Randy Alcorn's Blog

Who Do You Say Jesus Is?

Randy Alcorn — Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Having been raised with no knowledge of God, part of what drew me to Christ is how the Gospel accounts seemed so contrary to typical human reasoning. Yet I found them completely credible. No human would make up such a story! It had the ring of truth to me…and still has.

In the Old Testament, we read how God kept reaching down to His people: “The Lord…sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people…But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets” (2 Chronicles 36:15-16).

The prophets foretold the coming of Messiah. Yet centuries of oppression and suffering passed, and many lost hope. In every generation there were people like Simeon and Anna who longed for and prayed for Messiah’s coming. And finally, when the Redeemer’s absence became unbearable, He came: “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4).

Jesus came to us in humility. He didn’t have the honor of being born to the house of a king. He wasn’t born in Rome, the world’s political capital, or Athens, the philosophical capital, or Alexandria, the intellectual capital, or even Jerusalem, the religious capital. He was born in tiny Bethlehem, which means simply “House of Bread.”

Jesus came in humiliation. Everyone who could count thought He was conceived out of wedlock, a shameful thing in that time and place. He grew up in a town of ill repute, where a Roman military outpost accounted for moral corruption: “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46).

Jesus worked as a humble carpenter, lived in relative poverty, and endured many indignities as He spent three years teaching and healing and speaking the good news of God’s Kingdom. And then, the eternal and infinitely holy Son of God chose to endure the most shameful death—crucifixion with its excruciating suffering—to take our sins on Himself. Not some, but all of them.

Jesus made bold claims about His identity, which religious leaders of His day considered blasphemy. He claimed to be God’s only Son, one with the Father, descended from Heaven and destined to rule the universe as King. And what response was He met with? “For this reason they tried all the more to kill him” (John 5:18).

Many today try to reduce Jesus to the role of a good teacher, one good moral example, maybe the best among many. But His own claims about Himself in Scripture make that impossible. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis famously pointed out,

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic…or else he would be the Devil of Hell…but let us not come with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

The battle for human souls pivots on the issue of Christ’s identity. He’s the watershed, the dividing line between Hell and Heaven. Jesus made that clear when He asked his disciples about His divinity: “‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’” (Matthew 16:15).

That question is the most important one we will ever answer. Our own eternity hangs in the balance. Who do you say Jesus is? Who do you believe, in your mind and deep in your heart, that He really is? Every person must give an answer—and whether our answer is right could not be more consequential.

Excerpted from Face to Face with Jesus: Seeing Him as He Really Is. Through Monday, May 18, it is on sale from Eternal Perspective Ministries for $6 (54% off $12.99 retail).

Plus get 10% off with code SPRING26. (Ends May 29.)

Thoughts on Courage, and What We Can Expect in Heaven: Part Two of My Interview with Dennis Rainey

Randy Alcorn — Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700

I had a great two-part conversation with Dennis Rainey for his podcast “Inspiring Courageous Faith.” If you haven’t watched part one, you can do so here. We talked about Nanci’s cancer battle, and trusting Jesus when life is hard.

In part two, we talked about faith, Heaven, and the realities that shape courageous living:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iChVEQpjKY

Dennis likes to ask his guests, “What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?”

I think many of us struggle at times to be courageous and boldly follow Jesus—I know I do. But in my experience, when I have walked with the Lord step by step, He provides the strength and help I need, just when I need it.

For example, in the area of giving, it started with following Christ by giving a certain amount, and then giving more, and now giving even more. With advocating for unborn children, as I shared in the video, it started with Nanci and me opening our home to a pregnant young woman and helping place her child up for adoption. I served on the board of a crisis pregnancy center, and we gave substantially more of our income to support prolife work. We also participated in Life Chain (holding up signs that read “Abortion Kills Children”), went to abortion clinics, and did sidewalk counseling (at first not disobeying the law, then standing in front where we could be arrested). All of that was gradual.

So I would encourage anyone wanting to develop courage to follow the Lord wherever He is leading you, then depend upon Him to give you more courage to take the next step. Our lives are supposed to be what Eugene Peterson calls “a long obedience in the same direction.” God calls us to “stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13, NIV).

Following Christ requires taking up our cross daily, which means little sacrifices made repeatedly again and again and again. It means living in light of eternal realities. And one day you will wake up and realize (or if you are humble you may not realize) you have become a bolder, more courageous, and more heavenly-minded person. That should not be the exception, but the norm for the Christian life. And it’s all by His gracious empowerment!

For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 4-10, emphasis added).

Some further thoughts on courage:

“I would go to the deeps a hundred times to cheer a downcast spirit. It is good for me to have been afflicted, that I might know how to speak a word in season to one that is weary.” —Charles Spurgeon

“He that will not sail till all dangers are over must never put to sea.” —Thomas Fuller

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”—Joshua 1:9

Cancer, Grief, and God’s Sovereignty: Part One of My Interview with Dennis Rainey

Randy Alcorn — Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700

I’ve long appreciated Dennis Rainey, a great brother. Eternal Perspective Ministries considers it a privilege to support FamilyLife, which Dennis and his wife Barbara cofounded along with two other couples.

Dennis has a new podcast called “Inspiring Courageous Faith.” He and I had a great conversation together, and in part one we talked about my wife Nanci’s cancer, my grief since she went to be with Jesus, and God’s sovereignty over it all. Dennis shared about a tragedy their family has walked through, and how they’ve trusted God through it, which was touching:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHIax6dqbHY

On the topic of courage and trusting Jesus through suffering, here’s something Nanci wrote during her cancer battle:

“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:13-14, ESV).

To “look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” does not mean all of us will live as long as we want or that all will go according to our wishes and desired diagnoses in this life. The LORD’s goodness toward us is what He knows to be the best good, for now and forever, not what we think to be the best good for us.

His good may not always feel pleasant, or even fair in my limited perspective, but the truth is: His good is always perfectly designed for me. The LORD’s good carries His plans for my life; and His plans are better than I can imagine.

