Today's post is the conclusion of our 3-part series on the devil. It answers the all important question, "So what's the point - why bother learning about the devil?".   I think it's important we don't get stuck thinking about the devil as that evil guy with horns and a pitchfork – he isn't the live version of a high school's red devil mascot. The devil's danger, I think, … [Read more...]

Today's post about the devil continues from yesterday.  Let's jump right in from where we left off... Much of what we know about the devil comes from two passages in the OT from the books of Isaiah and Ezekiel. As I mentioned in the Angels post, these topics are tough to really come down definitely one way or the other on. The passage in Isaiah we're going to read comes from a longer … [Read more...]

This post, and several others that will follow, are adapted from a 4-week message series called “Encountering Angels and Demons” that I wrote and taught at The Bridge.  Last week we looked at Angels in a two-part post.  Today we're going to dive into looking at the devil. "The Devil, or Satan, is not a living being but is a symbol of evil." Do you agree strongly, agree somewhat, … [Read more...]

Yesterday we began looking at angels.  The second half of the first discussion is included below.... Let's take a look at some of the way these messengers were used in the OT. Angels rescue Hagar when she is sent away by miserable, jealous Sarah. They announce the birth of Isaac and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. They destroy Sodom and rescue Lot from the city. Angels interrupt … [Read more...]

This post, and several others that will follow, are adapted from a 4-week message series called "Encountering Angels and Demons" that I wrote and taught at The Bridge. John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled … [Read more...]