My weekend paper had a recent feature: “A bloke’s guide to summer”. It opened by saying, “Guys, remember when all you needed to do when the sun shone was break out a Hawaiian shirt and put some beers on ice? Now, so much more is required: ribbed abs, tight trunks, waxed torso—and expert barbecue skills”. Yet my guess is that even as the writing bemoaned that fact, all of the photos accompanying the article had been edited.... continue reading
In and of itself, there’s nothing wrong with planning ahead. John Wesley, the great evangelist, even used to plan out his day in twenty-minute segments, ensuring that a third of an hour wouldn’t pass without him addressing himself to matters of God’s kingdom. But in these verses, James offers a word to men and women in every generation who are addicted to their calendars, who clutch at their phones, and who live with the impression deep down that the world will stop turning if they get off track.... continue reading
Nehemiah tells the story of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. God’s people had been in captivity, but God had intervened so that they were allowed to come back to their own land and rebuild their broken city. It’s a key moment in the history of God’s people.
But we won’t walk away from this book with just a rebuilt wall. The book of Nehemiah shows us the work it takes to rebuild representation of the glory of God. ... continue reading
Nehemiah is nestled at the beginning of what’s called the Second Temple Period, when the temple was being rebuilt in Jerusalem and the people of God were returning from exile. Long before that, God had chosen the Israelites to be his own people, to show off who he was to the world. Deuteronomy 7:6-7 explains this:... continue reading
“Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” – John 20:27
We know precious few details about Jesus’ resurrection body.... continue reading
In Scripture, mountains are often places where people meet God. Mount Zion, for example, is both a real place—the mountain on which Jerusalem (and the temple) was built—and an idea: a term to describe how God meets with and lives among his people. It’s also called Mount Moriah (Genesis 22)—the place where God provided a sacrifice in the place of Isaac.... continue reading
I will never forget my wedding day. The copious amounts of chocolate cake; walking into the venue to see pictures of me in school uniform that I thought I had destroyed. But mostly, you’ll be glad to hear, what made the day memorable was the woman that I married.... continue reading
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, many people have tried to find ways of engaging with the issue of racism. One way has been to support the movement Black Lives Matter (BLM). Thousands took to the streets to march in the organised protests, or changed their online social media profiles to show solidarity with the movement. However, some commentators began to suggest that although the intentions of the organisation may have been good, their approach was wrong.... continue reading
I’m sure there are many reasons Jesus said, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). But surely one of them had to do with a child’s capacity for experiencing amazement?... continue reading
Father God, you alone can save. Please enable my spouse to…
1. Be concerned about the things of eternity... continue reading
