Posts from January 2023

I try to imagine myself looking at my feet bolted into those stocks in that dirty, stinking jail in Philippi. There in my misery I look to my left and my right and I see Paul and Silas—two of the happiest souls on earth. But if that’s not disconcerting enough, Paul slaps me on the back, laughs and says, “Lead us in a hymn of praise, brother.” But before I can stop my desperate, repetitious prayers for deliverance long enough…

To travel on Jesus’ road to success is to go in the opposite direction to the world. Though I do not believe that Jesus wants his followers to be living one pay cheque away from financial ruin, I also do not believe that he wants his followers to see their walk with him as a sure road to riches. So, those who are promoting either poverty or riches as divine virtues are best ignored along the way. Instead, the very…

If going to the cross was contingent upon man’s expressed appreciation for Jesus’ sacrifice, our confusion and lack of appreciation would have prevented it. Human beings are not very good at calculating the cost of their sins. Even when it dawns on us that they separate us from God and cause destruction in our lives, we are still prone to making it all about ourselves. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are many good Christians doing many good things. They…

Some have suggested that the death of a religious movement begins when a paid clerical class is established. This is when volunteers are eventually replaced with a paid leadership staff. What was once voluntary becomes vocational. At the other end, some churches have decided that any paid staff is tantamount to clergy, so they have come up with various ways to pay, or not to pay, preachers depending on their current convictions on the subject. One thing that is for…

Today started with rain and will end shortly with rain. This is nothing new for Auckland, New Zealand, and usually is of little surprise. But today was a day of destruction. Firstly, Lynda came out of a public building to find her car up to its windows in flood waters, and secondly, our basement was flooded. The stream in Henderson town was overwhelmed by the day’s heavy rain and it engulfed a number of cars in the car park next…

I know Christians and non-Christians alike who have called “Holy Men” into their homes to cast out evil spirits. Personally, I do not believe that evil spirits abide in buildings or things, but I assure you, my beliefs are of little consequence to those who believe that they do. You soon learn that to suggest that they are being superstitious is being very insulting to them. The idea of a people or things being cursed by evil spirits runs through…

Do you remember the story about the man who saw the advertisement that read: “Rolls-Royce $1.00.” Though sceptical—believing it to be a joke or a newspaper misprint—he phoned anyway. The man who answered the phone told him that the offer was genuine and that he must come and collect his $1.00 Rolls-Royce; he had been the only caller. According to the story, the seller’s wife had left him for another man, and that in the divorce settlement he would rather…

A preacher delivered a beautiful sermon describing the plight of the poor and how it was the duty of the well-to-do to share their wealth with the less fortunate. Later in the day a friend asked how the sermon was received. “Well, it was partly successful…” said the preacher, “I convinced the poor.” For most of us, our lifetimes have been filled with plenty when compared to past generations. Therefore, it is best to remember that great need can return…

A young store manager went to work and told my friend that his ‘partner’ had left him. While he was at work the previous day, she had hired a removal truck and taken everything! “Even those little ornaments scattered around the house were gone,” he said. My friend commiserated with the manager, but the manager said, “It’s no big deal, I’ll get into another relationship.” At which point my friend said, “Well, what have you got to lose?” The managers…

There is an old joke (which is told in many forms), about a preacher who went fishing on a lake with one of the brothers. He said, “Brother, I am concerned that there is a rumour going around the church that you use dynamite to catch fish.” At which point the brother took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and gave it to the preacher and said, “Are you going to fish or talk?” We all have gotten ourselves…