Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. (Heb 11:1). We could think of it as the energizer of what we perceive, giving us a sense of actual possession. Today however, we are invited to consider another dimension in addition to faith, and that is 'patience'. "And so after... Continue Reading →
MANAGE YOUR COUNTENANCE
Matthew 2:3 When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, as was all of Jerusalem. The word 'disturbed' was well and truly beyond superficial concern, instead, it tapped into a deep seated fear and anxiety that came along with the prospect of a king losing his throne. It is no real shock then that the... Continue Reading →
MORE THANKFUL OR MORE FEARFUL?
I am sure others have similar stories, but on my train journey this evening a thought came to mind 'do you know you have made this journey over 600 times this year alone? And each time you have made it to and fro?'That prompted a sense of appreciation in a way that I had not... Continue Reading →
CONTINUITY AFTER DISPLACEMENT
Anytime I read the genealogy of Jesus, my mind goes to the different people, their histories, how and why they made their way unto that list. In that list, we encounter men and women of different status, and influence whose names are captured. But reading again today, I noticed one clause hidden within the list:... Continue Reading →
MAINTAIN YOUR FOCUS
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. What comes with a mind stayed on God is 'perfect peace'-the Hebrew word used in this verse is Shalom which has many tributaries including "Safety, wellness, happiness, friendliness, welfare, health, prosperity, and peace". So this... Continue Reading →
THE DUTY OF ALL MEN
When an individual applies for a job, there is often a specification which accompanies the role. This document should detail expectations, responsibilities, targets and often times, a reward system. Inherently therefore, accompanying all duties are a reward setup that in an ideal case, matches up to the expected duties. It may therefore appear strange for... Continue Reading →
TAMING AMBITION
Mark 10:37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory Today's Gospel tells the story of James and John, two brothers who approached Jesus and asked for either to sit on his right hand and left hand side. That was ambition. Ambition can thus... Continue Reading →
A CONFUSED CROWD
Luke 9:18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” The first thing that comes to mind when one sees a crowd of protestor are 'they are united in purpose' because they seem to be moving and acting together. However,... Continue Reading →
DO THE BEST IN YOUR CORNER
Our verse of interest today is 1 Corinthians 9:22: "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some". I found it interesting that Paul became ALL things to ALL people, but the end goal was so... Continue Reading →