One Blood
From one blood [God] made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live,so that they would search for God… and find him. [Acts 17:26,27] Paul could have been speaking of us in twenty first century Australia! We are indeed made […]
Flood vs God
Last weekend I stood in the main street of Mannum. I was standing on dry ground alongside a reinforced, yet seemingly narrow, levee wall, the other side of which the waters of the River Murray were flowing through shops and homes, the level above my head. I had an awesome sense of the power of […]
Only on Loan
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). God is shaping us like a master sculptor. Sometimes we might wonder why our life experiences seem like fate and accident rather than purposeful shaping. At such times we must trust him. […]
Stickability
When I was in high school, a student in our class was told by the teacher to remove chewing gum from his mouth. “One day,” he continued “I will tell you what is in chewing gum!” Years later, I met the teacher again, and related this incident. He could not remember the occasion, nor what substance was in chewing […]
Good or Best
Many good things are said about Christmas. For example: “Christmas is a family time”, or “it is better to give than to receive”, or “Christmas is a time to remember the disadvantaged”, or “Merry Christmas! And a happy new year!” These are all good sentiments, and there is nothing wrong with any of them. But […]
You Can’t Be Human Without God’s Word
Jesus said that we cannot be real, full human beings apart from the truth and life that are given to us by every word that God speaks (Mt 4:4). When the Bible speaks of the Word of God it means two things: firstly, it is a name for Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, […]
Dark Devourer?
Death is a terrible thing! It is an alien intruder into God’s good creation. It is a part of the disfigurement of God’s world caused by the entrance of sin and evil into it (Gen 3; Ro 6:23). When His friend Lazarus died, Jesus wept and shook with rage to see the indignity and sorrow […]
Christ’s Commission to Christian Believers
Jesus commissioned his disciples, and through them, all Christian believers, to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Mt 28:19 – “The Great Commission”) This does […]
Faking It
Do you ever feel reluctant to come to church because you know that people will cheerily ask “how are you?”, but you don’t want to have to answer them because you’re really feeling terrible… And you know you’ll feel compelled to put on an equally cheery “Christian smile”, and say, “I’m really fine, thanks!”? I […]
Box of Favourites
The Bible says, “God does not show favouritism”. (Ro 2:11) This is in the context of Paul showing how every human being – everyone of us, no matter who we are, are all considered equally sinful by God. God’s commands are to love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to […]