Neutrality is not an option. “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Mt. 10:34). At first glance, this statement seems incongruous with the popular conception of Jesus Christ. No doubt guided by Hollywood’s unhistorical and imaginative depictions, He is often pictured as […]
Know your adversary. But know your Advocate as well. In seeking to reclaim territory for the Rightful Heir, we will encounter the Enemy at every turn. Called Satan, the Dragon, the Devil, Lucifer, the Serpent, and the Accuser among other names, he is relentless in his opposition to all that glorifies the Lord, honors His […]
The Saviour’s standard Our Lord spoke of His Father’s will several times in chapters 4 to 6 of John’s gospel. His statements reveal that will to be of paramount importance. His food First, He told His disciples in chapter 4 that God’s will was, metaphorically speaking, His food. When the disciples queried, “Has anyone […]
Caring, protective leaders is one of the greatest needs today. As elders, we are simply under-shepherds of the Chief Shepherd. There is no greater example of shepherding than that which the Lord provides in His capacity as “the good shepherd [that] lays down His life for the sheep.” In John 10, the Lord describes His […]
Seeking the greatest blessing We all know the joy a gift can bring. Children sometimes make gift lists (one of our sons once helpfully divided his list into “reasonable” and “unreasonable”) in the hopes of things to come. As we grow, our idea of the perfect gift grows with us. At some point, however, we […]
Maximizing our effectiveness The common expression “It’s not what you say, but how you say it” reminds us of a key biblical principle on the use of our spiritual gifts. The apostle Paul, when writing to the saints in Rome, expressed this same thought. Note Romans 12:8, “…he that giveth, let him do it with […]
“… when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.” In the early stages of church history, as recorded in the Acts, the ministry of the apostles was accredited by accompanying supernatural demonstrations of power—the dispensing of healing, speaking in tongues, etc.—as the Holy Spirit continued the work that the Lord Jesus had begun […]
Sense out of confusion The gift of tongues is one of the most controversial and misunderstood gifts found in the New Testament. We are first introduced to this gift in Acts 2, where it says, “And they [the disciples] were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the […]
Finding a focus Once upon a time, two friends were building their houses on adjacent lots. One house made good progress, but the other seemed to struggle. Concerned for his friend, the man whose house was now getting its roof put on made a visit next door. When he asked how things were going, […]