Christian

The Comfort of the Cross

Oct
12
2010

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Here are six truths about suffering—and four steps to relieve it—that should prove comforting to any Christian in pain: God didn’t cause our suffering. God never, ever wants us to suffer. He hates it when we hurt. But we must sometimes hurt, because pain is an unavoidable part of the human legacy, period. God could [...]

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The Comfort of the Cross

Oct
22
2009

Here are six truths about suffering—and four steps to relieve it—that should prove comforting to any Christian in pain

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Doing Christianity vs. Being Christian

Mar
12
2009

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Sometimes I think that in our efforts to be all that we can be when it comes to Christ, we make Him entirely too complicated. As a means of proving that he loves and cares for us, God became a man, absorbed into himself the full cost of every wrong we and any other human [...]

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Hallelujah! We Know So Little!

Jul
31
2007

If there’s one thing you can say about people, it’s that we like things to be settled. When it comes to uncertainty, ambiguity, mystery, or complexity beyond our grasp, we prefer to have as little as possible in our lives, thank you very much. Doubt and security don’t go hand in hand. And we definitely [...]

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Think You’re Strong Enough to Fulfill God’s Will for You? Really? Still?

Jul
29
2007

I tend to think that I have all the time in the world to become the person God wants me to be–or to at the very least do the things that I have every last reason to understand God intends for me to do. The underlying reason for which I tell myself that I have [...]

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When God Makes 2 + 2 = 5

Jul
26
2007

In the course of a recent posting of mine called The Comfort of the Cross, I wrote (under the paragraph “Pray”), “God, and only God, can make 2 + 2 = 5.” A reader wrote to ask if I’d expound upon that a little. What I meant is that God can’t do math. He’s outstanding at [...]

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Posts by Theme

Christian Issues

Evangelicals and Muslims: Both Love Jesus

Aug
18
2010

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Today at lunch I asked Pastor Bob, “If you could say any one thing about Islam or Muslims to American Christians, or to Americans generally, what would it be?” As he started talking, I started taking notes. This is what he said.

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Relationships

When Your Heart Leaves Home

Aug
27
2011

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The reflections of a good man upon the occasion of his daughter leaving home for college.

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Christian Spirituality

What Jesus Left Out of The Great Commandment

Oct
31
2011

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“Why would Jesus leave something important out of the Great Commandment? I believe it was so that we could discover that thing for ourselves.”

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Humor

Why Aren’t Fundamentalists Telepathic Comedians?

Feb
28
2011

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I knew I’d end up in hell! There’s such a dangblangit fine line between “Funny!” and “Meet Snikky and Snarky, the two fanged minions who throughout eternity will be jabbing at you with searing tridents. Have fun, funny boy!”

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Pastor Bob's Corner

A Primer on Islam: The Basics (Lesson 1 of 6)

Sep
30
2011

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Hi. I’m Pastor Bob. This is the first lesson of a multi-week class on Islam I taught for a large gathering of folks from multiple congregations: Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Catholics, recovering agnostics, etc.

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Personal

My Five Reasons For Not Having Children

Nov
20
2009

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When young my wife and I decided not to have children. Here’s why.

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