February 5th, 2012
Jack Gill
Luke 9: 18-26
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I remember being in grade school years ago when Valentine’s Day would come around. The week before, my Mother and I would hit the grocery store, trying to find one of those boxes filled with little Valentine’s Day cards that could take care of a class of 30 children. We would bring them home, and then I would get out my list of names of all of my classmates. I didn’t write much on each card—just my name. (However, if there was a girl I was halfway interested in, I might have written, “Love, Jack.”)
Actually, I really wasn’t all that interested in writing those cards. It was a lot of work and hassle as far as my eight-year-old self was concerned. However, when I got to class on Valentine’s Day, I was very interested in receiving those Valentine wishes from others! (more…)
For the last three months I have been discussing suffering from Paul’s writings, as well as Acts and the gospels. However, when studying a theology of suffering, an examination of Acts and of only Paul’s instruction on the matter is somewhat incomplete. For anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ though, these two resources leave no room to hold to the belief that suffering is not part of God’s plan for them. It is only after death that anyone can see an ultimate relief from suffering. Until then, every Christian must embrace the teaching that God not only will see them through it, but that He can accomplish much because of it. (more…)