Turkeys and Eagles
God created us in Christ for a full life of destiny and purpose. But sometimes we forget who we are....
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The Blessing of Seeking God
Life is difficult; we are best on every side by challenge and temptation. In Psalm 27, we learn that seeking God in worship refreshes us in the revelation of his beauty, the experience of his goodness, and the faithfulness of his promises....
The Blessing of Trusting God
Life is difficult, and we are often beset on every side by challenge and difficulty. In Psalm 40, David reminds us that regardless of what's going on, trusting God is always the right move....
The Blessing of God's Refuge
God is a refuge - a place of safety - for those who proactively seek, call upon, and cry to him....
The Blessing of God's Presence
Although God promises to be with his people; we experience the blessings of his presence when we prioritise being with him....
The Blessing of Forgiveness
Everyone sins, but not everyone is forgiven. Don’t reject God’s offer to enjoy the blessing of forgiveness....
The Blessing of God's Instruction
God wants you to win; He wants you to enjoy the blessing he has on offer. The blessed life begins with delighting in his instruction....
The Priority of Listening to Jesus
Mary teaches us by example, and Jesus by his words, of the priority of listening to God....
Loving Our Neighbour
Jesus invites us to love God with all of our hearts by expanding the circle of what it means to be a neighbour....
Joy Like Jesus
Jesus peered past the temporary things people so often look to for happiness to enjoy a joy rooted what is most important....
The Best Reservation
God's power gives us confidence, but Jesus points us to an even more important source of joy....
No Room for Racism
Racism is a vile virus infecting the hearts and minds of people everywhere; God calls his church to be a counter-culture of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation....
The People, Purpose, and Paradox of Mission
Jesus teaches us about mission by sending seventeenths-two followers on a harvest trip....
The Cost of Following Jesus
Jesus offers us more than we can comprehend, but he asks us to pay a high price to receive the benefits of eternal life: total commitment....
A Series of Unfortunate Misunderstandings
To effectively participate in the mission of Jesus, we need to understand his approach to greatness, ministry, and judgment....
Encouraging Voices
Rather than giving in to the false narrative generated by this age, we need to listen to voices of faith and encouragement by provided by God for our benefit....
Reflecting on Lockdown
Soul Calibration: Thinking about our current lockdown moment from a biblical perspective. ...
Up, Up, and Away: The Blessings and Benefits of Christ's Ascension
Christ's ascension into heaven confirms his identity as the King of kings, confirms our identity as adopted children, and confers upon us a package of spiritual benefits....
Three Encounters of a Close Kind
After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to three different people, drawing them beyond grief, fear, and doubt to audacious hope in him....
Right and Wrong
We are often right and wrong about many things in life - but being right and wrong about Jesus is wrong, in a really dangerous way....
Strong Faith for Stormy Seas
God builds strong faith in our lives so we can successfully navigate stormy seas....
Body Built
God builds the body of Christ through the contribution of each gifted, well-placed part....
All You Need is Love
Imagine attending a church that was so filled with love that people looked at it and said, 'There is so much love there, those must be real Christians'. Becoming the church of Jesus means loving each other the way He has loved us. That means taking off some old behaviours and putting on some new ones....
Jesus DNA and God-ordained Growth
As Christ's body, we share a vital life-link with Jesus, our head. It is through the gospel and by his Spirit that we come to share in his life....
Seeing the Dream
Seeing the dream is the first step to living the dream God has for us....
This is who we are. This is what we do.
Jesus calls us to go to the nations and make disciples. And so we do....
Darkness, Difficulty, and God' Grace
God's grace not only takes us to the mountain peaks but sustains through times of darkness and difficulty....
The Best Coach
To live a life of significance and pleasing to God, Grace is the best coach you will ever have....
Justified
The gospel is more than justification, but it is never less than God's declaration of 'not guilty' to sinners who repent and believe....
More Than
God's grace is more than amazing, more than beautiful, and more than sufficient to accomplish all the good God intends to bring into our lives. It's much, much more than you realised....
