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I believe there’s one central explanation for why so many of God’s children have such a vague, negative, and uninspired view of Heaven: the work of Satan. Our enemy slanders three things: God’s person, God’s people, and God’s place—namely, Heaven.

Of course, God can redeem your daughter, and of course, Jesus ate with sinners. But that’s different than celebrating a union that is outside of His designed order, a celebration of something that is not reality and is sinful. 

There are only seven copies of Plato’s writings, the first of which was copied by a scribe 1,200 years after Plato died! Yet the vast majority of people are confident that what we have is what Plato wrote. In contrast, there are about 5,686 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament and over 19,000 in Syriac, Latin, Coptic, and Aramaic.

When Randy is talking about raising a “standard of living,” he’s talking about those who are already very rich by global standards. 

Scripture says Christ gave “himself as a ransom for all people” (1 Timothy 2:6, NIV). Like many biblical terms, such as hope, love, and joy, we have to define what Scripture means by ransom.

The adult book would be good for a more voracious reader but could be overwhelming to some younger readers. It really depends on the student.

In her journal she kept during her cancer years, Nanci quoted Charles Spurgeon: "Oh, that we may know our God—His power, His faithfulness, His immutable love. He is one whose character excites our enthusiasm. Oh, that we may know our God by familiar fellowship with Him."

Alisa Childers writes, "TPT [The Passion Translation] fails to capture the purity, intended meaning, and tone of the biblical texts, and therefore it should not be called a 'translation,' nor should it be used as such."

On June 23, Randy is turning 70. In light of this significant birthday, some of the Eternal Perspective Ministries staff and board wanted to honor him by sharing how he’s pointed us to Jesus. We hope that by sharing how his life has helped us grow in our walk with God, it will be clear that the Lord has used Randy as a conduit of His grace.

I’m sorry to hear about the hurts you have experienced (and it sounds like, are experiencing). Every church is made up of people just like us—messy and imperfect, forgiven but still sinners this side of Heaven.

Jesus tells us to lose our lives for His sake. He commands us to deny ourselves. And if self-denial and sacrifice aren’t enough, we’re to carry a cross—that dreaded instrument of execution. In terms of costliness, could Jesus have painted a more dreadful picture?

If you exchange your sin and brokenness, your independence and propensity for trying to control your circumstances, and even your good works—what Scripture calls filthy rags—for the robes of righteousness which Jesus offers freely, you will enter eternity with Jesus. 

In an era dominated by superficial popular culture, there’s real value in expanding our thinking to God’s glory, and not just going broad but going deep. Deep is where the roots are, and they’re what keeps the tree or vine standing during storms that would otherwise erode and topple it.

I can’t speak for other believers, but as a fellow human on this sin-cursed planet and hosting a mind that’s been sin-tainted, I can say that putting “God in a box” is a very convenient way to exercise the control we like to pretend we have over our circumstances.