Jim Novell

One of the most unsettling and even terrifying passages in the Bible, at least for me, is found in Matthew 7:21-23, near the conclusion of what is known as The Sermon on the Mount. Here Jesus states, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will […]

“ Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…” (Titus 1:1-2). “Therefore, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you

Most people do not find it irrational or unrealistic to believe that there is or will one day be a world – a reality – a realm – a state of being in which life will be significantly more interesting, more exciting, more fulfilling than this life.  We long for a world where human flourishing

And the grief goes on. In what the Bible refers to as this present evil world, grief, sorrow and sadness goes on and on and on and on – and on (Galatians 1:4).  This time the grief and sorrow originated from my esteemed alma matter, Michigan State University.  Three bright young students were senselessly murdered

In John 12:25, Jesus informs us of the necessity that we hate our life in this world if we are to gain eternal life, the glorious life with God for which mankind was created.  Hate is an emotionally charged word that has a broad range of usage throughout the Bible.  It ranges from having enmity,

No, this is not a post regarding a New Year’s resolution dilemma related to your body weight, it is hopefully much weightier than that. There are undoubtedly many challenging passages in the Bible that we gloss over when reading, without really considering the truth that is being revealed or the command that is being given

“SALVATION IS OF THE LORD” (Jonah 2:9) (Psalm 3:8) (Psalm 62:1). This is a magnificent, marvelous, majestic truth proclaimed and demonstrated by God throughout the Bible, revealing to us His greatness and goodness, displayed most prominently in the glory of His grace (Ephesians 1:6). Salvation is a big word in terms of what it encompasses in

I was baptized as an infant into the Roman Catholic Church.  According to Catholic teaching, at the time of my baptism I received what the church referred to as sanctifying “grace”, which resulted in me, as an infant, being born again, restored to spiritual life that was lost due to Adam’s sin, justified – freed

The Doobie Brothers were an interesting rock band back in the 1970s.  What I remember most was their hit song, Jesus is Just Alright.  It portrayed our culture’s distorted and minimalist view of Jesus and Christianity quite well.  The Brothers were also prophetic in titling their 1974 album, What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits,

One of the most wonderfully succinct and encouraging passages in the Bible regarding the glory of God’s grace is found in Exodus 34:5-7, wherein we read: Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping