John 6:60-69 – Miracles Born From Faith

In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s masterpiece The Brothers Karamazov, we find a remarkable statement: “In the realist, faith is not born from miracles, but miracles from faith.” I have been puzzled for years over the miracle stories of Jesus. He healed all kinds of people with all kinds of diseases. He calmed… Continue reading

Hebrews 11: 1 – What Do We Mean by “Faith”?

I love Clarence Jordan’s translation of this verse from Hebrews: “Faith is the activation of our aspirations, the life based on unseen realities.  It is conviction translated into deeds. In short, it is the word become flesh.” Today, as we look at the concept of faith, we need to begin… Continue reading

Hebrews 11: 32-38 “Faith’s Reasons and Wounds”

(16 minutes) An impressive television preacher equates faith with positive thinking and promises happiness, success, wealth, and health to those who live by his formula.  A faith healer explains to a family which has just lost a mother that if she had just had enough faith, she would have lived…. Continue reading

Romans 8:18-25 “What Do We Mean by Hope?”

In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul says that three abide: faith, hope, and love. Perhaps few words are as precious to us as followers of Jesus as these three terms.  But what do they mean? Even these wonderful words have been distorted in our culture and unfortunately by some Christians over… Continue reading

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “This-Worldliness”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian who was one of the leaders of the Confessing Church in Germany in its opposition to Hitler and Nazism. Bonhoeffer was arrested by the Nazis, imprisoned, tortured, and executed on April 9, 1945, just weeks before the Allies liberated the prison in… Continue reading