In the Zone

Last night, on Twitter, I read several tweets asking about a loud, booming noise.  It seems people in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and a few other states heard a tremendous boom that in some cases shook the ground. People wanted to know what caused the ruckus.  Some tweeted they had also seen lights in the sky.  Finally, others were able to clarify what was going on. Apparently, last night, several meteorites entered Earth's atmosphere, exploding in the sky.  As the meteorites passed over head, they made loud sonic booms, which rattled houses, cars and yes, even shook the ground.  For those able to catch a glimpse, it provided a unique viewing spectacle.  For those who only felt the vibrations or heard the sounds, it left questions to be resolved. When we hear strange noises or unusual occurrences, as human beings, we want answers.  In modern times, we take to social media to collectively figure it out.  In my childhood, it would be calling the...

Have you ever wondered what heaven is really like? Scripture gives us some glimpses of heaven and the New Jerusalem.  We read about the pearly gates, the streets of gold, the tree of life and the flowing river.  We know every tear will be wiped away. Yet, there is quite a lot we don't know.  What will we look like?  How will we recognize people in heaven?  What will it feel like? I don't know the answers to those questions.  I do know it will be greater than anything we could ever imagine.  The images we have in our head--be they from Hollywood, scripture or a combination of the two--will pale in comparison to how awesome heaven will really be.  I'm fairly certain of that. I also know this:  heaven will be a lot better with you there. You see, I know one thing for sure about heaven:  it is an exclusive place.  Not everyone goes to heaven.  Not everyone gets to stand in the presence of God forever.  Only a fe...

What is Hell really like?  This is a question I get from time to time from eager learners. After watching Hollywood (and culture) depict Hell and Satan, many people are confused about what the Bible actually says about the place of eternal damnation.  Let's get a few things straight. Hell is not red.  It's also not underground in some reddish-glowing cavern surrounded by rivers of lava.  Hell is not at the center of the earth. Hell is a real, physical place.  Scripture says Hell is a dark place, filled with wailing and gnashing of teeth.  It is a place of separation from God, where tormented souls cry out for eternity in rage, frustration, lamentation and anger. Hell is not ruled by Satan.  Too often, we see the Devil sitting on some royal throne in Hell, dispensing punishment or concocting schemes to get ahead.  Hell is ruled by God, as is all creation.  Scripture says Jesus holds the keys to death and Hell.  Satan...

Sometimes in ministry, I get a question that I just can't answer. It might be someone, deep in anguish and grief, who wants to know why it happened?  Why are they suffering?  Why did the event occur that caused them pain? It's during those moments, as I sit silently, that I often shake my head and give them an honest answer:  "I don't know." The truth is, we often don't know the reason for pain and suffering.  When a loved one dies suddenly or a significant other breaks our heart or our job is suddenly eliminated, we lament and grieve, but we don't always know the exact reason for the event.  We just know it hurts and we want the pain to stop. Sometimes, occasionally, we'll ask God the very same question:  Why do you allow such pain? While I never share this in the moment of someone's suffering, the answer to the question is thus:  God allows pain because God gave us free choice.  That means we can choose things that will ...

I feel truly fortunate this Christmas. Last night, as my family returned home to my mother-in-law's house, we noticed the distinct smell of natural gas.  It was strong, and not the first time we had noticed it that day.  Still, trying to get in from the cold, we hurried to the house. Later, while taking out the garbage, I noticed the smell again, this time even stronger.  I also heard a loud hissing noise coming from the neighbor's home.  Not wanting to take any chances, I asked my wife to call the gas company.  Even on Christmas, I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'm so glad we did.  As it turns out, my mother-in-law's neighbor had a broken furnace which was leaking raw natural gas into his home.  When the gas company arrived, it was already at 3 percent.  The gas man informed us that 4 percent was an explosive level of gas.  In his opinion, by morning, the house would have exploded and probably taken ...

A few years ago, someone came to me for advice about her job. Karen, a long-time employee of the company, was having personality and philosophy conflicts with her new boss.  He'd been there less than a  year and within six months, the relationship soured. Personality-wise, they clashed.  His leadership style did not fit Karen's personality.  As a business philosophy, they were on two different pages.  From the way she described things, it became obvious that Karen, and her years of experience at the company and her relationship with her co-workers, intimidated the new boss. Two things quickly became apparent:  First of all, this arranged business relationship wasn't working.  Stress-levels kept increasing, productivity decreased and morale, at least for Karen, spiraled downward.  Each conflict grew more severe than the last.  Karen was at her wit's end. The second thing that became apparent - at least to me - was that this was ...

Why do we use a Christmas tree? I mean, a nativity makes sense, even if some of the items and people in the displays are inaccurate.  But where does a tree come in to the equation? According to legend and tradition, the Christmas tree tradition started with Martin Luther (the Reformation theologian, not the civil rights leader).  He felt the nativity was too Catholic and wanted something protestants could use for Christmas.  He settled on a Christmas tree, which for him, represented the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. He related that to Christ.  The Tree of Life allowed humanity to live in the presence of God.  Similarly, Jesus allows us to restore that relationship and live in God's presence once more.  Having a tree, Martin believed, showed others that Christ was the center of the home and the Christmas celebration. In fact, early tree were decorated with fruits (representing the fruit of the tree of life) and candles (signifying the worship o...