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

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

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.

Speech/actions

April 20, 2018 in Love, Mercy, Jesus Christ, Commandments, Sin, Suffering, Repentance, Service, Wisdom, Idols, Grace, Holy Spirit, Incarnation, Faith, Discipleship, Holiness, Prayer

1 John 3:18

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Passing away

April 19, 2018 in Culture, Wisdom, Discipleship, Death, Consumerism, Narcissism, Sin, Father, Commandments, Eternity, Idols, Grace, Conversion, Prayer, Faith, Service, Heaven

1 John 2:15-17

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.