We live in a world that has not yet fully awakened to the reality of what Christ has accomplished. The kingdom has come, yet creation still groans for its full unveiling. That doesn't answer every "why." It simply tells us that suffering is real, death is real, and neither has the final word.

Before long darkness had settled in completely. Slowing my walk, I realized nothing was any longer recognizable. In the darkness the woods looked entirely different than they had in the daylight. After about half an hour it came to my attention that I had circled by here before. I was lost and did not know the way home.

From chapter 3 WHAT IF IT REALLY IS GOOD NEWS? “But Scripture also speaks of the last Adam. We were all in the first Adam, yes. But the first Adam has been put to death, and just as truly, we are included in the last Adam. He came as the second Man—the head of a new humanity. “The first man was from the dust of the earth; the second Man is YAHWEH, from the realm of heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:47, TPT). “He canceled out every legal violation w

Rather than looking at it these verses as a checklist by which God decides who gets into heaven and who doesn't. Matthew 25:31-46 is a parable that reveals the heart of Christ and exposes the reality of our hearts, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will pl

RETHINKING GOD WITH TACOS with JASON CLARK Larry and I had the honor of talking with Jason Clark and he was kind enough to air that conversation on his podcast Rethinking God With Tacos! You can listen here...

And when I remember her standing faithfully beside me, I cannot help but smile and think that perhaps, all those years, she was teaching me something about Papa's heart.

Adapted from a conversation with Larry Hudson. I often think about those dogs we used to run—trailing, treeing, hunting. It reminds me of our conversations, how they wander all over like those hounds searching for a scent. We’re just finding our way, sniffing something up, jumping it out of the bushes, trying to tree it, same as we did on those old rabbit hunts. That’s how honest conversations go among friends, at least ours. Another story comes to mind, Larry, me walking dow

In Papa’s Embrace

Hello, Andrei! Thank you for your thoughtful question. Greetings from the State of Texas to România! I am curious how did you find my youtube chanell? I get why this passage has troubled you. Many of us have heard it explained as though Paul were saying that if we fail in these areas, God will reject us forever. But I don't believe that is Paul's message. When you read Galatians as a whole, you'll notice that Paul is confronting the idea that our standing with God depends on

Talking about a quote of E. Stanley Jones from 1935. It is almost uncanny the insight he had into our times.

"The king says, 'You are going to eat at my table.'" Where is that one? Where is that one? Yeah, that one. I can show kindness to him.

She was just ten weeks old and weighed almost twelve pounds. My sons, Zach and Austin, found and purchased her for me back in 2017. I had been talking about getting an English Mastiff for quite some time and was fascinated by the breed.

How did Jesus ask for the nations? I believe we see part of that answer at the cross. I mean this is why He came to this hour. As He poured out His life, He prayed,

This conversation centers on the transformative power of God's kindness and how many believers gradually move from seeing God as angry, punitive, and waiting for them to fail, to discovering Him as a loving Father who never lets go of His children.

I hope this note finds you resting in and enjoying all that Papa has for you in this season. I am grateful for each of you who have chosen to be part of this small circle of friends, readers of In Papa’s Embrace.

In Papa’s Embrace

If we can just get to the place where we know we are loved… everything changes. Being loved means we’re embraced. Being embraced means we’re held. And being held you can have peace. That’s what I want for you: peace. Peace because of the love of God shed abroad in your heart. Ephesians 1:4 says (TPT), “And in love, He chose us before He laid the foundation of the universe…” Think about that. Before anything existed, God had already chosen you. He had His heart set on you. He

If something in the Old Testament appears to be in conflict with the love, grace, and mercy Jesus embodies, then it’s a misunderstanding of God's true character not a reflection of who God actually is.

Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me.

God is for you. He’s for you because He belongs to you and you belong to Him. He is yours, and you are His. He’s your Father. We are His children. We’re learning to become sons and daughters by that I mean mature sons and daughters who represent Him. How do we do that? By looking like Him. You’ve heard the saying, “He’s the spitting image of his daddy.” What does that mean? It means he carries the characteristics of his father good or bad. And that’s what our Father is after