God often blesses us by revealing some of His good purposes in our lives. These are times when it is easier to continue walking the path He has chosen for us. He sometimes withholds the reasons for His choice of goodness in our lives until we see Him face to face. This too is part of His goodness toward us.

He desires that we trust in His character rather than our circumstances. For me to believe with all my heart in the goodness of God—under all circumstances—blesses my Father, my Savior, and my Comforter. That is to say: it causes God to rejoice in me. What could possibly be better?!

Dennis mentioned my booklet Grieving with Hope. If you’re dealing with loss and grief, my prayer is that it’s an encouragement to you, and a reminder that God is with you in your suffering.

Some further thoughts on trust:

We cannot always trace God’s hand, but we can always trust God’s heart.” —Charles Spurgeon

I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us. He does nothing in vain.” —John Henry Newman

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.” —Psalm 9:10

We Sow in Tears, But We Will Reap in Joy

Randy Alcorn — Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700

I read these words from one of Charles Spurgeon’s sermons, and found them both timeless and encouraging:

It will sometimes happen that where there is the most sorrow in the antecedents, there will be the most pleasure in the sequel. As the furious storm gives place to the clear sunshine, so the night of weeping precedes the morning of joy. Sorrow the harbinger; gladness the prince it ushers in.

[William] Cowper says: “The path of sorrow, and that path alone, Leads to the place where sorrow is unknown.”

To a great extent we find that we must sow in tears before we can reap in joy. Many of our works for Christ have cost us tears. Difficulties and disappointments have wrung our soul with anguish. Yet those projects that have cost us more than ordinary sorrow, have often turned out to be the most honorable of our undertakings. …You may expect a blessing in serving God if you are enabled to persevere under many discouragements. The ship is often long coming home, because detained on the road by excess of cargo. Expect her freight to be the better when she reaches the port.

"Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Psalm 30:5)

As I’ve shared before, reading and discussing biographies of faithful believers can give both children and adults footprints to follow, especially through our suffering. So let me recommend John Piper’s excellent presentations on the life of Charles Spurgeon and the life of William Cowper (whom Spurgeon quoted above).

If you’d like to read more from Spurgeon, see my book We Shall See God. In writing that book, I became Spurgeon’s coauthor, without his permission, drawing extensively from the best of his sermons about Heaven and the New Earth and adding my own thoughts, so it’s about half and half. If the saying “it’s easier to get forgiveness than permission” ever applied, I’m confident it will when I meet Spurgeon and explain how he and I wrote a book together. :) It may help to tell him that all the royalties went to causes he would endorse!

Eight Myths about Heaven That Many Believe

Randy Alcorn — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Big books full of Scripture, theology, and quotations from people long dead don’t normally sell well. Yet to my surprise, and the publisher’s, over a million copies of my 2004 book Heaven have sold. Innumerable readers, including pastors, have told me their views of the afterlife have radically changed.

Why? In an age when people try to make doctrines more appealing by ignoring or twisting biblical truth, here’s the irony—the true biblical doctrine of Heaven is far more attractive than the dull, inhuman view of the afterlife that has long prevailed in evangelicalism.

That off-putting perspective still imprisons many believers. Based on countless interactions I’ve had with readers of the book and others over the past sixteen years, here are eight persistent misconceptions about Heaven.

1. We will spend eternity in the clouds.

After the final judgment, God will remake the universe itself and then relocate the present Heaven to the New Earth, where He will live with His people (Revelation 21:1–4). The promise of Heaven on Earth shouldn’t surprise us, but it’s shocking and suspicious if we’ve always believed something else.

Many throughout history understood this biblical doctrine, including more recent Reformed theologians such as Herman Bavinck, Cornelius Venema, Anthony Hoekema, and Albert Wolters. Sadly, the great majority of evangelicals have not read their books. Even those who have don’t always grasp the implications.

At Bible college and seminary, my last New Testament classes ended with the final judgment in Revelation 20. In eschatology, we examined the pros and cons of a mid-trib rapture, and discussed the millennium, but we never talked about the new earth, the central subject of Scripture’s last two chapters. So we paid zero attention to the place where we will live with Jesus and each other forever! Pastors who have read Heaven often contact me to share that their education was nearly identical.

As humans, we’re no more drawn to a vague angelic realm than we are to eating gravel. We need to recover the biblical doctrine of Heaven, culminating in the New Earth.

2. The Bible says very little about Heaven.

A Christian leader once visited my office, asking what I was researching. “A big book on Heaven,” I answered. He replied, “First Corinthians 2:9 says, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.’ So what will you write about?” I gave my usual response: “You didn’t complete the sentence: ‘but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.’”

When God reveals otherwise undiscoverable truths to us, we’d better pay attention. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever” (Deuteronomy 29:29). The Bible’s substantial information about the world to come belongs to us—and the Bible provides far more information than most realize (for example, Isaiah 60 is quoted twice in Revelation 22, suggesting it’s about the New Earth).

God wants us to anticipate what awaits us. That’s why Peter says, “According to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

3. We can learn about heaven from people’s claims of going there.

A television network once called my office and asked, “Has Randy been to Heaven?” Our receptionist answered, “If he has, he’s never mentioned it. But he did do years of research in the Bible and church history.” The conversation ended abruptly: “We want to interview people who have actually been there.”

Too often, people view accounts of visiting Heaven as gospel. Obviously, God can show someone the afterlife if He so chooses. But “it is appointed for man to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). Since these stories are told by people who will “die twice,” it seems likely that they did not truly die the first time, even if vital signs weren’t measurable. A person’s memories under heavy sedation—and his or her ability to distinguish dreams from reality—aren’t reliable, but God’s word is (John 17:17).

The apostle Paul, who had been to Heaven, said, “This man was caught up into paradise . . . and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter” (2 Corinthians 12:3–4). Many books, however, claim to divulge secrets that, sadly, some readers believe instead of Scripture.

4. Heaven now will be Heaven later.

When Christians die, they enter the present Heaven. “Grandma’s now in Heaven” refers to a temporary period between life on Earth and the resurrection.

