asadmin Confession is good for the soul. It’s also a practice which has become increasingly unfashionable in modern culture, where the word sin is often seen as an outdated concept. If there is such a thing as sin, it’s something like not being true to yourself – whatever that means! The primary issue, of course, is … Read more
Since we looked at the biblical idea of ‘conviction’ yesterday, today is another reflection from John’s gospel on that theme: July 25th 1982. Just a normal Sunday. I went to church with my family, to (what we then called) the Family Service. My Dad was giving the talk, about Jesus meeting Nicodemus in John chapter … Read more
God’s word has a power all of its own. The bible is full of references to its own efficacy: think of Isaiah 55:11 – ‘my word does not return to me empty’ – or Hebrews 4:12 – ‘the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword… it judges the thoughts and … Read more
What does a society need to thrive? It’s a question we ask ourselves a lot nowadays. Despite rapid advances in technology, medicine and global infrastructure, many cultures seem stuck in a slow but steady downward spiral. It’s a question which also lies at the heart of Nehemiah’s great work. As we have observed, this was … Read more
‘Jesus loves you…. but I’m his favourite.’ I remember a Christian leader sharing in a talk that he would love to wear a T-shirt like that, with ‘Jesus loves you’ on the front, and ‘but I’m his favourite’ on the back! Whatever you think of that, from either a sartorial or an evangelistic point of … Read more
We take another brief break from Nehemiah to enjoy a couple of Psalms (today and tomorrow): ‘Just a small portion for me.’ These are words I utter quite often at our family meals; I do love food, but I don’t have a particularly big appetite, so if there’s a pudding available, my desire to enjoy … Read more
Before I was a minister, I was a market researcher. This was at a time when my kids were very young, and had no idea what sort of job their daddy had. So, when I came home from work and they asked me what I did, I said: ‘Counting. Daddy does counting for a living.’ … Read more
‘So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.’ What joy it must have been to write those words! Even better, to actually see the rebuilt wall; to walk around inside its perimeter, knowing that the city was secure; to celebrate with those who had put in so much hard work, had risked … Read more
What is the opposite of faith? Most of us would instinctively say ‘doubt’ – but that’s not the biblical answer. In the bible, the opposite of faith is fear. It’s why Jesus prefaces his post-resurrection encounters repeatedly with the words, ‘Do not be afraid.’ It’s why St John tells us that there is no fear … Read more
Followers of Jesus have often been treated as threats to the ‘established order.’ In many ways this is strange: a group committed to living peaceful, holy, servant-hearted lives ought to be the very last people to be considered subversive. On the other hand, we worship a different Lord, one to whom all the Powers That … Read more