Church Blog (Page 41)

“The cemeteries are filled with people who thought the world couldn’t get along without them.” What man doesn’t want to feel indispensable? A man often defines himself before other men by his work, and he wants to be proud of what he does. There is a lot of good in this according to Solomon:“Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labour in which he toils under…

Those whose hearts long for a way to preach to the masses look with saintly envy on the “Platforms of Influence” on which men like Elvis stood. Elvis Presley, arguably the most recognisable face and voice of the twentieth century, sang hymns and spiritual songs honouring God. But even he would have said that that was not his primary mission. By contrast, Bob Dylan, and Cliff Richard, have concentrated their efforts on sharing their beliefs. They have preferred to suffer…

Temptation is the currency of Hell, and the devil was in the wilderness looking for a bargain. “If You are the Son of God,” he told Jesus, “command that these stones become bread” (Matthew 4:3). How many of us have gone without food for 40 hours, let alone 40 days? The Son of God had fasted for 40 days, and his body was crying out for food. Who wouldn’t be tempted? But Jesus was not about to sell his inheritance…

“Went home,” not “sent home,” ended up being the same thing for John Mark. His turning back at Pamphylia on the First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:13) spelt the end of his missionary work with the apostle Paul for a long time (Acts 15:36-41). One of the theories posed is that John Mark took issue with having to preach to Gentiles. This is not an impossible scenario given that the conversion of the first Gentile, Cornelius, by Peter caused more than…

Have you ever met someone who is obviously not sorry for his sin? Whether he minimises it as “a small sin” or dismisses it as “a foolish act of yesteryear,” he resolutely claims forgiveness, but reluctantly claims guilt. Though unlikely to admit it, none of us is really above such attitudes. Even seemingly trivial episodes of bitterness and jealousy can speak of sins left half-heartedly repented of. Search your heart. Our desire to win souls is a desire to bring…

At the risk of giving some mothers a heart attack, I believe that young people must be encouraged to pick up their faith and travel into other cultures. Tourist destinations are a good start, but then they should venture into the lives of the citizens. However, if they really want an experience worth having, they should seek out a job and share the joys and frustrations of everyday life. Nothing bonds you with the locals faster than being jammed together…

We have all heard of parents who have used dishonest means to get their children into prestigious schools (maybe you know some). These parents put great stock in such marks of success—whether real or imagined. Wealth, education, and power are just a few of the ‘family virtues’ that they try to display in their self-righteousness. With a world swimming in sin since the days of Adam, it is natural for man to come up with new ways to excuse unrighteous…

Be assured, the worst of Satan’s demons are not sitting on the shoulders of complacent Christians debating the virtues of the latest Netflix series. Instead, the devil’s worst are fighting on two distinct battlefronts. Firstly, against those fighting to come to Christ, and secondly, against those fighting to bring those same people to Christ. If the apostle Paul had preached a sermon on “Being Better Believers,” everybody in the Synagogue in Thessalonica would have smiled and nodded agreeably. In fact,…

The Sower in Jesus’ famous parable cast many seeds on the ground before him. He did not take one single seed, plant it in the most fertile soil, and go home hoping for a harvest. Could you image a farmer ever saying to his family, “O well, I tried planting a seed once, and it didn’t work”? So, neither should we ever imagine saying, “O well, I tried to talk to someone about Jesus once, and it didn’t work” (I…

When we arrived in New Zealand, our first table was a wooden packing case, and we sat on old wooden nail boxes, and we had a knife, a fork and a spoon each.” These were the words of a Dutchman who had immigrated to New Zealand in the 1960s. I have heard similar stories from people who probably had grossly exaggerated their hardships, but I believed this man. Everything about him spoke of a man who understood that his family’s…