Though the present Heaven is wonderful, “far better” than Earth under the curse (Philippians 1:23), it is not the place we’re made for. Our destiny is a resurrected life on a resurrected earth: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. . . . I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them’” (Revelation 21:1–3). Heaven is wherever God dwells and His throne is, and God’s dwelling place and throne will be on the New Earth (Revelation 22:3).

God’s ultimate plan is not to take us up to live with Him in His place (which happens at death). His plan is, rather, to come down after the resurrection to live with us forever in our place, the New Earth. As Jesus is God incarnate, so the New Earth will be Heaven incarnate.

5. We’ll live forever without a body.

Plato believed that material things, including bodies, are evil, while immaterial things, such as souls, are good. What I call “Christoplatonism” infects many churches, teaching that human spirits are better off without bodies, and Heaven is a disembodied realm.

Our inability to appreciate the physical nature of the resurrection robs believers of excitement for Heaven. God’s future plan of a renewed physical universe means we will live, eat and drink, laugh and play, rest and work, exercise our gifts as God’s image-bearers, and most importantly, be with, worship, and serve King Jesus.

Jesus spoke of the “renewal of all things” (Matthew 19:28 NIV). Peter preached that Christ will remain in Heaven “until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets” (Acts 3:21). Yet somehow, we’ve overlooked an entire biblical vocabulary. Reconcile. Redeem. Restore. Recover. Return. Renew. Resurrect. God plans to physically restore His entire creation, including us, Earth, and animals (Isaiah 11:6–9; 65:17, 25; Romans 8:19–23).

6. Heaven will be boring.

Believing that eternal life consists of endless harp strumming furthers Satan’s strategy “to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling” (Revelation 13:6).

Thinking that Heaven will be boring betrays a heresy—that God is boring. Nonsense! God made our taste buds, adrenaline, the nerve endings that convey pleasure to our brains, our imaginations, and our capacity for happiness and excitement.

“No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him” (Revelation 22:3 NIV). Servants have things to do, places to go, people to see. Our most common everyday activities will be worship, punctuated by the joy of joining the multitudes to praise Him.

First Corinthians 10:31 will apply just as much in eternity as it does now: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” We can worship God now by working, painting, playing, reading, writing, and enjoying every other innocent activity. How much more on a New Earth where righteousness reigns?

7. We won’t be us anymore or remember our former lives.

The idea that we’ll lose our identities in heaven is Hindu, not Christian. Resurrection will forever reestablish us as glorified human individuals.

Christ’s resurrection is our prototype. He proclaimed, “It is I myself” (Luke 24:39). When Thomas said, “My Lord and my God,” he knew he was speaking to the same Jesus he’d lived with for years. Job said, “After my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself” (Job 19:26–27).

You will be you in Heaven. Who else would you be? Since we’ll give an account of our lives on earth, we must remain us, and our memories will have to be better, not worse. Scripture gives no indication of a memory wipe causing us not to recognize family and friends. In fact, if we wouldn’t know our loved ones, the comfort of an afterlife reunion, taught in 1 Thessalonians 4:14–18, would be no comfort at all.

8. Heaven will be a spiritual realm with no human culture.

A Bible college professor took offense at my suggestion that culture—including inventions, concerts, drama, and sports—will likely be part of the New Earth. But if we will be God’s resurrected image-bearers living on a resurrected earth, why wouldn’t they be?

We’re told Heaven is a city (Hebrews 11:10; 13:14). Cities have buildings, art, music, commerce, science, and technology. And of course, cities have people engaged in gatherings, conversations, work, and play. Heaven is also a country (Hebrews 11:16). Countries have land, animals, rulers, and citizens who are both diverse and unified. We’re told “the kings of the earth will bring their glory into” the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24).

Culture is the natural, God-intended product of His calling for mankind to rule over creation. If we believe Scripture’s teaching that mankind and earth will exist in physical form, as the entire doctrine of resurrection dictates, then culture must continue. How could it not?

Best Is Yet to Come

Since the resurrection awaits God’s children, we haven’t passed our peak happiness and never will. There’s no need for bucket lists, because our new universe adventures will far exceed this life’s. We really will live happily ever after. That’s not wishful thinking. It’s the blood-bought promise of Jesus.

We should daily look forward to a world without evil, suffering, or death, where God will live with us and wipe away our tears forever (Revelation 21:4). Anticipating the glorious realities of the resurrected earth has breathtaking implications for our present happiness and our sense of the far-reaching scope of the gospel message.

Let’s live upon Heaven’s joys now, jettisoning unbiblical and unworthy views of Heaven, and believing that the best truly is yet to come.

How Can We Sense God’s Leading in Our Lives?

Randy Alcorn — Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700

A reader sent me this question: I really want to follow Christ but at times I become anxious searching for God’s Spirit within me. How can I hear God’s voice and know that He is clearly speaking to me?

Knowing God’s voice, I think, comes from abiding in Christ, as we see in John 15. A vital part of that is His Word abiding in us. Confession of sin is also important, so our relationship with God isn't hindered by our sin. The wisdom and input of others—not just any others but very godly others—is certainly helpful. But in the end, there is a supernatural aspect to following God’s leading that’s more than knowing what the Bible says and listening to others.

It’s hard to put it in words, but sometimes I sense a definite prompting from God—call it the still small voice or whatever. Often, I’m prompted to pray for someone, speak to someone about the Lord, or to give them a book, and not just a book but one particular book. I remember years ago I was playing tennis with a non-Christian guy I’d never met. At the time, my default giveaway book to nonbelievers was Grace and Truth Paradox, but for some reason I really felt led to give him Lord Foulgrin’s Letters. I called him the next day to see if we could play again and he said, “I read that whole novel you gave me; it was very interesting.” I have no doubt God was speaking to me to give him that particular book.

