Great Joy!
And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause […]
Tragedy
Two years ago Kathryn and I were on Ovation of the Seas cruising around New Zealand. That cruise didn’t go near White Island, but had it, I’m the type of person who likes to visit unusual and precarious spots. The Stokes family are on the current cruise. We believe that they are safe and sound. […]
He Will Come
The first Sunday in Advent (last Sunday) marks the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year. The purpose of the ‘liturgical year’ is to remind us of the mission of Jesus – His life, death and resurrection. As the word ‘advent’ suggests, this season of the Church’s year has to do with ‘coming’. During the four […]
God’s Story
For many of us, the Bible is like disconnected pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. We’ve assembled some of them, but there are a lot of extra pieces lying around and we don’t know where they go; in fact, we aren’t even sure what the picture should look like when it’s completed. The Bible contains God’s […]
Grubbing Thistles
A colleague and friend of mine tells of funeral he conducted for a man on the north coast of Tasmania. The man was a loner, eccentric, and a human being of unbounded hope! He had the habit of roaming the district with a grubber, and, wherever he found a thistle, he dug it up. The […]
Fire
With the Australian community, we are overwhelmed at the moment with the devastation and trauma caused by wildfire in several states, particularly in NSW and Qld. Our hearts go out in compassion to those who have lost family members, homes and all normalcy in life. We pray for them, and help in any way that […]
A One Talent Person
Arthur Stace was a loser, a no-hoper, and an alcoholic. Shortly after becoming a Christian, he heard an evangelist – John G. Ridley, thunder out the words, “Eternity! Eternity! Oh, that this world could be emblazoned across the streets of Sydney!” And that is what Arthur Stace did. Even though he could not read or […]
Is God an Environmentalist?
We can be irked when people adopt a “greener-than-thou” attitude, and put guilt on us to demonstrate greater environmental responsibility. Our reaction is understandable; this is how we react to any form of self-righteousness. However, we have an obligation to care for the environment. In fact, the first “environmentalist” was God! He declared His creation […]
We Are Our Brother’s Keeper
Does this mean that we are ultimately responsible for other people, and that they are not responsible? No, ultimately every person stands before God, and before all people, and is responsible for their life. But what it does mean is that every one of us has a responsibility to love our neighbor as we would […]
Truth Is Public
Quite often people say something like, “What I believe is true for me;I don’t impose it on others.” Or, “What I believe is just between God and me; I don’t talk about it to other people.” Or, “What others in the church may believe or say doesn’t affect me; I believe what I believe.” Behind […]