Words from a Branch

  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 ESV                 The very first character introduced in the Bible is God, and He enters the narrative at center stage. Rather, He is at the center of everything when everything else enters around Him. It is God who begins the cosmos, and sets in motion the story of which we are all a part. He performs the initial action, with purpose. He begins, and He continues. He is the first to be in the story for it is His story, He started it, and will see it through. He is by right, and by all reason, and by revelation at the very center of all things. He shall be the central figure when this story is ended, and the better story begun.                 This centrality is established in the first sentence of the Bible, it is the first demand of right theology, and the...

There is a terrible disease loosed among us. It infects every single man, woman, and child on the face of the planet, and it is always terminal. It has claimed more lives than men could count, and its death toll is rising every second. Yet you will not hear of it on the news, nor find that the CDC or WHO even recognize it. The governments of the world are unconcerned, and the population oblivious. It is called sin. (Romans 3:23, 6:23) There is only one cure, and only one keeper of the cure. (John 3:16, 14:6, 15:5, Matt 5:13-16, 28:16-20) The death of sin is eternal death, a never-ending agony of torment beyond human imagination. The life of the Christian is such that death becomes meaningless. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) Thus, it is written that we ought not to fear what can destroy the body, which must be destroyed. Instead we should fear that which can destroy the body and soul in Hell. (Matthew 10:28) Men do much to save the body, and in vain do they try to stave off death (Luke...