I usually avoid the words “God told me to...” or especially, “God said to me, ‘Give him Lord Foulgrin’s Letters.’” Yet essentially, I do believe that’s true. I avoid saying it that way because for me, it’s never been an audible voice, and because there is a danger in thinking that everything that comes into your mind is a word from the Lord. But sometimes it seems just as objectively real even though it’s not audible. Of course, that’s my subjective sense, but I am virtually certain of God’s leading in some of these things even that are not directly stated in Scripture (but certainly honor and align with it).

In many ways, I think God’s voice has become clearer to me as the years have gone on. Maybe I’ve been around long enough now to evaluate the difference between a thought or idea popping into my mind, and something really coming from the Lord. Of course, much of life does function on the basis of principles, wisdom, and counsel. We don’t need an audible voice from God to know we should help the needy and share the Gospel!

I do have a greater sense than ever of God’s providence in arranging the people who come across my path. For example, when I was helping coach tennis, I got a call about a player who was really struggling. I called him and spent three hours with him, mostly playing tennis, but also building a relationship, and talking quite a bit afterward. I felt God directing me to call him, to say certain things, to pray for him, etc. I have no doubt of God’s voice and direction in this. On the other hand, when I came home, the Olympics were on, and I watched them for forty minutes. It wasn’t a matter of feeling God’s leading. It was a discretionary choice. I didn’t have to hear God’s voice to figure out what I should do.

Now that doesn’t mean that God’s Spirit doesn’t lead in such trivial things, but I can say that I don’t sense God’s voice in every detail of my life (nor do I need to!). But most days I have a number of things—small and large—in which I do think I’ve heard His voice in the sense I’m talking about.

I encourage anyone seeking to follow the Lord’s leading to relax and be patient, and let God develop your sense of His voice and direction more as the years go on. As long as you abide in Him and stay rooted in His Word, I believe you’ll find a greater sense of assurance of God’s leading and speaking in your life.

Joy Is Not More Biblical Than Happiness, and Yes, God Really Is Happy

Randy Alcorn — Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700

After my book Happiness was released, I did an interview with Faithlife about some of the book’s main themes. The interviewer, Daniel DeBartolo, did a great job asking thoughtful questions. Below the video, you can read an edited transcript:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utVTZJTRoTY

Daniel DeBartolo: We're here with Randy Alcorn, author of Heaven and Happiness. Randy, is there a difference between joy and happiness, and why does that even matter?

Randy: In the end, there is very little difference between joy, happiness, gladness, and merriment. These words are synonyms; they are overlapping circles and essentially the same thing. If I were to say, “It’s bright outside. It’s a sunny day. The sky is blue. There's not a cloud in the sky,” have I said four different things? No, I've said one thing in four different ways. They're slightly different enough to broaden your view, but I'm not contrasting them with each other.

The same thing is true with the Hebrew words for happiness and joy and gladness, as well as the Greek words that are used in Scripture. If you look them up in lexicons or dictionaries, you’ll find that the word translated “joy” in the lexicon will say “a state of happiness; gladness.” The word translated “happy” is defined as “joyful.”

Daniel: So really, it's a choice by translators to take a word in the Greek or Hebrew language, and use different words in English to convey the sense of that original word. Does it change the meaning of Bible passages that we read in English if it's translated joy or happiness?

Randy: It shouldn't, but it does. For example, the Greek word chara is typically translated “joy.” The verb form of it, chairo, is used in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” It could easily be translated as, “Be glad in the Lord always, and again I say be glad” or “Be happy in the Lord always, and again I say be happy.”

People will say things like, “Joy is the spiritual thing, and happiness is this worldly thing.” To prove that isn’t factual, one of the things I do in the book is cite a passage in Mark where the Pharisees rejoice, and it uses that same word chairo that’s used for “rejoice in the Lord always.” These Pharisees are rejoicing because Judas has agreed to betray Jesus, and they paid him his 30 pieces of silver. Except it’s not translated “rejoice”; it says, “they were glad,” so no one realizes this is the same word for rejoicing. But if joy is only a spiritual thing, were the Pharisees being spiritual when they rejoiced that Judas was betraying Jesus? Of course not! The point is, unbelievers who oppose God’s purposes can rejoice, just as believers can and should be happy in Christ in the appropriate sense.

Daniel: In your book, you talk about the fact that God is happy. Often times, especially perhaps with non-Christians or people who don't know much about the Bible, they have this view of God as being angry or full of wrath. How can we as Christians reconcile that God is happy and good and righteous, and because of that righteousness, pours out His wrath on the unrighteous? How can we reconcile those concepts as we live life and read the Bible?

Randy: That's a really important question. We need to be careful not to draw lines that fail to recognize paradox. There are so many things in life, and so many things in the Bible, that are simultaneously true. Paul talked about being sorrowful yet always rejoicing. How is that possible?

As soon as people hear someone like me say that Jesus was happy, they say, “But no, He's the man of sorrows. He was not happy.” Well, “man of sorrows” is a phrase that is used in Isaiah 53 related to the redemptive work of Messiah on the cross. He was pierced for our iniquities, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. They say, “But Jesus wept.” Sure, He wept, but that phrase “man of sorrows” is used in particular about a day of His life that started in Gethsemane with His agony, and then goes to the next day on the cross and the six hours of horrible suffering greater than anyone has ever known. But it's not right to think of Jesus as day to day being a man full of sorrow.

How do we know this? There are a number of ways. In the first message in the early church recorded in Acts 2, Peter quoted from Psalm 16 referring to the Messiah’s happiness, joy, or gladness, depending on what translation you use.

Hebrews 1 quotes Psalm 45 and says of the Messiah that He was anointed with the oil of gladness beyond His companions. Who are those companions? Most interpreters say that's not just the Apostles, the people He hung out with on Earth, but His fellow human beings. If so, Hebrews 1 and Psalm 45, which we now know is referring to Jesus, are calling Him the happiest person who has ever lived.

Think of the children who came to Jesus (Mark 9:36-37, Mark 10:16, Luke 18:15). Children don't come to unhappy people! They're not drawn to them.

