The great dream of many people is a life of leisure. It sounds good, doesn’t it? Sitting back, doing whatever you want (or nothing at all). If only we had enough money to spend our lives like that, most of us think that this would make us happy. It’s not true. We are made to …
There are so many different concepts of what a good life looks like. Many would define it as being able to do whatever you want. Others would say that it is having enough money to buy a standard of living that brings comfort and safety. Still others would say living for your family and knowing …
John Lennon urged us to imagine a world where there is no heaven and no religion. In his opinion, this would be a world where everyone lived in peace and there would be no greed or hunger. Freedom from the oppressive burden of God would inevitably lead to a good life in so many ways. …
Hezekiah found himself in the middle of a siege in 2 Kings 19. The mighty Assyrian army was outside the walls and were demanding he surrender. In his distress, he sought the word of the Lord from the prophet Isaiah. The response he received was positive; the Assyrians would leave, and Jerusalem would be saved. …
The Assyrian army threatened the city of Jerusalem in 2 Kings 18. A great army massed outside the walls and a spokesperson (with the memorable title of the Rabshakeh) came out to speak to the people of Judah. This man was clearly educated and clever. The Rabshakeh spoke to the official delegates of the king …
Complaining is a way of life for so many people. It seems to be the default setting in our minds. When something doesn’t quite work out the way we would like, we complain. We complain about traffic, about weather (whether it is too hot or cold or rainy or humid), about our co-workers and family …
The gospel message is that Jesus Christ is the only one in whom we can find salvation, meaning and hope. Christians find great comfort and joy in this exclusive claim by Jesus. And it leads us to an inescapable piece of logic: those who are not currently following Jesus are in big trouble and need …
It is easy for Christians to see our world as a threat. It is, in many ways. Governments are legislating things that Christians are either opposed to or that limit religious freedom. The views held by the majority of our societies are a long way from Biblical standards. It can feel oppressive trying to live …
A dear brother in Christ and elder of mine passed away to be with our Lord last week. While he was of advanced age, his death came as a shock not only to me but to all who were close to him. As is always the case in such circumstances, I have spent a lot …
In Matthew 23, Jesus speaks very harshly to the scribes and Pharisees. As he outlines seven woes on them, Jesus calls them “hypocrites” and “blind” quite a few times. He goes much further than this as well, calling them “children of hell” (v15), “whitewashed tombs” (v27) and a “brood of vipers” (v33). This is somewhat …