2020 Vision
As we launch into a new year and a new decade, the Lord offers vision correction to help us see from his perspective....
Let Loving Hearts Enthrone Him
If we can recognise the identity of the baby born in Bethlehem, we can be rightly aligned to God by enthroning Jesus as our Lord and King....
The Keeping Power of Jesus
Jesus not only has the power to deliver us from the domain of darkness, he has the ability to take us safely home and present us to the Father....
God and Sinners Reconciled
The beauty of reconciliation is boldly sung at Christmas; let's take a moment to reflection on this profound truth....
The Hard Work of Waiting
God's promises are worth waiting for, but waiting can be hard work. Keeping our eye on the prize makes it easier....
Up and Down
An up and down emotional life can be unhealthy, but there is a kind of up and down rhythm to following Jesus important for living life well....
A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Following Jesus
Evaluting the price Jesus asks us to pay in light of the promised pay out....
Barriers and Breakthrough
God invites us to breakthrough the barriers that prevent us from experiencing all the blessing he has for us....
Making It - To the Other Side
Jesus doesn't leave us alone, and he doesn't leave us where we are. He has purpose, destiny, and intention for our lives, but to get there, we have to go through storms....
Hearing Light and Seeing Sound
Jesus uses the metaphor of light explain the impact in our lives of hearing God's word well....
The Seed of the Kingdom
God's kingdom grows in our lives as his word takes root and bears fruit....
Trouble at the Table
A Pharisee who invites Jesus for lunch gets more than he bargained for when an unwelcome woman shows up....
Now or Later
Jesus inducts his followers into apprenticeship by teaching them to live with eternal perspective....
Don't Just Sit There ... Respond
It is impossible to have a neutral attitude towards Jesus: either we remain the managing director of our own life, or we recognise him for who he is, and submit to him - the King of kings and the Lord of lords....
Commendation
We all like being praised for our accomplishments; if we're willing to believe it, Jesus offers us a unique kind of commendation....
Faulty Towers
Jesus teaches us how to build strong lives that, like well-built structures, don't collapse when storms rage against them....
Boomerang
Jesus invites us to a beautiful life by understanding the power of reciprocity: what we throw at others comes back to hit us on the head....
Mirror Image
Jesus invites us to invite the ways of the kingdom as we represent God to the world....
Rocket Fuel
In giving us a mission to go to the ends of the earth with the gospel, Jesus hasn't left us alone: the Holy Spirit empowers us to complete the Father's mission....
The Greatest Gift
In a world marked by pain and suffering, God has given us the greatest gift; in Christ, God answers our most fundamental issue....
The Finding Father
God is a father who loves us enough to search until he finds us. And when he finds us, he throws a really big party....
A Different Kind of Party
It may come as a surprise, but Jesus made a point of going to parties. We may think of Jesus as an emaciated desert wanderer who spoke in chapter and verse, but in truth, he was the hot ticket item in the Galilee social scene. This meant he got party invitations, but when he showed up, it was a party with a difference....
Desperation and Desire
When we are willing to trade our dignity for desperation to experience all God has for us, good things may happen....
Clean: Inside and Out
In his encounter with a leper, Jesus demonstrates that his work in our lives goes well beyond what's obvious....
F3
Following Jesus includes shortcuts - if we do what he says, it gets us there faster. And better....
Power|Authority|Purpose
Jesus demonstrates not only his power to do good but his authority to define good, revealing his divinity and his capacity to stay on target....
How Not To Follow Jesus
Sometimes we learn from the example of those who fail: the people of Nazareth provide a great example of a terrible way to follow Jesus....
Ready or Not
We can run, but we can't hide; we will all have an encounter with God, and he invites us to get ready....
First Words
When Jesus finally speaks in Luke's gospel, his first words teach us about his identity....
His Story, Your Destiny
When we believe the story of His Son we step into the destiny God created for us....
Worthy of It All
Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem drew praise from his disciples and reminds us that He is worthy of all the praise we can give him....
