“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:33–34)

An accusation—particularly a false accusation—can ruin a person’s life!

It imprisoned one man when a rich merchant’s wife accused him of trying to rape her when no one was around. Even so, God used Joseph’s plight to save much people alive.

It nearly cost one political leader his head when he was falsely accused of political insurrection on account of his faith. Even so, God protected Daniel from the lions’ jaws and used this trial to make his name famous in Babylon. Continue reading “The Charge Will Never Stick” »

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31–32)

What would you be willing to go through:

…to make sure someone who criminally hurt one of your children landed securely behind bars?

…to make sure one of your children, falsely accused, stayed out of prison? Continue reading “Whatever It Takes” »

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

If I had written the Bible, I would have written it differently.

I would have been more careful with people’s reputations. I would have been looser and gentler toward my own sins. I would have been harder on my enemies. And I would have screwed the whole thing up. Continue reading “What Shall We Say?” »

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Romans 8:29)

I grew up with a couple of super-heroes.

With deep red lines scrawled across our cheeks using our mom’s lipstick, and feathers tied to our skulls with a shoelace, my brothers and I became savage Indians avenging our tribe by counter-attacking the evil white man’s wagon trains.

As we grew older and became a little more global in our vision, we wore capes, instead. Continue reading “We’ll Be Like Him” »

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29–30)

God keeps secrets!

I know, you’ve been told your whole life that it’s impolite to keep secrets. But it’s God we’re talking about, the sovereign and sole proprietor of the entire universe, the author of life.

So Moses reminds us “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”  (Deuteronomy 29:29)

In other words, we’re supposed to let God worry about God issues, and we’re supposed to take responsibility for the commands we’ve been given to obey.

Humbling, I know. Continue reading “God’s Work All Along” »