Keep The Faith

After revisiting an older post I wrote years ago about the heart, I realized that God has been showing me even more about this subject. What began as a simple reflection has grown into a deeper understanding of why the Bible speaks of the heart so often and so directly. Instead of rewriting the old post, I felt led to create a new one—one that gathers both the original thoughts and the new insights Father God has been revealing. This Unity Series post continues that journey. It builds on what I once understood and adds the clarity, wonder, and awe that have come as I’ve looked again at Scripture, science, and the way God designed us. Sometimes revisiting something familiar opens a door to something brand new. The Mystery of the Heart — Unity Series Genesis 8:21 (NIV) “The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart…” Deuteronomy 4:29 (NASB) “…you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.” Deuteronomy 4:39 (NASB) “…ta...

God’s Day of Judgment and Mercy I feel that God’s Day of Judgment is close, and in a strange way, I consider that day to be a good thing. Not because judgment is pleasant, but because on that day every one of us will finally see the truth about ourselves—our real condition, our real need, and our real worth. Without God, we are worthy to be thrown away like refuse, as if heaven had a great garbage dump. But that is only half the picture. The other half is God’s great compassion and His tender mercies. This is how I see it. When that day comes, you and I will see the kind of punishment we believe we deserve—annihilation, being beaten, or even being hung on a cross. But Jesus has already taken that punishment. He took it for me, for you, for all. He stepped into our place and bore the weight of our sin. This is why the Bible says that every knee will bow: because when we see what He has done, our hearts will overflow with adoration for Father God a...

Sometimes a single passage of Scripture lingers in the heart until it opens new questions about mercy and redemption. This reflection began early one morning, stirred by James 5 and a curious dream that seemed to echo its meaning. I woke up very early this morning thinking about a particular passage of Scripture, trying to relate it to Satan and the other fallen angels. The passage is James 5: James 5:19–20 (NIV 1984) 19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. I’ve talked with my wife before about whose sins are “covered” in this verse. I’ve always thought it referred to the sins of the one who turns a sinner back to the truth, while my wife believed it referred to the sins of the sinner himself. She had a funny dream the other night. She works in the administration ...