We live in a time where greed is perfectly acceptable to most people. We use words like “ambitious” and “upwardly mobile” and “aspirational” which sound so much more positive. Using all of our efforts towards a better life and nicer things is just the norm. We need to realise that this desire for more is …
Going to a church service every week is something that most Christians have historically done at a bare minimum. (There have been times when two services on Sunday, or even daily services at dawn, were the norm!) Yet the pattern for many Christians in our current age is to go to church much less regularly …
Many novels and movies these days are set in the near future, and they generally have something in common. The future most of us expect is a disaster. Whether that means living through world wars, nuclear disasters, environmental catastrophes, or cruel dictatorial governments, most visions of the future are bad. There are many who have …
In Matthew 22:21, Jesus said something incredible when asked about paying tax to the Romans: Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matt. 22:21 ESV) In the past few years, as Christians have grappled with all kinds of government decisions …
Our church had its annual church camp last weekend. It was, as usual, a really enjoyable and useful time in the life of our church. The majority of the regulars from our church spent Friday evening to Sunday afternoon together at a campsite in the suburbs of our city, hearing three great talks from Luke …
Many people think of Christians as nice, clean-cut people. Those who are respectable, who are pillars of the community. There is a perception that Christians sometimes feel that they are superior to other people, looking down on those who have made different lifestyle choices. And – let’s be honest – sometimes that accusation has truth …
When Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem in Matthew 21, he did something very odd. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling pigeons. And he said this: “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” (Matt. …
There is so much wrong with the world. Everyone can see that. There are issues with the environment. There are geopolitical issues. Wherever you live, the government needs to make hard decisions and often (in our opinion) ends up making the wrong ones. Our boss is unreasonable. Our spouse is causing us problems. Our friends …
Ahab and Jezebel and their family ruled Israel as tyrants; we read of their exploits in the latter part of the book of 1 Kings. They were not satisfied with setting up an alternative religion to Baal instead of worshipping the true God. They went much further than this, seeking out God’s prophets to kill …
Many single Christians, at some stage, will wonder if it is really that bad to marry someone who doesn’t trust in Jesus. After all, that nice guy or girl we know ticks almost all of the boxes we are looking for! They have their lives together, they are so nice and fun and interesting, and …