person trust this account of creation? How much of it is fable, fairy tale, or historical imagery? These are sensible questions, and ones I would expect of anyone who takes the time to consider the claims of Biblical Christianity. Despite the mockery and teasing sometimes attached to those who trust in and believe the Genesis account, there are some good reasons to trust the reliabilty of what's written there. Let's look at four reasons why embracing the Genesis creation account can bring believers peace of mind, confidence, insight on how to live well, and a deep understanding of our origin and our purpose. The Genesis account says God formed human persons, called "man" in some translations, from the soil of the earth.  It makes sense to me that, based on this account, people who lived in Africa--the place science says the earliest human persons lived--had brown skin, similar to the soil from whi...

What does it actually mean to be "made in God's image"? Across the world, we look, act, and think very differently about almost every imaginable thing. Do we have any commonalities that transcend our differences? We all share free will, we all share the ability to love, we all share the ability-- in fact, the need--to connect with others and be in relationship with other humans. Recent studies have also suggested we are healthier and happier if we enjoy regular exposure to nature and beautiful natural settings. We feel deep connection to those we have loved, even if they are no longer living on the earth. We were created for love, beauty, relationship, and eternity. What happened? The Fall happened at some point early in human history. Although I don't believe the Bible teaches what some have called the "total depravity of mankind", something tragically and deeply damaging happened to humanity and we have not escaped the consequences of that damag...

Scripture tells us very little about what happened with Jesus and his disciples between the time of the Resurrection and the Ascension. He appeared to them, and to many others, after his return from the dead. For the disciples, he breathed the power of the Holy Spirit onto them and into them. He gave them a life altering commission, or charge, and then returned to the heavenly realm. He was not absent, but he was out of  physical view. As Charles Wesley put it in his hymn, Rejoice the Lord is King : "When He had purged our stains, He took His seat above." This doesn't mean Jesus sat back and watched history unfold with caring or participating. This means he returned to the heavenly realm of honor he had before coming to Earth. Jesus always cares. If you invite him, he always participates. Based on the accomplishments of the disciples after the Ascension, we can imagine a few things that must have happened for Jesus' followers. We can learn from their experiences,...

Conflicting energies do not build, nor do they strengthen. Choose well the energy that lives close to your heart.