An accusation I've heard lobbed against certain groups of people in our country is that they "look to the government to solve their problems." Unfortunately, I believe such an accusation can (rightly) be lobbed against the church based on our behavior and talk the past four years. The impression that is given off by some…
My Sayings
"Gotta Have Dog" Just like a dog is tenacious and persistent chewing a raw-hide bone, so we need to be persistent in life to get things done. "If it smells weird, it is weird." People, situations, and circumstances should fall within a certain boundary of "normal." If even small things that are said or done…
The Seasonality of Life
One observation that has struck me lately is how life comes in seasons. Probably the most famous passage in the book of Ecclesiastes speaks to the "times" or "seasons" of human life (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Another book which emphasizes seasons is Song of Solomon. The book recounts a love story between a man and woman who…
Blogging the Institutes | 1.18.2 | Even the Wicked Do His Will
Solomon declares that the Lord turns the heart of a king wherever he wants it to go (Proverbs 21:1). What applies to the king certainly also applies to the whole human race. God must direct whatever we conceive of in our minds. If God did not work internally in the minds of people, then Scripture…
Blogging the Institutes | 1.18.1 | Does God Permit or Decree All Things?
Some Scriptures indicate that God uses Satan for his purpose. Not only does God use Satan, but also all the reprobate and wicked. It can be difficult to understand how God remains free of the stain of sin when he uses them for his purpose. He also remains exempt from all guilt, yet he himself…
Blogging the Institutes | 1.17.12-14 | Does God Change His Mind?
God's providence provides solid instruction and comfort for believers. Yet for those who don't believe, discussions of God's providence will never answer all of their questions or provide satisfying answers for them. So trying to conclusively prove these things to them is probably a fool's errand. Nevertheless, there are some Scriptures which seem to teach…
Blogging the Institutes | 1.17.9-11 | Life is Misery; Get Happy Knowing God’s Providence
Believers can be very happy even in spite of the hardships of human existence. So many ills trouble human life. Our bodies break down and our susceptible to so many diseases. Death stalks us at every turn. Even the weather being too hot or too cold can threatened us. Wherever human beings turn, they are…
Anne Helen Petersen is the Rod Dreher of the Left
Rod Dreher is an often gloomy conservative blogger and author who believes that America is heading toward a time of "soft totalitarianism" where conservatives, especially religious conservatives, will be largely excluded from public life through the use of technology and social pressure. This coming totalitarianism is "soft" because while it may not result in outright…
W.A.L.K. to Move
All of us are born into the world as sinners, separated from God and under his wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3). But God still moves toward us. He does not leave us in our sins, but instead, loves us and makes a way for us to be reconciled to himself. As the apostle Paul writes, "God is…
We Move Because God Moved First
When was the last time you entered a room and no one greeted you? It probably was not a great feeling. All of us want to be acknowledged. But even more than that, we want to be seen, to be truly known and cared for. And those who believe in Jesus Christ—his church—play a crucial…
Raising Lazarus 