Future Proof
By building our lives on the promises of God we are positioned for the future - whatever it brings....
Away In A Manger
The manger of Jesus' birth illustrates the extremes God went to for our salvation: He identified with our poverty that we might share his glory....
The Ultimate Baby Dedication
Word's spoken by John's father at his dedication give us insight into an amazing destiny - both his and ours....
The Fellowship of Faith
Mary's great song of faith that arose from the fellowship of faith with Elizabeth....
Nothing is Impossible
Jesus teaches us that 'all things are possible for him who believes'; the circumstances surrounding his birth illustrate this....
Personal Destiny and Big Picture Purposes
Zechariah and Elizabeth were both faithful and fruitless; God fulfilled their personal dreams for his big picture purposes....
Certain Confidence in a Trustworthy God
We live in an age in which skepticism is applauded; the Lord invites us to trust him fully....
The Others
Faith and faithfulness in following Jesus produces more than victorious outcomes, it also sustains us victoriously through moments of darkness and challenging circumstances....
No Roots
Abraham's life was rooted in God's promise even when we lived as man without roots; by inhabiting God's promises, our lives become marked with the substance of eternity....
Against the Flow
The life of faith is not just floating downstream, it is a swim of destiny against a cultural flow perpetually pushing against us. But it's worth it....
Walking With God
How do we walk with God on a daily basis? Lessons from Adam, Enoch, and Jesus help us enjoy the Lord in the mundane details of life....
Keeping Confidence in Tough Times
By keeping our eyes on Jesus, we can endure the difficulties of life and thrive in faith....
Four Visionary Statements of Jesus
Jesus lived on mission, and he lived with a vision. He invites us to join him with vision and on mission....
Great Expectations 2019
God invites us to extend faith to experience his presence and walk in his purposes in 2019....
A Gift for a King
In Christ, God has given us the riches of heaven; in worship, we give Jesus the best we have....
Immanuel: God With Us
God has always been with his people; in Christ, God is with us in a unique, personal way....
Four Amazing Women
Matthew intentionally places women in the genealogy of Jesus to highlight the fact that everyone is invited to God's BIG BIG Party....
Matthew's Christmas Maths
Mathew's introduction to the Christmas story makes one big point: it all adds up to Christ....
A Gift for the Ages
God in Christ gave a gift that not only answered the need of those alive when he was born, but a gift that had been promised many centuries before, a gift we need today more than ever before....
Happy Days
The very end of the Old Testament promises happy days to come for God's people; how can we get there?...
The Safe Zone
God has given us his promises as a safe zone in which we can thrive and grow and become the people He created us to be....
Refreshed In God's Company
God invites us to be refreshed - by Him, with his people....
Building with God
How do things get built? God does it - and we partner with him. The story of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem teach us that God is faithful to do his part; He invites us to be faithfully proactive in participation, prayer, and taking practical steps....
There Is More
Sometimes we get to the top of the ladder and wonder, 'Is this it?'. Nehemiah's experience teaches that God has more for us....
For such a time as this
Do you ever feel like you're caught up in circumstances way too big for you? That's when we need to remember that God has placed you in the space-time continuum at the right moment because He has wrapped your life with purpose and destiny....
Friendship With God
Jesus doesn't leave us in the dark; he tells us exactly how we can cultivate a friendship with him....
The Power of Prophetic Encouragement
Like in Zerubbabel's life, the Lord uses prophetic encouragement to help us fulfil his mission....
Spiritual Home
When God brings us into his family, it's not just for personal salvation, it's so that we can be a people together, committed to God's purpose and enjoying his presence....
One Thing
What's your top priority? What's the ONE THING you must have? For the Psalmist, it was the presence of God. The good news is that if you get God, the rest of it all falls into place....
Living with Lions
God is not only good, he's great, and he is with us in the difficult circumstances of life....
The Fourth Man in the Fire
When we walk through fiery tests and trials, we're not alone - the Lord is right there with us....
How's It Going to End?
