Tree of Life Today’s passage: Revelation 22:1–5 Focus verse: On each side of the river stood the tree of life. (Revelation 22:2) The angel shows John a river of the water of life, clear and pure. It springs from the throne of Father God and the Lamb. From them comes living water, the source of eternal life. […]
Not Taking Responsibility for Our Actions Goes Way Back We often shake our heads in dismay over people who refuse to admit when they have done something wrong. Instead they want to blame others. They refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes. This is not a new development. Even Moses, who spoke to God face-to-face, […]
Eve (along with her husband, Adam), is a well-known biblical figure. I’m surprised she’s only mentioned by name four times in the Bible, twice in Genesis and twice in the New Testament. I’ve never understood why Eve bears the heaviest criticism for disobeying God. Adam is likewise culpable, and he could have—and should have—put a […]
Is it Okay with God for Us to Not Have Children? A concerning phrase I’ve increasingly heard is “happily child free.” Yes, couples can choose how many children to have or even to have children. On the surface, this appears as a responsible decision. Modern-day birth control makes happily child free an accessible reality. But […]
The Bible tells us that Adam has many sons and daughters, but it only lists three sons by name. They are Cain, Abel, and Seth. Most people know about Cain and Abel, with Cain killing Abel out of jealousy. He then flees his family to live in the land of Nod. As a result, Adam […]
Many people criticize the Bible—and those who follow it—for making women subservient to men. This is not a conclusion I reach when I read the Bible. I see the Bible—and those who truly follow it—as elevating the plight of women to the place they were created to be: equal to men. Consider in Genesis where God […]
Discover When Our Ancestors Starting Eating Meat Adam was a vegetarian—really, he was. So were Eve and their kids too. In fact, the next several generations likely avoided meat was well. They all had a vegetarian lifestyle. How do I know this? After creation, God told Adam and Eve that they could eat any plant […]
Blaming Others for Our Mistakes Comes from Our Sin Nature Jeremiah prophesies judgment against the people in Jerusalem for their idolatry. God has had enough, and he will punish them for turning from him and pursuing other gods. Specifically, many women are burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out their drink offerings […]
God’s Promises to Us Reveal His Character The Bible talks a lot about covenants. In a generic sense a covenant is an agreement or compact. But in the Bible, it takes on an elevated meaning. In Scripture a covenant is a promise from God to his people. There are two types of covenants. One is […]
Discover How to Grapple with Difficult Passages in Scripture When we read the Bible, it’s human nature to dwell on the parts we like and skim the parts that confuse us. We camp out at the many passages in the Bible that offer comfort. And we skip the parts that confound us, the passages when […]