IF MY PEOPLE… 11 When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, 12 the Lord appeared to him at night and said: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. 13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no…
Many of us will at this moment in time be wondering what is happening in our world; living with an uncertain future; wondering whether we or our loved ones are at risk from the current pandemic. In this very difficult time when we are all listening for the latest update on the coronavirus, fear and anxiety can grip our hearts. And whilst medical authorities rightly warn of the dangers of this virus, and at the same time channel a measured…
I have taken a break from my blog – no writing either in January or February. My plan is now to publish posts again with perhaps a frequency of one a week. We will see. In a bid to make what I publish more accessible, I will endeavour to publish an audio file for each post, and hope that will make it easier for Norwegian readers! As is apparent from the last three posts published today! I will also add…
HOW LONG LORD! When will God answer our prayers? The answer: We must leave the matter with him! But note that in several of the psalms, the psalmist asks this very question: “How long Lord?” E.g. Psalms 6, 13 and 35. These psalms contain great prayers that we can use when we pray!* There are also psalms where the psalmist argues his case before God, and cries out to him, “Lord Save!” See Psalm 80! Again, a great prayer here…
This post is a variation on a theme I have written about many times before, touching on the strength of our personal lives with God. It is something which is ever on my heart; a message which is vital for every Christian. It is about the centrality of faith in our lives. IN 1 CORINTHIANS 1,21 WE READ: For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of…
In troubled times, reading quietly through Psalm 23 provides the perfect antidote. The Lord is my Shepherd A psalm of David The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.He leads me beside still waters.[a]3 He restores my soul.He leads me in paths of righteousness[b] for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c] I will fear no evil,for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.6 Surely[d] goodness…
In Peter’s speech in Cornelius’s house found in Acts 10, we find this summary of Jesus ministry, starting from verse 37: “you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” Acts 10,37-38 I read “healing all those who were oppressed…
So, this text (John 1,1-18) affirms, as do the ones in Matthew and Luke, that God became man. John goes further than Matthew and Luke in defining the relationship between God and Christ, between the Father and the Son. The Prologue also expresses more unambiguously the fact of the Incarnation, and anticipates many of the themes in the body of the Gospel. All these texts then affirm our faith – and it is faith! That God really became Incarnate in…
In a few days I will publish my first texts on the prologue of Matthew´s Gospel, chapters 1-2. They will contain informed comment and also theological reflection. It is good that understanding increases – study is profitable. In the last analysis though, there remains mystery – a wonderful mystery! It has to be so! For in the last analysis, these stories (in Matthew and Luke) are the record of how God became man – how the reality of God broke in upon the finite reality that is…
INTIMACY WITH GOD God created us for intimacy with him! Everything is made ready for you to have that intimate relationship – to sit at the table – to partake – to know his presence, to hear his voice. It matters not how long you have been a Christian – from the start of your life of faith, God wants that intimate relationship with you! And, it is the Spirit that makes the things of God real to us! The key…
I am currently working on material for the season of Advent. I want to write texts drawing on, and focussing on the rich biblical material to do with the birth of the Christ. The first text will be about the Messiah. Then will follow texts on Matthew and Luke’s birth narrative, ending with John 1 – the Word made flesh. All these with some relevant OT background material. I think it is important for us to revisit this material at…
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may…