Church Blog (Page 13)

There is indeed a Great Day coming. The Day that Jesus gave his life to bless. The Day that will be filled with rejoicing for those who believed in that blessing. Judgement day will be the Day that Christians realise how much Jesus did for them on the cross. We will understand the full extent of Jesus’ saving grace when we see him in his glory face to face. The pain of sin and death will be swallowed up in…

We should not be surprised when the Bible is viewed by many “as just another collection of ancient myths and wise sayings.” However, since the Bible is so much a part of the DNA of Western thinking, it cannot be easily wished away. Instead, wherever possible, unbelievers will happily downgrade the Bible to a book of children’s tales; stories to be “grown out of,” like Santa Claus and the Tooth fairy. This is nothing new. Even preachers have been guilty…

There were two men in prison and the only book they had was a dictionary. One of them asked, “What do you think of the story so far?” The other answered, “It’s a bit slow. For some reason the author feels that he needs to explain every word.” Given that Jesus’ return can happen at any moment, and that there are eight billion souls on earth, we do well to think “evangelism,” and not be slow about it. When James…

“Going the extra mile,” “turning the other cheek,” “giving away your cloak as well as your shirt,” and “lending while expecting nothing in return,” all have this in common: Fighting over them is a waste of time and energy—we have better things to do! It is true that there are Christians who deserve to be publicly shamed and sued. So why did Paul tell us not to bring lawsuits against each other? Because Christians don’t treat each other the way…

Intent matters. It is the difference between manslaughter or murder. It is the difference between a genuine apology or being thought disingenuous. It is the difference between acceptance or rejection by God. King Zedekiah had two major problems: Firstly, the might of the Babylonian Army was on Jerusalem’s doorstep, and secondly, it was there at God’s invitation. The die was cast, Israel was going into Babylonian captivity and Jerusalem was going to be destroyed. Like all of us, King Zedekiah…

One of the last things I want anyone doing is deciding for me what a Christian should or should not own. When a church begins to determine a believer’s faithfulness according to their possessions, its time for a spiritual reset. But that being said, you and I as individuals, need to do our own private inventories before the Lord. For it is not so much the amount of our possessions, but our attachment to them that matters. The Rich Young…

It was one of those phone calls that claimed that the worldwide events of 2020 were the fulfilment of the prophesies in the Book of Revelation. I had been hearing similar theories since the mid-1970s, so nothing was new. The brother concerned was sincere and, to his credit, was more interesting than others I’d spoken to. The problem came later when he complained that I had not answered his questions to his satisfaction. My respectful response was this: “I have…

The road to Fearlessness is strewn thick with demonic obstacles. From our first step the thought of overcoming the obvious fears—money, health, family, and all manner of temptations—seems to render any hope of success impossible. I’m sure that we agree that all previous efforts to clear each fear on a case-by-case basis has failed. Like the mythical beast, “cutting the head off one causes even more to appear.” Yes, we must boldly face temptations—be they evil desires, people, or situations—as…

The faithless is not without power, nor is the backslider without appeal. Even the unbeliever can marshal an abundance of goods, and the fallen impress with his residual wisdom. Properly used, that rain falling upon the Unjust, and the goods in the hands of the Shrewd Manager, will make the ungodly attractive leaders among men. Such men are motivated by the world’s riches, and the admiration of others. Though everyone is called to emulate the work ethic of the ant,…

People may dream of standing out in the crowd, but in reality, most people prefer to blend in with the masses. Experience tells them that unwanted attention awaits those who leave the safety of conformity. They learn to keep their opinions amongst those close to them, lest embarrassment results from outside criticism. Christians cannot help but admire the fearlessness of the prophets. John the Baptist was unflinching in his preaching. He did not fear for his personal safety when he…