When Jesus talked about the prodigal son, He described the father who celebrates and rejoices and kills the fatted calf. He says to the older son, “We had to celebrate and make merry.” This is a picture of God the Father’s heart.

There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God whenever a sinner repents. God the Father is pleased and delighted with His Son. He said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I'm well pleased.” Luke 10 also tells us Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit. There's so much joy in God!

We need to understand that sin is a temporary condition, and God is unhappy with sin, but endless eons before the world was created, in eternity past, there was no sin and God was always happy. In the ages to come, when sin is dealt with once and for all, forever God will always be happy. Even now, our God of sovereignty and grace remains happy in Himself and pleased with His people. Yes, He is displeased with sin, and He does have anger and wrath. He will judge evil, yet all of that is congruent with the reality of His happiness.

Will Even Spiders Be on the New Earth?

Randy Alcorn — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700

A reader wrote me, “You say in your book Heaven that God will refashion the animal kingdom on the New Earth. But surely you can't believe there will be rats, spiders, and insects, and other creepy animals, such as mosquitoes? That sure wouldn't be Heaven for me!”

Asking how rats and spiders and insects could possibly be on the New Earth is like asking how they possibly could have been in Eden. The point is, they were, and it didn’t diminish Eden, but somehow enhanced it. We’ve never seen insects as they once were, and as they yet will be. (I’ve met some pretty strange and unappealing people, and I’ve been one myself from time to time, but that doesn’t mean people won’t inhabit the New Earth—just that they’ll need to be changed.)

Consider spiders—creatures I admit I rarely appreciate, especially in their larger forms. Yet the intricate designs of their webs reveal something remarkable about them and their Creator.

Spiders operate on instinct, but they adjust web size and spacing to available space, vary thread thickness, and orient webs in response to light and wind. When damage occurs, they repair rather than rebuild, reinforcing weak points and strengthening areas subject to greater impact. No two webs are identical. Spiders are not blind automatons; they exhibit creative adaptability.

Their engineering skills are astonishing. Spider silk, a God-given material that engineers struggle to replicate, absorbs immense impact without breaking and is stronger than steel relative to its weight. Different silks serve different purposes—egg sacs, draglines, and structural support—revealing sophisticated design and purposeful execution.

Spiders also learn from experience, avoiding past failures. Some even create decoy replicas of themselves to deter predators. Remarkably—and this seems more than instinctual—they sometimes appear to sacrifice efficiency in favor of greater aesthetic beauty. If humans behaved this way, we would call it more than instinct, wouldn’t we? Why underestimate their remarkable natures simply because they are small and—in this post-Eden and pre-New Earth world—frightening?

If you encountered a web with its geometric artistry without knowing spiders existed, you would marvel, wondering what human made them, and how. Whether we or spiders themselves appreciate their work, surely their Creator does. I’ve watched sunlight catch a web in a gentle breeze, transforming it into something breathtaking.

“The leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:6-9).

Mosquitoes? Why not? If lions will no longer be carnivores, which we are told in Isaiah 11 and 65, does this imply that they weren’t originally carnivores? If so, why couldn’t mosquitoes have lived off vegetation rather than living beings, and/or why couldn’t they do so again on the New Earth? We should not mistake all animals’ current behaviors with their original design—think how misleading that would be if we did it with humans.

We often project our current revulsion to certain creatures (e.g. big hairy spiders give me the major creeps) on our eternal state—but this ignores two critical things: they will be changed and we will be changed. They won’t be worthy of revulsion, and we won’t be gripped by revulsion.

Note from Eternal Perspective Ministries: Preorder Randy's book All God’s Creatures: What the Bible Says About Animals, Heaven, and the New Earth from EPM, and your book will ship by media mail when it releases this fall.

Every Child Is Known and Loved by God, from Conception

Randy Alcorn — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700

When does life begin? The Bible gives theological certainty to the overwhelming biological evidence: life begins at conception. Scripture teaches that men and women are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Throughout Scripture, personhood is never measured by age, stage of development, or mental, physical, or social skills. Personhood is endowed by God at the moment of creation, and that moment of creation can be nothing other than the moment of conception.

To the argument “You can’t seriously believe a frozen embryo is a human being,” the proper response is, “Both scientifically and theologically we can’t seriously believe a frozen embryo is anything other than a human being.”

Sadly, estimates suggest that as a result of IVF (in vitro fertilization), there are somewhere between 1 to 10 million frozen human embryos currently in storage in the U.S. This should be of immense concern to all who believe human life begins at conception. Some of the embryos have been stored for decades. Many embryos created for IVF are ultimately thawed and destroyed, or donated for medical research.

Raul Reyes is the president and founder of Life Equip Global, which seeks to equip churches with resources to respond to the Global Abortion Holocaust. He recently shared this touching note, which involves embryonic adoption:

Over the past two months, Chris and I have experienced something very special in our family. Both our daughter Alaina and our daughter-in-law Krista have given birth to beautiful baby girls—our granddaughters.

What makes this even more meaningful is that both of these precious lives began as frozen embryos. These were lives that could have remained frozen, forgotten, or discarded—but today they are here, alive, held, and deeply loved. Holding them and looking into their faces, I am reminded again that every life is a gift from God—known, formed, and loved by Him long before we ever see them.

This is no longer just something I teach. It is someone I am holding in my arms.

That picture is so powerful when you consider that these precious children were once frozen embryos who would've ultimately been destroyed. What a wonderful story that these two babies are now beloved by their families! (Though I truly believe that embryo donation can be a beautiful and God-honoring choice for a couple to make, I’m aware that it does not come without its own ethical considerations, which Katy Faust has documented in her article “A Children’s Rights Perspective on Embryo Adoption.”)

Will We Trust in God’s Character and His Care for Us?

Randy Alcorn — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700

My wife Nanci kept a journal during the four years she battled cancer. Most of her journal consisted of quotes and verses she copied down from her reading, but she also shared some of her own profound insights.

