Originally posted on April 5th 2020 Up until chapter 8 of Mark´s Gospel, Jesus´ministry has been with the crowds and in the villages surrounding the sea of Galilee. In chapter 7 he travels with his disciples to the region of Tyre and Sidon (outside of Israel to the north), and in chapter 8, they end up in Caesarea Philippi. On the way, Jesus asks his disciples this question: Who do people say that I am? (Mk. 8.27) It is Peter who…
One thing seems certain: We shall encounter challenges and difficulties in our lifetimes. These can be related to health, relationships, finance and many others. If you know any of these, it proves you are human! In Job we read, “Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward!” (Job 5,7) The message of this blog is very simple, yet very profound: Trouble may come as the sparks fly upward, but equally certain is it that we have a saviour,…
My purpose in writing this text is to draw attention to the ministry of encouragement that should be the highest calling of any Christian towards a sister or brother! In this respect I see Barnabas as a ROLE MODEL! THE EARLY CHURCH In Luke´s history of the Early Church – the Acts of the Apostles – Barnabas appears for the first time in chapter 4. From then on, there are scattered references to him up until chapter 15. References to…
“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”1 Tim. 1:5 ESV Paul’s two letters to Timothy are gold, especially for any young person seeking strength and guidance for their Christian lives. I often read them. The above verse can be taken as a kind of program for the Christian life: love, issuing from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. Love: The word in…
GOD´S MERCY The story of the woman caught in adultery in John (7:53-8:11) is one of the most memorable stories in the gospels. Perhaps the greatest lesson it teaches concerns the nature of God and the nature of man. Man sets himself up as the judge of others; possessing no such moral right, as he himself is sinful. God on the other hand, holy and just, and with every right to judge, is instead merciful. His first thought is not…
The title of this blog is not about bricks and mortar, but about men and women, girls and boys! And then, more specifically, about Christian brothers and sisters! I taught young people for nearly 40 years. I must have marked thousands of maths tests, English essays and other tests over the years, and taught around 2000 kids in my career. I had been fortunate enough to study at one of Britains top universities, and after completing further study in Norway,…
I have 3 married children. In one of their houses, they have a great poster stuck up on the kitchen wall. It reads something like this: “If at first you don’t succeed, try doing it the way your wife told you!” This is really appropriate when trying to figure out just how to live our Christian lives! Try listening to Jesus! He said in John chapter 7,38-39a: Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart…
Lately the Lord has been speaking to me about the times when Christians suffer; more particularly about remaining faithful and steadfast when we are under that type of pressure. SUFFERING COMMON TO ALL The word suffering in a Christian context needs qualification. There is the suffering of this world, common to all mankind; which is part and parcel of living in a fallen world, to use a biblical expression. SUFFERING AS A CHRISTIAN Then there is the suffering which is…
Today, I am starting a small number of blogs on the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts. The word in Greek for a spiritual gift is χάρισμα/charisma – hence the word charismatic for gifts of this nature. In the New Testament there are 3 principal lists of such gifts, in Rom. 12, 1 Cor. 12-14 and Eph. 4. MODERN CHARISMATIC HISTORY The first major return/revival of such gifts to the Church in modern times, was the Pentecostal revival that started in…
In this blog, I want to look at something Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:20. I quote: “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” 2 Cor. 1:20. What does Paul mean? HELP FROM JOHN´S GOSPEL I believe a verse from John´s gospel can help us here. Let’s see if John 19,30 can shed some light for us on 2…
THE PRESENCE AND REALITY OF EVIL I should begin by explaining the title of this blog. It is inspired by something C.S. Lewis wrote in his book Mere Christianity, that when Christ was born in Bethlehem, it was God landing behind enemy lines. Indeed Lewis´s Chronicles of Narnia portrays in fiction the spiritual realities that the Bible teaches about, and which is the subject of this blog. My source is as ever the Bible. That this world is in rebellion…
IN THE GARDEN Subsequent to eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve realised that they were naked. They made themselves loincloths by sewing together fig leaves. Then we are told that they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid themselves. The Lord God called to the man and said: “Where are you?” And…
Dear friend! The words below do not fall lightly from the prophet’s mouth! Great faith is born out of great need, if we look to him who can do all things! TAKE HEART! 😊👍 “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the…