What does the word “waiting” conjure up in your mind? I think of sitting in a dentist’s waiting room, flipping through old magazines. Or perhaps of being in a traffic jam, unable to do very much, looking at the taillights of the car in front. These forms of waiting are frustrating and unproductive, simply passing …
What is your first thought when you’re invited to a wedding? Is it that you hope that the food is good and they serve the kind of cake you personally enjoy? Is it that you hope that the bride’s dress is to your personal taste? Is it whether the venue is near to you or …
There are times when life seems too much. Maybe you’re there right now. You have issues to deal with at work, at home, and even in your own mind with temptations. This is amplified if you have a responsible job like a pastor or ministry worker or elder. How do I help all these people? …
It is that time of year when everyone seems to be getting sick. I had a virus a few weeks ago and many family members and friends have been taking time off work. There also seems to be a higher than usual amount of people with more serious, long-term illnesses. Like with all aspects of …
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 …
Christians often disagree on things. That’s to be expected, of course. If we encourage people to read the Bible for themselves, they will draw different conclusions. You can find different opinions on baptism, spiritual gifts, church government, what will happen at the end of time, whether alcohol is OK for Christians, birth control, and many …
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 …
How do you prepare your house if you know that people are coming to visit you tomorrow? I suspect most of us would clean up a little bit. We would put the areas that visitors will see into some kind of order. Yet what about the bedrooms and areas that visitors wouldn’t usually go into? …