Now here in the West the question arises more than any time in my life whether the light of the gospel that we have been handed on, that we are to shine before all people, may be in danger of going out? The historic value of the church in society, the idea that this is a Christian nation, that the word of God has a hearing, that flame is burning down in society, in churches and, yes, believers.
Here’s something that the church should be known for and it seems to me to be more needed in the world than ever. We are constantly told that so many things are in short supply and I know at times, as I reflect now on sabbatical, I’m asking God to increase this attitude and put it into action. I’m not always as kind as I could be. Who do you know and when you think of them you’d say ‘that’s a kind person.’ (Let me know in the comments?) Maybe some people are kinder than others by nature? But I am talking about the supernatural gift the Holy Spirit wants to be more evident in you and me. That famous passage in Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the Spirit— characteristics that are meant to grow inside of us as we live for God and let his life and love change us from the inside out. LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE…. the Holy Spirit wants to develop these in us so we mature in our lives as Jesus followers. And number 5 on […]
There’s no room for questioning in the simplistic ‘Disney World’ caricatures – only villains and us, the heroes of course. Those who agree with our ideology are the only ones we listen to.
The further any culture, company or country goes down this path, the more good hearted, reasonable ordinary people end up being bullied and intimated into silence. It’s dangerous to speak your mind so we keep our thoughts to ourselves, while those who only allow certain small and angry thoughts to be approved and voiced get louder and more vociferous. This sleeping giant must rise up. It starts with you and me.
It’s not just the strange tale of a talking donkey. Numbers 22 has a lot to tell us about blessings and curses and how words work God’s way.
The word of God is our only weapon against such attacks. Human strategies, philosophies and arguments are a vain hope – useless to push back the darkness. But hell trembles when we open our mouths and declare, “It is written.”
Is that too simple? Do we want to fight him on his own terms?
The Lord Jesus Christ did not do so.
Every day – God says what he sees and he sees ‘it’s good and it’s good and it’s good!’
And a blessing comes. Because God’s blessing makes everything productive and flourishing.
You are unique and unreproducible. God made the universe in such a manner that even if you’re a twin no one looks exactly like you, thinks your thoughts, or feels your feelings. There is no other person in the world equipped and gifted like you, with your track record of faith through life’s ups and downs, sharing your particular passions and if you are a Christian, nobody else has your uniquely designed pattern of spiritual gifts. There are tests you can take to try to get an idea of what they are, and some of them may even be helpful to give you some idea of whether you’re more of an apostle or evangelist or teacher, but I have found that discovering our place in the Body or our spiritual gifts is not something we do alone by going online to take that kind of test, like a true-or-false quiz or Myers Briggs. So how do we work that out then? First of all it requires us to recognise that it’s not about me – it’s about Jesus. Jesus moves in this […]
Haven’t you seen how one person, especially when placed in a position of leadership, can cause a shift in an entire culture—for good or bad?
As a leader my greatest joys have come from such decisions when we got them right, but 99% of my regrets come from when I got them wrong.
It’s true we don’t know the future, but that fear can mean the moment we are in pauses the mission we are on – which is to make the name of Jesus known.
I don’t want to tickle your ears, but this might tickle your fancy