Freedom from the Babelian Quest

May 08, 2023 in Bible, Faith, Father, Grace, Frustration, Freedom, Isolation, Jesus Christ, Joy, Judgement, Love, Life, Prayer, Redemption, Sin, Wisdom

Wow - it’s been almost two years since I’ve posted anything here. Anyway - the day job has changed so I expect to start putting some fresh materials up. This is a meditation based on the Babel chapter in Chris Watkin’s excellent “Biblical Critical Theory”.

Forgiveness rooted in blessing

November 04, 2019 in Community, Covenant, Cross, Discipleship, Faith, Father, Freedom, Grace, Holiness, Jesus Christ, Joy, Love, Life, Mercy, Parable, Reconciliation, Service, Sin

Jonah

September 08, 2019 in Arrogance, Community, Conversion, Culture, Death, Discipleship, Freedom, Father, Grace, Heaven, Hell, Idols, Jesus Christ, Joy, Judgement, Life, Love, Mercy, Narcissism, Preaching, Repentance, Redemption, Resurrection, Sin, Suffering, Wisdom

“Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.”

Jonah 2:8

Tsunami of Grief/countered by Eternal Growth

October 15, 2018 in Death, Faith, Grace, Life, Love, Suffering, Resurrection, Jesus Christ, Reconciliation, Eternity, Prayer, Revelation, Service, Joy

“This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. “ 1 Peter 1:4-6

Psalm 63

August 17, 2018 in Discipleship, Eternity, Death, Evil, Faith, Frustration, Grace, Holiness, Isolation, Jesus Christ, Joy, Judgement, Kings, Mercy, Love, Life, Persecution, Sin, Suffering, Wisdom

Psalm 63
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you;
your right hand upholds me.
Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.
They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.
But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God will glory in him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Wisely Responding to the Sexual Revolution

May 13, 2018 in Atheism, Bible, Commandments, Community, Consumerism, Conversion, Creation, Covenant, Culture, Faith, Father, Heaven, Grace, Idols, Isolation, Joy, Love, Life, Narcissism, Prayer, Redemption, Repentance, Revelation, Sin, Service, Slavery, Suffering, Teaching, Technology, Wisdom, Wedding

I attended a lecture by Glynn Harrison recently on this vital (and polarising) topic. He brought a lot of wisdom to bear on the matter of how to respond sensitively as a Christian to widespread changes in thinking on what is or isn't acceptable on the sexual morality front.

In particular his comments on posture (sorry-thankyou-please-never) and dissection of why soft power is so attractive were really helpful. As a Christian I found it particularly useful to listen to the 'better story' that - when properly understood¹ - is incredibly liberating.

My full sketch notes can be downloaded here (7megs).

¹ meaning: when not being used for power games or ideological land-grab antics.

Roots and Fruits

May 01, 2018 in Holy Spirit, Wisdom, Love, Jesus Christ, Grace, Discipleship, Service, Holiness, Joy, Mercy

Galatians 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.