Nanci sometimes felt anxious throughout those difficult years, but she instructed herself by God’s words, and the anxiety was replaced by peace and hope and rest in the great God she knew to be her Father. She understood that Jesus is not only her Savior and Lord, but her friend.

May God’s words in these verses, and Nanci’s reflections after each of them, encourage you to keep trusting Jesus today:

“Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15)

Lord, I trust you. I call upon you. O God, hold fast to me! Preserve me by your power.

Sustain my faith. Don’t let me waiver in unbelief. Shine your irresistible light of glory into my heart and grant me to hope fully in your grace and steadfast love for me.

“…in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7)

My prayer is that God might help me to understand even a portion of His immeasurable grace and kindness in this life!

“His divine power has granted us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” (2 Peter 1:3)

I have everything I need through Christ’s power!

It is a shame to waste time on anxiety, fear, worry, and resentment. My calling is to invest myself in getting to know God, serving others, telling others about Him; telling God I love Him; and glorifying Him!

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7)

Some trust in percentages, statistics, and doctor’s success rates. But I trust in God’s control of and plan for my life!

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8)

I have tasted the goodness of God on this cancer path, and it is sweet. He is faithful, trustworthy, peaceful, very near, in complete control, filled with love and mercy, and thoroughly attentive. And to think: He is desirous of my love, worship, obedience, and trust in Him!

Because of Jesus, Our Best Years Are Always Ahead of Us

Randy Alcorn — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Recently, a friend turned 40, and I was reflecting on that season of my own life. I remember when I hit 40, wondering if most of my best years were behind me because I’d “passed my peak.” (Despite the fact that I knew our ultimate peaks are always ahead of us in a far better world, so we can NEVER pass them here!)

Little did I realize at age 40 that my most spiritually impactful years in this present life were still ahead of me. The same precious children we were raising were going off to college and would soon get married to our wonderful sons-in-law. Our daughters and their husbands would remain a major part of Nanci’s and my lives, and their future children, our grandchildren, would also become a vital part of us. We would be able to love them and coach them and encourage them and laugh with them and send them Scripture texts, and all the other things you do with grandkids. The oldest of our five grandsons got married last summer, and another is getting married this summer (both chose godly young women whom I adore!). I feel very connected to our daughters and sons-in-law and to each of our five grandsons, as well as to the church Nanci and I helped plant 49 years ago.

At 40, I had written only eight of my now 68 books, and nearly all of my most important books were still to be written. Some very deep and lasting friendships were still to be formed. Now at nearly 72, I am deeply grateful for all God has done in the last 32 years—even the painful things—and how He faithfully used both the joys and the suffering to refine Nanci’s character and mine. (He always knows best, even when it hurts, and sometimes it really does. As I write, four close friends have died in a five-week period, and I’m speaking at three memorial services in the next six weeks.)

The words “finish well“ mean more to me than they ever did, and I am more determined than ever to complete my race to the glory of God. Especially because I know that after the finish line, what awaits us is eternal goodness, glory, beauty, a restored earth, and a depth of relationship with God and each other beyond what we can imagine.

So I am daily seeking God‘s face and living in His grace and drawing near to Him. I’m also guarding my life against anything that would ruin or in any way diminish my heritage to my children and grandchildren and the people whose lives, by God‘s grace, I have been able to touch. I seek to live by these words: “He must increase and I must decrease” (John 3:30). And ironically, the greater His increase and the greater my decrease, the more joy there is!

My advice to anyone feeling unease about an upcoming “milestone” birthday is to cling to King Jesus, and if God has given you a spouse and children and perhaps even grandchildren, to love them well. Keep your focus on the kingdom of God, and remind yourself of these words: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). These words certainly apply just as much to single people. God cares deeply about the condition of our hearts, and guarding and cultivating them should be our top priority.

By God’s supernatural grace and empowerment, may we be able to say this at the end of our lives here—with all eternity yet in front of us, where we will at last never pass our peaks, having resurrected bodies and minds and enjoying abundant life on God’s New Earth, worshiping King Jesus:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day” (2 Timothy 4:7-9).

Will We Sing in Heaven?

Randy Alcorn — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700

The Bible is full of examples of people praising God with singing and musical instruments. In the Temple—a representation of God’s presence—288 people sang and played a variety of instruments (1 Chronicles 25:1-8). The psalmist instructed the people to praise God with trumpets, harps, lyres, tambourines, strings, flutes, and cymbals (Psalm 150). Hezekiah said, “We will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the Lord” (Isaiah 38:20). Jesus sang with His disciples (Mark 14:26), and the apostle Paul instructed Christians to sing to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19). James says, “Those who have reason to be thankful should continually sing praises to the Lord” (James 5:13, NLT).

The 144,000 “who had been redeemed from the earth” sing a “new song” before God’s throne (Revelation 14:2-3). Moses’ song, likely the song of Exodus 15, might be on the lips of God’s saints in Heaven. Revelation 15:3, describing John’s vision of Heaven, says, “They were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.’”

Will songs we know be in Heaven?

Scripture songs will endure, but other music from Earth may also be preserved. If we sing songs in Heaven that were once sung on earth, perhaps we’ll also sing the hymns of people like Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley, and John Newton. Consider Handel’s Messiah, Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” the black spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” and Isaac Watts’s “Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed?” What about the thousands of great hymns and praise songs from hundreds of cultures? Imagine a remote tribe singing praises in a beautiful language you’ve never heard.

Although some lyrics will require theological corrections, others will be suitable as is, ready to be sung in God’s presence. Just as new songs will express old and new insights about God, the old songs will express earthly insights that in the context of Heaven will have a greater depth of meaning.

Will secular songs survive? Not if they dishonor Christ. But what about songs that cried for perspective and deliverance? We might recall and even sing such songs to remind us of when we longed for God and when he answered. Maybe other old songs, less deep but not sin-corrupted, will be sung just for fun. Which of your favorite songs will survive the fire? (If there’s a specific reason why some won’t, why listen to them now?)

