Tag Archives: Genesis

Receiving Glory From the Hand of Grace

Posted on May 3, 2013 by PaulVK

Here I am standing next to my big sister looking at my grandmother’s bird. I don’t remember the moment but it isn’t hard to know what is going through my toddler mind. I like the bird. I want to touch the … Continue reading →

Posted in On the way to Sunday's sermon | Tagged | 1 Comment

Why Divine Election Makes Our Story Better

Posted on April 30, 2013 by PaulVK

Take Your First Lessons on Election from Genesis I’m doing a lot of pondering election while preaching through Genesis. I have a couple of thoughts. I think the way CRC folks talk and think about election isn’t very Biblical. Genesis … Continue reading →

Posted in CRC, Saved CRCVoices Posts, theological | Tagged | 7 Comments

Why Can’t We Take Yes For An Answer

Posted on April 20, 2013 by PaulVK

The most important thing about the “Jacob’s ladder” story is what we learn about Jacob himself. He can’t take yes for an answer. Jacob and his mother Rebekah have managed to undermine two of the most formidable ancient power structures, … Continue reading →

Posted in On the way to Sunday's sermon | Tagged | 1 Comment

Grace Travels outside of Karma and the Hedge

Posted on April 13, 2013 by PaulVK

“The Hedge of Protection Removed!” Since the attacks of 9/11/2001 it is not uncommon to hear Christian groups asserting that those attacks were revelatory in terms of God’s relationship with the United States. There are numerous variants of the argument … Continue reading →

Posted in On the way to Sunday's sermon | Tagged | Leave a comment

Why God and People Can’t Be Used for Happiness

Posted on April 6, 2013 by PaulVK

What is God For? Elizabeth Gilbert was unhappy. On the outside she had what many of us want. She was successful in her career as an author, she lived in a large beautiful home, and she had a husband who … Continue reading →

Posted in On the way to Sunday's sermon | Tagged | 1 Comment

The Sacrifice of Laughter: On Losing Sons

Posted on March 29, 2013 by PaulVK

Losing His First Born At the feast for Laughter, its darker side, mockery, emerges. We normally forget the fact that Ismael was Abraham’s firstborn son. In Sarah’s zealous clutching at her own idols comes the first demand for the death … Continue reading →

Posted in On the way to Sunday's sermon | Tagged | 2 Comments

Why God Saying “Yes” To Your Most Audacious Prayer Would Not Be Enough

Posted on March 22, 2013 by PaulVK

“Jesus, give my mom a million dollars” Sam Goodman didn’t buy his mother’s devotion to the Christian faith and so one day in the context of a theological discussion they were having he simply threw out the facetious request, “Jesus, … Continue reading →

Posted in On the way to Sunday's sermon | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Why God Invites a Sexually Abused, Run-away Slave to Return to Her Mistress

Posted on March 15, 2013 by PaulVK

An Economy of Idols We live our lives within an economy of idols. Idols are elements of our identity that we elevate in order to create an elevated self, enduring self. We imagine that this constructed self, made from what … Continue reading →

Posted in On the way to Sunday's sermon | Tagged | 5 Comments

The Right Way to Become like God

Posted on March 1, 2013 by PaulVK

Our Complaint of a Negligent God The reason many people who don’t believe in God give for their unbelief is that the presence of evil seen today seems incompatible with the existence of an all knowing, all powerful, all good … Continue reading →

Posted in On the way to Sunday's sermon | Tagged | Leave a comment

A Better Valentine

Posted on February 16, 2013 by PaulVK

Shaky Valentine’s Days Given the commercial success of the Christmas holiday season the American marketing machine is steadily trying to duplicate Christmas in other Christian holidays on the calendar like Halloween and St. Valentine’s Day. As consumer advertising ramps up expectations … Continue reading →

Posted in On the way to Sunday's sermon | Tagged | Leave a comment