God created man to bless him—fully, richly, and deeply! In the creation account we hear words like blessed, fruitful, fill, subdue, rule over and I give all made in reference to him (Genesis 1:28-29). The highest expression of man’s favored status lies in the truth that he is made to be an image-bearer of the Trinity (v. 27). In this, man has cosmicContinue reading “Why Did God Create Man?”
Category Archives: Genesis
On a Hill Far Away
There are passages of Scripture that are profoundly rich, deep and endlessly expansive. They seem to tower over other texts and have a life of their own. They challenge, inspire, and speak to us on multiple levels. That’s more than a subjective impression, Christ said as much in Matthew 22:34ff and again in 23:23. IContinue reading “On a Hill Far Away”
Happy Father’s Day from Mount Moriah
Imagine three things concerning Genesis 22: If all of that were true, then Terah could have received a postcard from his son saying, “Happy Father’s Day from Mount Moriah.“ And that would supply us with the emotional landscape we need to keep this story fresh (maybe raw is a better word). To think of AbrahamContinue reading “Happy Father’s Day from Mount Moriah”
A Great Plan for Life
Every spring at graduation, the years’ honorees hear an insidious untruth proclaimed over and over. It is delivered with the absolute best of intentions and from the purest of heart—but that will not change its—falsehood or its potential harmfulness. What am I speaking of? “You can be anything you want to be.” Those eight wordsContinue reading “A Great Plan for Life”
Embracing The Unpredictable
It was probably a good thing that Abraham and Sarah didn’t have any children when God called them away from Mesopotamia (Acts 7:2; Hebrews 11:8ff). We’re not given any details about how it all transpired so we have to use our imagination, but when Abraham poked his head inside the tent and told Sarah to startContinue reading “Embracing The Unpredictable”
Crazy Hope
Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 90 when they have Isaac. It’s been 25 years since God initially told Abraham He would make him a great nation. Over those years, Abraham and Sarah have waited patiently and some times not so patiently (as in the case of Hagar). But God has his own timetable and He bringsContinue reading “Crazy Hope”
Adam And The Hallelujah Chorus
After God created Adam, He said this: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18). If we were reading Genesis for the first time, we’d be struck by the fact that the phrase not good is used in connection with the creation. Throughout the firstContinue reading “Adam And The Hallelujah Chorus”
Work And The Image Of God
Of all the things that were created, Moses tells us there is nothing like man. Only man is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). I understand this phrase to be speaking about not what man is made of, but what he is made for. Notice the language of verse 26, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness,Continue reading “Work And The Image Of God”
When God Weeps
Judgment is something most people (believers and unbelievers), would rather not hear or think about. I understand that. It’s kind of like hearing about income taxes or estate planning— even though we might understand the inevitability and importance of such matters, they’re never going to be something we are eager about. And while judgment shouldn’t be something disciples major in, we’re doing no one any favorsContinue reading “When God Weeps”
The Hope Powered Life
He was from a family of 12 other siblings along with a father and four mothers—and all of them living together under the same roof! At 17 he became the victim of human trafficking (sold into such a situation by no less than his brothers). By the grace of God he landed on his feet in aContinue reading “The Hope Powered Life”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 