We will also sing “new songs” in Heaven (Revelation 5:9; 14:3) and on the New Earth (Isaiah 42:10). This suggests that some of God’s people may serve as songwriters, eternally lending their talents to the praise of God.

Music is transcendent—a bridge between this world and another. That’s why people devote so much of themselves to it and gain such pleasure in it. We love the rich and varied rhythms and harmonies. In Heaven God will unleash our creativity, not confine it. As a musical novice, I might compose something worthy of Bach. (And what kind of music do you suppose Bach will compose?!)

Will we always be on our faces at Christ’s feet, worshiping Him?

No, because Scripture says we’ll be doing many other things—living in dwelling places, eating and drinking, reigning with Christ, and working for Him. Scripture depicts people standing, walking, traveling in and out of the city, and gathering at feasts. When doing these things, we won’t be on our faces before Christ. Nevertheless, all that we do will be an act of worship. We’ll enjoy full and unbroken fellowship with Christ. At times this will crescendo into greater heights of praise as we assemble with the multitudes who are also worshiping Him.

Someone might ask, will we have to sing even if we don’t like to? The question assumes facts not in evidence—that whatever we dislike now we’ll dislike then. But doesn’t experience tell us otherwise? Aren’t there foods we love now that we hated as children? Aren’t there books we love now that would’ve bored us when we were younger? Had we been able to decide as children everything we would do or not do as adults, wouldn’t we have robbed ourselves of countless joys? We mustn’t assume that everything we don’t like doing now we still won’t like doing in Heaven.

In Heaven, where everyone worships Jesus, no one says, “Now we’re going to sing two hymns, followed by announcements and prayer.” The singing isn’t ritual but spontaneous praise (Revelation 5:11-14). If someone rescued you and your family from terrible harm, especially at great cost to himself, no one would need to tell you, “Better say thank you.” On your own, you would shower Him with praise. Even more will we sing our Savior’s praises and tell of His life-saving deeds!

We Can Simultaneously Make Room in Our Hearts for God, People, and Animals

Randy Alcorn — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Sometimes I’ve seen Christians be upset that a story about an abandoned or abused animal has prompted an outpouring of public dismay. Some believers say things like: “Look! They care more about an animal than people made in God’s image!”

Now of course, if people only care about animals, and care nothing about suffering people, including unborn children, that is certainly wrong! And believe me, in a culture like ours, the injustice committed against unborn children is a major blind spot. As has been noted by many prolife advocates, in this country you can get in major trouble for tampering with a bald eagle’s nest, but under the law in many states, an unborn child can be murdered with no repercussions; and in fact, abortion is celebrated by many. How tragic.

But none of this changes the fact that humans were indeed given a mandate in Genesis 1 and 2 to exercise benevolent dominion over the animals, and that mandate has never been rescinded. So when we see an animal suffering, especially at the hands of other people, it’s only right that we feel upset and even indignant (and again, this does not diminish the fact that we should feel far more upset when we hear of the suffering of people, especially children). A suffering animal in many ways represents what’s wrong with this broken world, affected by human sin—and also reminds us of the world as it once was, and was always meant to be, with humans and animals delighting in God and in each other without enmity, accidents, abuse, natural disasters, or predators.

One of the strangest assumptions people sometimes make is that if we love animals, we can’t sufficiently love God and people. But love is not a zero-sum game. Any person who would care for a stray cat or dog is more likely, not less, to offer help to needy people. (I often hear comments about how much money people spend on food and vet care for their animals. And certainly, we need to be wise stewards of what God has entrusted to us. But consider all the money spent on sports or watching sports, boating, skiing, golf, and other hobbies. I don’t think when anybody sees a golfer or a boater or a skier, they automatically assume he or she doesn’t care about people and their needs.)

Nanci had a mug that I still see whenever I open the cupboard: “What I love most about people is their dogs.” But her love for animals never overshadowed her love for people. On the contrary, it strengthened it. Nanci took a special interest in homeless people; she prayed for them and made considerable contributions to local rescue missions. Her affection for animals often led to a deeper connection with people, even facilitating spiritual conversations, especially with other dog lovers. (There are many lonely, single often widowed people whose animals are a gift from God for them. They may even feel their animals are one of the primary ways God shows His love for them. This has certainly been true for me with my dog Gracie, since Nanci went to be with Jesus.)

Loving animals can expand our capacity to love God and other people. Usually, a child who loves a pet will also love people more, not less. Many children learn compassion for people as they care for animals.

Some of my favorite animal videos show people rescuing and helping suffering animals. Here are two examples:

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F3369927609847283%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPGkm3QxXXM?si=AyZ3j9YOKH_nsLVx

Something deep within us resonates with the goodness of assisting a helpless animal. Videos like these remind me of Romans 8:19: “All creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.” These people—regardless of whether they believed in God at all—acted as His appointed caretakers for helpless animals, and in doing so, they foreshadowed the perfect, sinless children of God who will one day rule the New Earth to God’s glory.

So let’s be careful not to mock or dismiss people for being concerned about animals, and especially those that are suffering. Instead, let’s use that love for animals as a bridge to share about their Creator who loves them and entrusted their care to us. He’s the God who died on the cross to offer us eternal life with Him, and who has a wonderful plan for redeemed people on a New Earth that will also include animals.

Note from Eternal Perspective Ministries: Preorder Randy's book All God’s Creatures: What the Bible Says About Animals, Heaven, and the New Earth from EPM, and your book will ship by media mail when it releases this fall.

The Heavens Move Our Hearts to Worship the Creator

Randy Alcorn — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Like many people, I enjoyed hearing updates about NASA’s Artemis II, which recently completed a 10-day mission around the moon, traveling over 800,000 kilometers. The photos that commander Reid Wiseman took of the earth are stunning! (The one above is titled, “Hello World.”)

I’ve especially loved all the quotes from pilot Victor Glover, who used the mission to share about his faith, saying, “We need Jesus, whether on Earth or circling the moon.” (Check out this touching video of Glover greeting a young girl with Down Syndrome.)

