The lens of eternity This study is the eleventh in a series of studies on the books of the New Testament (Ephesians – read in 12 minutes) There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called...

Three responses When it comes to responding to all that’s wrong in our world—oppression and captivity, hunger, and broken health, good people being cast down while the wicked are promoted—we...

Engaging with the Spirit Putting on Jesus (or spiritual transformation) begins with faithful acceptance of everyday problems followed by interacting with the Holy Spirit. This includes being aware of...

A double-minded man … For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. Romans 7:18 (NIV) Paul’s famous struggle laid bare in chapter 7 of Romans has been described as spiritual...

Prayer is not easy …We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. Romans 8:26 (NIVUK) This weekend will be a time of national prayer for...

Life in the Body Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep...

A personal appearance It is hard to find quiet time for me. Life is loud here most of the day. I understand why Jesus would leave the group in order to connect solidly with his Father. So, when I was...

Obedience to what law? This study is the tenth in a series of studies on the books of the New Testament (Galatians – read in 13 minutes) “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness...

False assumptions A friend of mine was taking a web design class and one of the assignments was to find a poorly designed website to improve by redesigning it. One day one of her classmates asked her...

Walk in the Spirit One of my favorite things to do since we moved from the “wilds” of southern California to a forest area in Oregon is to walk in the woods. Before I go, I put on the...

Can we go on sinning? For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIVUK) Our header scripture is one that Christians often use in...

Ancient words  “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He...

Rock-solid love I was reminded recently of the rock-solid love of Christ. I collect rocks that I feel are unusual, and some of the ones I find precious are the heart shaped rocks I find when needing...

A new heart A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 (NRSVUE) I was born...

Power made perfect in weakness This study is the ninth in a series of studies on the books of the New Testament (2 Corinthians – read in 23 minutes) But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient...

Know who you’re talking with Have you ever been involved in a mistaken identity? Several years back when I was working for Youth for Christ, I was in Denver, Colorado for ministry training. Some...

Putting on Jesus Some verses in the Bible are hard to understand. For example, I’ve never really known what to do with Romans 13:14, which says we are to put on or clothe ourselves with the Lord...

The route to personal fulfilment “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:39 (NIV) You may be familiar with ‘Maslow’s...

The gentleness of Jesus ‘A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their...

Before Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:2 (NIV) Before. I am having a hard time remembering what came before...

Listening to the Spirit of truth But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you...

Our labour is not in vain This study is the eighth in a series of studies on the books of the New Testament (1 Corinthians – read in 31 minutes) Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong....

Father’s Day For Christians, Fathers Day is not only a time to celebrate fathers and fatherhood, but also a reminder of our heavenly Father’s unconditional love for all his children. In his...

Blame or growth Bad things are going to happen. All of us have to experience sad, difficult and even tragic events in our lives. Even though we know God is present, active, engaged and delivering, we...

Heal the sick Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and...

The conviction of things not seen “…Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  John 20:29 (ESV) At some point in Jesus’ ministry a centurion came to Jesus appealing to...

A fishy story ‘Jesus…Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.’ Acts 4:11, 12 (NIVUK) Recently I was driving behind a...

How language puts God in a box Language is subject to cultural influence, and if you’ve ever studied the origins of words, you know how culture and technology have changed our language. If we...

The power of God for salvation This study is the seventh in a series of studies on the books of the New Testament (Romans – read in 39 minutes) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it...

The investment of contentment They were known as the Roaring 20s in American history. It was a time of unprecedented prosperity. Unemployment rates were nearly non-existent, loan rates were...

Follow me …Jesus…saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him… Matthew 9:9 (NIVUK) What is Christianity all about? Interestingly, when Jesus...

The last enemy – death! The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:26 (NKJV) … that through death, He [Jesus] might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the...

Dictated?  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness… 2 Timothy 3:16 (ESVUK) Our Bible is a collection of...

All things for good We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NRSV) As we start our day, it doesn’t take long for...

What the Holy Spirit did This study is the sixth in a series of studies on the books of the New Testament (Acts – read in 1 hour 16 minutes) … “It is not for you to know times or seasons which...

The wisdom of delight On this Trinity Sunday, we’re thinking about God’s triune nature and how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in loving communion with one another. One aspect of this...

He’s active and engaged It’s easy to look around at all the terrible things happening in the world and say, well, if there is a God, he must be on vacation because he’s not doing...

1 + 1 + 1 = 1 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV) Paul, the writer of 2 Corinthians,...

A Trinitarian creed May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIVUK) The Athanasian Creed is of uncertain...

Is anything too difficult for the Lord? Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord?…”...