When Jesus died, many dead people came to life. This is a literal, physical event that Matthew documented. This can also be understood and applied on a figurative or symbolic basis, in that for all who follow Jesus: We came alive when Jesus died. This is a new, spiritual, eternal life. In short, Jesus died […]
The Liberating Power of Trinitarian Faith By Christian A. Schwarz (reviewed by Peter DeHaan) The Threefold Art of Experiencing God is a short book (32 pages) that is packed with profundity. Author Christian Schwarz asserts that although most Christians believe in the Trinity (that God exists in three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) […]
Where do toads come from? I pondered that question during Ike’s massive deluge as I peered out my basement egress window into the window well. (The water was draining away nicely—thank you.) Sitting there as happy as could be were two toads. Being different size and color, I assume that they were not related, yet they both […]
Reviewed by Peter DeHaan Pilgrim’s Progress: Journey to Heaven is an effective and gripping modern-day adaptation of John Bunyon’s classic allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress. The story’s protagonist “Christian,” feels compelled to embark upon a journey to lift his burden and save himself from impeding doom. His ultimate destination is the Celestial City, but the path there […]
There is an account of Jesus, when a paralyzed man seeks to be healed. In a surprise move, Jesus confounds everybody by forgiving the man’s sins! Jesus had realized that this man’s greatest need was not physical, but spiritual, so he addressed that first. Knowing that it is much easier to say “your sins are […]
Reviewed by Peter DeHaan The Jesus Film (also known as Jesus) is a faithful telling of the life of Jesus as presented in the Gospel of Luke. It was shot on location, providing powerful visual support for the written account found in the Bible. Filmed in 1979, the production seems only somewhat dated, while the […]
In the book of Matthew, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for placing their traditions ahead of God’s commands. From our perspective, in a different time and culture, it is easy for us to see their error. However, we likely do the same type of thing and are blind to it. What might some of those traditions […]
By C. S. Lewis Reviewed by Peter DeHaan C.S. Lewis’s book, Mere Christianity, is based on a series of BBC radio broadcasts in the early 1940s. Initially, published as three separate volumes Broadcast Talks (1942), Christian Behaviour (1943), and Beyond Personality (1944), the works were combined in 1952 to result in Mere Christianity, that is […]
Praise God or Fear God? After Jesus performs a miracle—healing a paralytic man—the people were fearful of God, yet full of praise at the same time (this precise wording is not apparent in all translations—see the New Living Translation or the Amplified Bible). Although it seems like a paradox to simultaneously fear God and praise […]
Jesus is sleeping in a boat; the disciples are crossing the lake. A major strong whips up and the disciples are overwhelmed—remember that several of them were fishermen, so it must have been a bad one to scare them. In a panic, they wake up Jesus. He says, “You have little faith; why are you […]