A call to join the resistance

          …as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing

2 Corinthians 6:10

A little way off at the foot of a tree sat a merry party… “What is the meaning of this?” asked the Witch Queen. Nobody answered.

“Speak, vermin!” she said again. “Or do you want my dwarf to find you a tongue with his whip? What is the meaning of all this gluttony, this waste, this self-indulgence? Where did you get all these things?”

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Enemy-occupied territory – that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.

Mere Christianity

Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls – yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

Christmas Savings

“Christmas” and “saving” aren’t words that we immediately link together. “Christmas” and “spending” or “Christmas” and “debt” seem to fit better, but really Christmas is all about saving.

Abraham & Isaac

Genesis 22 is a chapter that puzzles and offends many people. God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son, Abraham is about to do it, then God steps in and stops it. Why would God be so cruel to Abraham and Isaac? What does it say about a God who would ask for such a thing, or Abraham who would do it? What would a Christian do if God asked the same of them? Do Christians think it’s noble to kill your son if God says to? Can God command anything? If we isolate the chapter from its biblical and historical context then it understandably leads to these troubling questions, but that’s not because we’ve understood what’s going on, but rather we’ve misunderstood.

Why didn't He say so?

A previous blog post dealt with some moral issues Jesus didn’t mention directly. This one looks at a theological issue – why didn’t He say, “I am God”?

I would be satisfied if...

 

Why didn't He say something?

Sometimes silence says a lot, and other times people read too much into it.

I have met challenges on four areas to do with Jesus' supposed failure to speak. Three of them are moral issues, which we will look at now, and one is theological, which we will look at in a later blog post.

Joy and peace

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing… (Romans 15:13)

The gospel in 25 words

 A gospel message based on John 3:16.

The Trinity - it matters more than you think

Some people dismiss it as an invention of the church, while others ignore it as a point of doctrine that theologians in ivory towers talk about because they have nothing useful to do.

But the truth of the Trinity is more important and relevant than you could imagine.

The Way

Before Christianity was called Christianity, it was called “The Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). The reason for this is they were believers in the one who said, “I am the way” (John 14:6). Maybe you are feeling lost in life. Let’s think how Jesus is the way.

Knowing God

Here is a link to another Understanding the Gospel podcast I contributed to. Hope it's helpful.

Is God hiding?

“If God exists, why is He so secretive about it? Why not make it more obvious?”

The hiddenness of God is an argument that many atheists find compelling, but when we think about the evidence I think we will find that it certainly isn’t God is who is hiding.

What the protests profess

Many cities across the United States and around the world have been filled with people protesting following the tragic death of George Floyd. The shocking video of his last moments has sent a jolt through the human consciousness, bringing out our innate awareness of a couple of huge realities.

Suffering

Here is another episode of the UtG podcast that I have contributed to. It is on the subject of suffering. Please have a listen and spread the word.

All together now

The legend of the founding of Rome tells us about two twins who fell out.

Being human

I was asked to contribute to the UtG (Understanding the Gospel) podcast recently on the subject of what it means to be human. It can be found on any podcast provider, or click here. I hope you enjoy it. If you do, pass it on and spread the word.

What is faith?

I had a very frustrating discussion with someone recently about faith. This word is being mangled beyond recognition such that, when people hear it, something comes to mind which never would have occurred to anyone using the word at any other time in history.

Because He lives...

Written by Bill and Gloria Gaither in 1971, Because He lives has become one of the most well-known and well-loved contemporary Christian songs. The chorus is a testimony of hope and assurance:

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,

Because He lives, all fear is gone,

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living, just because He lives

It’s true, because He lives, I can face tomorrow (and we will come back to that later), but there’s more.

What's so good about Good Friday?

Well worth your time!

A matter of death and life

The Easter period is a time of reflecting on the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Identity Crisis

I read in a newspaper recently that those who find their meaning in life in their work are going to find this period of lockdown to be very hard on their morale and self-esteem.

Follow the science, save lives!

The message that is being heralded day and daily from our government is that we need to pay attention to the scientific data regarding the coronavirus, and by following the science we will save lives.

"Perfect peace, and at such a time"

Here's a video I did that I hope you find helpful in these strange times we are in!

Hard Times, Hard Truths

Hard times reveal hard truths. The panic-buying exemplifies the selfishness that ultimately drives us. We can be very generous and altruistic when we are sure there is enough to go round, but the moment we think we might have to do without, it shows that we are nowhere near as generous as we thought – the consuming thought is, “It has to be mine!”

What a waste?

I was recently in correspondence with an atheist who was commenting on the work of a Christian evangelist. He said it was so sad the man was wasting his life proclaiming a lie.

What God has joined...

When the Pharisees asked Jesus about divorce, He took them back to “the beginning”, showing them that God’s plan was one man with one woman becoming one flesh for life. He concluded His statement with, “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6).

The devastation that no-fault divorce has brought on society cannot be estimated. The heart-breaking consequences of a marriage break-down, particularly on children, cannot be exaggerated.

But as you go back to Genesis you find that God has not only joined husbands and wives. There are other things He puts together that are not to be separated.