Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. (Acts 4:29, 30, […]
Read More Acts Actually: 4 – Responding to ResistanceThen Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6) The interesting thing about money and the pursuit of it is that it’s not really about the money. It’s always about what the money will get […]
Read More Acts Actually: 3 – Giving What You’ve GotThey devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every […]
Read More Acts Actually: 2 – Simple ChurchAfter his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3) When Jesus burst onto the scene, His message was about the Kingdom of God. Throughout His time serving on […]
Read More Acts Actually: 1 – Kingdom First, Kingdom LastDear children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21) The end of the love letter of John to the church is rather abrupt and can appear to come from nowhere. After all, he has been outlining the importance of faith in the Son, living in the Son, accepting the testimony about Jesus Christ being the […]
Read More The Love Letter of John: 5 – How To Avoid IdolatryFaith in God is based on who God is. The phrase ‘God is love’ is so short and simple, yet so easy to misunderstand. John, who stresses this aspect of who God is, helps us to find both how that love is expressed and the consequence of that love. As God is love, we see […]
Read More The Love Letter Of John: 4 – First LoveChapter three in this first letter of John is one of the most powerful chapters in the Bible. There. I said it. From it’s start of delightful joy in the love of the Father, through to knowing how we are God’s children like Jesus because of love and ending in affirming we can love because […]
Read More The Love Letter Of John: 3 – Love Lays Down His LifeThe letter from John to the church is not a mushy, sentimental piece of prose. The love spoken of in this chapter is intrinsically connected with behaviour – what we do. That behaviour is connected with who we are primarily connected to – that is relational. We have two options. We can be connected to […]
Read More The Love Letter of John: 2 – Who Do You Love?Let me be honest with you. I haven’t always been honest. Sometimes I’ve been downright devious and duplicitous. (Great word to use for something not great at all.) One thing I can say about such moments is that it feels heavy. It feels like for whatever ‘gain’ I get from it is overwhelmed with a […]
Read More The Love Letter of John: 1 – Light WalkersThere’s nothing like a good epilogue. I enjoy watching the end of the episode of a long saga where apparently all the loose ends have been tied up. Only to see afterwards a mini-episode with something else for us to consider. Something that helps us consider the fact that the story is not yet over. […]
Read More The Word In John: 21 – You Must Follow Me
Life With CD 