The New Year, 2021
Francis Brienen, a British minister and author in the Reformed Church. has written the following inspirational prayer for the New Year. Make it your earnest prayer for 2021. God of all time,who makes all things new,we bring before you the year now ending.For life full and good,for opportunities recognised and taken,for love known and shared,we […]
The Grace of God
Theologians point out that there is a sharp distinction between the use of the word ‘grace’ in the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, it can be used to designate kindness and graciousness in general, with no particular tie or personal relationship between the individuals involved. It is also used to signify a […]
From the Grandparents-to-be
They say it’s the most wonderful time of the year, and in so many ways it is. We have fmaily, gifts, food, carols and way too much shopping. And of course there is the Baby. It’s all about a celebration of His amazing birth. Kathryn and I want to wish you all the blessings of […]
Be Careful What We Hear… and Say
[James 3:3-6, 9-10, 17-18] When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. […]
Go Full Christmas!
It’s just not like Christmas!…. I’ve heard that phrase quite a bit recently. It kind of goes together with another phrase we’ve often heard in this year of the virus – i.e. “life is just not normal anymore”. Many of the “normal” Christmas and end of year events have been cancelled, deemed too difficult or impossible […]
Love will tear us apart…. and heal us.
Is. 64:1-9 is the OT reading for the first Sunday in Advent, preparing us to celebrate God coming near in the birth of Jesus Christ as a baby at Christmas. Advent is also about God coming near in the appearance of Christ as Lord of all at the end of the age (the “Second Coming”). […]
Why Doesn’t God Get Rid of Coronavirus?
Good question!… First of all, I don’t know. The above question is asked about any bad thing that happens in life. But our response as Christians must always start from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This tells us that – whatever bad thing is happening – we have a God who gets involved in our […]
The Left, the Right… or the Heights?
There’s been a lot of discussion of politics recently, and the different positions that people hold to. These differences are taken by some with grace and good humour, but between others with passion verging on violence. In some contexts we can be hesitant even to admit to our political views – whether we are toward […]
Bigger Than Politics
In a well known passage in Romans chapter 13, Paul says that we are to submit to the governing authorities, since they are “appointed by God”, and are His “servants” (Ro 13:1-7). This is the case because, being raised from the dead to eternal life, Jesus Christ (God’s ‘right-hand man’) has overcome all powers, and […]
Reformation Day (31st October)
In the Protestant Reformation of 1517, the Christian church, under the leadership of Martin Luther, rediscovered the truth that grace is the pulsing heart of Christian life. It had been discovered and rediscovered many times before that, as it has been rediscovered many times since. However, the 16th century had seen a loss of it […]