The first draft of Evangellyfish (the next chapter of which is now posted) didn’t have John Mitchell in it. The entire cast of characters consisted of skunks and scoundrels. The problem with that approach was that there was no opportunity for a reader with reasonable morals to breathe. I say all this because this chapter …
He Feeds Us With Judgment
In the words of the prophet Ezekiel, we read this: “I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God” (Ez. 34:15). The Lord really is our Shepherd, and the Lord really does see to it that the flock is fed. It is striking that in the passage …
Grace and Mercy Both
Our God is a God of both grace and mercy. In the English language, grace is generally unearned, unmerited favor. Mercy is demerited favor that we receive anyway. When we have forfeited goodness, and God gives it to us anyway, He is showing mercy. When Adam was first created, he had obviously done nothing to …
Envy Looks Uphill
The post before last, I wrote on the institutionalization of envy, and thought I needed to address a reasonable question that may have arisen in the minds of some. In the first post, I made some reference to the situation that might cause this question — I wrote how hard it is for many for …
Narratival Calvinism and Storyless Readers
In his fourth section, Hart begins to interact with certain expressions of Calvinism. The Calvinists Hart was responding to are represented but not named, and since there are no footnotes to follow, I am puzzled over how to respond to this. Unvarnished Calvinism is hard for some people to take, and because they have trouble …
What Happened When I Ran Some Numbers on Envy
Some time ago I figured out a way for churches to get a general idea of whether or not their congregations are tithing congregations. I think I mentioned that already in some post or other. We have pretty good numbers on what the average income level is across the United States, and it is fairly …
Fifth Decade of Psalms/Psalm 41
INTRODUCTION: The great theme of this particular psalm is the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, but as we recognize the nature of types and antitypes, we see many THE TEXT: “Blessed is he that considereth the poora : the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble . . . ” (Ps. 41:1-13). OUTLINE AND …
Knocking Down Walls for No Reason
I do not mean this as a backhanded slap at all. In his next chapter, “The Myth of a Christian Nation,” Boyd says many worthwhile and important things. He talks about the importance of prayer as social activism, and he emphasizes rightly that a power under approach can be used by God to accomplish great …
A Rare Delight
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) Growing Dominion, Part 148 “As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters” (Prov. 25:13). The gist of this proverb is that good help …
Not to Mention the Pantry
“Deliver us, O Lord, from religiosity and Godlessness alike, lest we wander in fakery or die of boredom. Restore to us Thyself as Giver and the secular as Thy gift. Let idols perish and con jobs cease. Give repentance and better minds to all pagans and secularists; in the meantime, of Thy mercy, keep them …