It’s been a while since I’ve written anything. We’ve had a crazy few months! Thomas became very sick and we ended up in hospital twice, first with a severe viral infection and stomach bug which led to a bacterial infection. He’s doing well now, and we are thankful for the prayers of all our friends, [...]
The subtle beginnings soon morphed into an all-out attack. This was a change in tactic (Edward J. Young, 33). Everything was out in the open. He moved from doubting God to radical and reckless infidelity. In the discourse that followed between the serpent and the woman, Satan made three promises in verses four and five; the promise of impunity, of improvement, and of independence.
It’s hard to get the hook out when it’s in past the barb—some flesh will need to be sacrificed. When sin gets our attention and gets a hold, it's difficult to remove and detach ourselves from it. This is where the woman found herself. Having captured her attention and locked her in conversation, Satan began to devour her (1 Peter 5:8).
If God chooses to get glory in sustaining a child with chronic illness or disability, rather than by removing the condition, that is His prerogative and we should rejoice in it. Removing it may make life easier, more pleasant and comfortable for the family. But God does not exist for our happiness—we exist for his glory. God forms babies in the womb that will cause us to fear Him, reverence Him and stand in awe of Him.
The suffering of children has been on my mind to varying degrees and at different periods for the past decade. I’ve had to deal with suffering children as a parent, as a pastor, as a pastor-parent combination (I’ll explain that in a later post), and now in the orphanage connected with my work in rural [...]
Eden was no random attack, it was a strategy of war. Satan had a target in mind, and that target was humanity, the apex of God’s creation ... He must strike humanity at the root. He must poison the fountain at the source. Satan’s target was not Adam but Adam’s children—humanity ... Humanity fell as one when Satan poisoned the source. The “likeness” and “image” of Adam’s offspring were marred by Adam’s sin.
The Bible begins and ends with the serpent. In Genesis he is cunning, subtle and deceptive—and he finds a measure of success. But that “success” is given him only to reveal God's gracious salvation. In Revelation, he is defeated and cast into the bottomless pit. This is the story of the gospel.
When God created Adam and his wife, he provided everything they needed. The Scriptures tells us that God planted a garden for the man and his wife (Genesis 2:8). This garden provided a fully sustainable home, a workplace and a place of worship. They had no wants. The garden of Eden begins a “garden theology” that continues throughout the Scriptures. Eden is the prototype of blessed safety and tranquility in the presence of the Lord—a paradise.
Before we get into chapter three let's step back into chapters one and two of Genesis and get a picture of the people and the environment the Lord created. The phrase “let us make man” (1:26-27) which God used on the final day of creation, introduced a part of creation that would be different from everything [...]
The story of the Bible is the story of the sovereign God, the salvation of man and the spoiling of Satan and his helpers. Genesis chapter three is the beginning of that story. In that chapter, there are three major areas of biblical study that continue throughout the Scriptures; theology, anthropology, and demonology. In the [...]