Church Blog (Page 3)
Wisdom shouts in the street #11. “Wolves among us!”
There is not a false teacher alive who doesn’t know that he is a conman. With the Holy Spirit speaking from within and truth-tellers speaking from without, false teachers are well aware of the lies and deceptions that they propagate. However, through much practice they artfully disguise their anger and disdain for their critics by manipulating anyone who comes near. Until, of course, they are confronted—then the fangs come out! False teachers come in many shapes and sizes. Some are…
Wisdom shouts in the street #10. “Today’s Moral decay.”
There is no doubt that the public discourse on morality, the roles of men and women, and the sanctity of life have changed over the decades. However, as much as the words and the corresponding actions (sins) have intensified and multiplied, I am not convinced that the heart of the average person fifty years ago was any purer than his contemporary counterpart. Tragically, the excesses of today are a playing-out of the lusts of yesterday. Many believers are watching the…
Wisdom shouts in the street #9. “The Bank of the Poor—God pays His Debts.”
Traveling to and from our church building I am greeted by sign-bearing beggars at one particular set of traffic lights. To a man, they walk back and forth through the traffic lines wielding signs asking for food or spare change. Though I have seen people give them coins, I have not done so myself. It is obvious that such able-bodied men would do society and themselves a service by engaging in honest employment. They are not “The poor” that the…
Wisdom shouts in the street #8. “A Good name.”
Back in the days of phone books, one young lady found herself being hounded by her City Council for unpaid parking fines. This was despite the fact that she didn’t even own a car. The Council officials assumed that the registered car owner was the same person as someone with the same name in the local phone book. No end of correspondence and phone calls moved the council. The more the innocent lady protested, the more penalties they imposed upon…
Wisdom shouts in the street #7. “Somebody has to say it!”
Critique is criticism with a smile. Speaking to each other about each other’s shortcomings is not easy. Even the best of Christian friendships can cool for a couple of days after one confronts the other on a matter. Though we prefer a gentle critique over a direct criticism or a sharp rebuke, it is hardest when we are expected to take it on the chin and feel like we are being done a favour. But scripture knows best: “Better is…
Wisdom shouts in the street #6. “That which cannot be hidden.”
Everyone loves a good story. Especially when it makes them feel smarter than they are, and not as bad about their shortcomings as they should. All that it takes is someone who knows how to push the right buttons, and everyone is all ears. However, it doesn’t take long to realise that something isn’t working. When the flattery finally rings hollow, a person is left realising that they have lost ground in the game of life; Wisdom has a way…
Wisdom shouts in the street #5. “Go to church!”
Long before the advent of Online church services I found myself in the homes of brethren known as “shut-ins.” I had just preached at a church in Missouri and a deacon invited me to “Take the Lord’s Supper” to the homes of the elderly and infirm of the congregation. It was a beautiful sight to behold as he “communed around the table” with each one of them. He was bringing them a worship experience that they might never have had…
Wisdom shouts in the street #4. “He stores up sound wisdom.”
One-stop shops have become commonplace. But I must admit that my very first visit to a Walmart in the USA was an eyeopener. In no place that I had ever been could a customer get his car serviced while he shopped for anything from groceries to guns. Add to this the Online Amazon empire, and the customer has come to expect what he wants…when he wants it. God too has a Mega-store. In it we can find every possible variety…
Wisdom shouts in the street #3. “If sinners entice you.”
“Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse” (Proverbs 1:14) I once went to the funeral of a good lady who had left behind four children. I knew her oldest son, but I hadn’t seen him for at least ten years. I remember his exuberance as a child and the pride his mother felt when seeing the good example he was to his younger siblings. Dad had broken up their home, and he had suddenly become…
Wisdom shouts in the street #2. “Divine Filter.”
“No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life” (2 Timothy 2:4). I like to know what is going on in the world, so I enjoy keeping up with the News. I have lived long enough to know that I have my own ideas and that most of them, due to my faith, do not align with most of the major News outlets; I don’t expect them to! Although News outlets can be powerful forces for…