Astronomy has been an interest for me since my childhood. Years before I came to know Christ, I was outside every clear night looking through a telescope. I was fascinated by what I read about the violent collisions of galaxies, explosions of stars, and implosions into neutron stars and black holes. My love for the wonders of the universe helped prepare me to hear the gospel and respond to Christ.

The universe is vast, yet God is said to have created it with His fingers. Effortless. No big thing. “He made the stars also” (Genesis 1:14), like a universe 150 billion light years across. If we could wrap our minds around the vastness of creation, it might make us think that it is small, and we are bigger than we are. The truth is that creation is incomprehensibly vast, and we are indeed very small. “The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!” (Psalm 33:6,8, NLT).

There’s something in the human heart that responds with wonder to the heavens above us, and is moved to worship the Creator. I appreciate what Joe Carter writes in this article for The Gospel Coalition:

The Heavens Are Still Declaring—and Not Just to Astronauts

Most Christians would likely struggle if, out of the blue, someone asked them to share a message about Easter Sunday. But Victor Glover was put on the spot while 250,000 miles from home and with the whole Earth listening.

“I don’t have anything prepared,” said the unflappable former Navy test pilot and NASA’s current Artemis II pilot. “I’m glad you brought that up, though; I think these observances are important.”

“I think that for me one of the really important personal perspectives that I have up here is I can really see Earth as one thing,” he added. “And you know when I read the Bible, and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us who were created—it’s . . . you have this amazing place, this spaceship.”

“You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth, but you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe,” Glover said.

“Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special, but we’re the same distance from you. And I’m trying to tell you—just trust me—you are special. In all of this emptiness—this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe—you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together,” he said, referring to Earth.

“I think, as we go into Easter Sunday, thinking about, you know, all the cultures all around the world, whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing, and that we’ve gotta get through this together.”

Glover was responding to a question from a reporter who mentioned the Christmas message delivered by the astronauts from NASA’s Apollo 8 mission. During that 1968 mission, about one in four people on the planet watched the video transmission from space on television.

Read the whole article.

Two years ago, I had the pleasure of getting to know astronaut Shane Kimbrough, who like Victor Glover, loves Jesus. (You can view Shane’s Instagram, where he shows some incredible photos and videos he’s taken in space, like this one.) We spoke together at a gathering for illumiNations, a collaboration between a dozen or so Bible translation agencies to help provide God’s Word in every language in our lifetime. Shane and I were asked to have a joint conversation with Bobby Gruenewald (founder of the YouVersion Bible app). The brother who set up our session together said to me, “Shane is a guy who’s been to the heavens, and you’re a guy who’s written about Heaven, so let’s put you together.” We had a great time talking about the New Earth, the view from space, and more. Watch our interview together here.

Christ Is Our Model for Prayer and Submitting to God’s Will

Randy Alcorn — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700

During her four-year cancer battle, Nanci and I prayed together every night, asking God to remove the cancer. We asked Him to perform a miracle, and if He didn’t do that, to use the medical means over which He is sovereign to save her life. We understood that healing was never a certainty, and also knowing full well that sometimes He chooses to heal and sometimes He doesn’t, and even when He does the healing is temporary, and death always comes.

“For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take this to heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2). When doctors told us Nanci was going to die, she told me, “We always knew that, we just didn’t know when, and we still don’t.”

I don’t regret all those prayers for a moment. I believe it was right to ask, and I know we were sincere in our asking. God didn’t answer as we hoped He would. But then God also didn’t answer the prayer of Jesus to have the cup of suffering taken from Him.

In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed to his Father three times, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). A bit later, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done” (Matthew 26:42). Though we asked God wholeheartedly to heal Nanci, we recognized Him as Lord and trusted Him to do His will even if it wasn’t our will. We knew what God sovereignly chose would be both for His glory and Nanci’s good.

Similarly, Paul prayed earnestly for God to remove a physical disability, but recognized God had a higher purpose in not removing it: “In order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

Some people claim that if God doesn’t answer your prayers as you wish, it’s your fault because you lack faith. By the same logic, Jesus and Paul were at fault that their prayers weren’t answered as they desired. (But of course, Scripture does not fault them at all for this.)

Certainly, God sometimes graciously answers our prayers to relieve our suffering. This too testifies to His greatness, and we should praise Him for answering. But when He answers no, we should recognize that He desires to demonstrate His greater glory. May we then bend our knees and trust His sovereign grace.

Hebrews 5:7 says, “During his earthly life, he [Jesus] offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears, to the one who was ablet to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.” In her journal, Nanci wrote these reflections after reading that verse:

We can and should use Christ as our model for prayer. What do we learn from this verse?

Jesus prayed to the Father while on Earth.

His prayers included appeals—so we can offer our requests and petitions, presenting our desires to God.

He even cried loudly sometimes, and cried with tears. We can and should express our level of anxiety and fear. God knows our hearts anyway!

Jesus knew that the Father was able to answer His prayer to save Him from death—so He prayed for that.

But Jesus was also fixed totally to God’s perfect will for His life and the plans God had for the whole world. “Never the less, thy will be done.”

This tells me we can freely come to God, pleading our requests, as long as we hold to the sovereign will of God. Since Jesus was without sin, it is not sin to plead our case to God. This is what He wants us to do. It is not more spiritual to simply pray that God’s will is accomplished no matter what our desires are. This prayer of Jesus proves that we are free to pour out our hearts’ desires to God. But then we must acknowledge and accept that God always has our best interests in mind. His ways are always best—even if we don’t understand them right away. Those paths He leads us on will be exposed to be the very best—if not soon, maybe later on. If not on this Earth, for sure on the New Earth.

And it’s important not to miss that Christ’s prayers were heard by God “because of his reverence.”

My prayers—my heart—must be in reverence to Almighty God. He is my God. I must bow to His will. I must bow to His holiness and justice. I worship His grace, mercy, kindness, and unfailing love. I acknowledge His omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, and wisdom.

Lord, please give me a more reverent mind and heart for you!

Randy Alcorn's Blog

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