A ldquo lost soul rdquo is someone who seems adrift morally spiritually intellectually and emotionally Such a person may be lost to drugs alcohol ambition greed gambling sexual promiscuity or the ldquo pragmatic rdquo mentality that shows no respect for human life and measures everything

While following Jesus may have a high cost, what makes discipleship possible is the grace of God.

Banquet scenes are frequent in the Bible Jesus used meals shared with all kinds of persons as occasions to impart his wise teachings and as symbols for life in the coming kingdom of God Banquets are especially prominent in Luke rsquo s Gospel and most of Luke 14 presents Jesus rsquo teachings in

Luke rsquo s Gospel has been called the most beautiful book ever written It contains most of what has become the Christmas story as well as the sermon on the plain the parables of the good Samaritan and the prodigal son the story of Zaccheus and much more Even Luke rsquo s passion narrative por

As a theological doctrine universalism claims that all of us will be saved or restored to holiness and happiness The biblical version of universalism is more complicated It says that while God wants us all to be saved we all must work at finding a place in God rsquo s kingdom One of the questi

It is no secret that we Americans live in a materialistic culture For some people the pursuit of wealth and possessions seems to function as a kind of religion substitute The Old Testament wisdom books and the New Testament writings have some wise things to say about money and possessions While a