As we look at the world without and the world within, we often have the feeling that things are not as they should be. The good news is that God promises to fix it all....
Renewing the Mind
How does our thought life determine our destiny? How do we live faithfully as God's people in a society whose reality excludes his relevance? Daniel's example in Babylon teaches us how to think correctly and live faithfully....
Hand Crafted
God doesn't make generic Christians; he hand-fashions each one of us to be a masterpiece portraying his kingdom to a world in need....
Flourishing in God's House
What does it take to prosper? The Lord invites us to a life of flourishing, planted in his house with his people....
Children and the Kingdom
Jesus invites us to become like children so we might participate in his kingdom....
Church: A Championship Team
Victory is part of our inheritance in Christ; Jesus envisions his church as a championship team, experiencing and achieving victory....
Representing the Kingdom
Jesus calls the local church to reflect his kingdom. How are we doing?...
Bones, Bonds, Breath, and Battle
God accomplishes restoration so that we can participate in his purpose....
Jesus On Money
Money touches our lives in many ways; Jesus provides clear teaching so our hearts can remain pure and undivided in their loyalty to him....
Old ... But Not Vintage
Some things like cars, wine, and watches become more valuable the older they get - if they are well preserved. The first covenant God made with Israel is old, but it's not vintage. Thankfully, Jesus initiated a new, better covenant....
The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
In the midst of great calamity, God promises the coming of the Holy Spirit....
TALENT on loan from God
All the talents we possess are on loan from God, given to be used. When we effectively deploy our gifts, we achieve a triple win: we feel good, the church is encouraged, and God gets the glory....
Press Release: Celebrating 10 years in Bathgate
Centrepoint church Bathgate started 10 years ago with a few families meeting together over pizza. Today it’s a growing multi-ethnic church that have big plans for the future....
Using Time Well
We are given the asset called 'time'; as we grow in wisdom, we learn how to use time better....
Holy is the Lord
God is more holy than we can imagine, and we're more sinful than we will admit, but God in his goodness invites us to enjoy his presence. ...
The Best Seat in the House
After the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, he spent forty days downloading to his disciples all the teaching they would be able to understand only now that he was resurrected. After that, he ascended to the heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father. Imagine having a seat with him! What a glorious perspective that would be. Here's the dirty little secret ... you do....
Palms and Wheat
When the people waived palms to proclaim Jesus as a conquering king , he used wheat to teach about the nature of his kingdom....
We'll win on Sunday. I guarantee it.
It's one thing to guarantee a victory in football. It's another thing to guarantee a resurrection....
The Cave of Your Calling
When we give in to the powerful but vacuous threats of the enemy and allow fear and intimidation to lodge in our souls, God graciously meets us in our caves of isolation to restore us to his purpose for our lives. ...
other gods
The perpetual heart issue facing every person: who is your God - the Lord, or another?...
Joyful Noise
There are times to be still and quiet and know that that the Lord is God; there are other times to praise him with expressive exuberance - because He is worthy of it all. ...
Broken, But Not Forsaken
The life of Job displays two glorious bookends of God's blessing; in between he experiences intense trials and difficulties, but God brings him out on the other side....
The Meaning of Life
What's the meaning of life? What in this life is worth pursuing? These are the big-picture questions Solomon engages in the book of Ecclesiastes....
A House for God's Greatness
When the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon and saw his house, she thought, 'Solomon's great!' When people visit our church, we want them to think, 'God's great!'...
The Blessing of Trusting God
More than being a wise thing to do, trusting God with all our hearts brings a package of benefits....
Get Wisdom
Life is not a game about pursuing trivial things; whatever else you get this year, be sure that you determine to get wisdom....
A Heavenly Vision
What would it be like to receive a personal vision from Jesus for our lives and ministry? This happened to Paul, and from the vision Jesus gave him, we learn something about the priorities that matter to God....
Winning with Past, Present, and Future
Our relationship to time shapes the trajectory of our lives. ...
The correct posture for worship
Sitting, standing, kneeling ... does body posture matter when we worship God?...
The Good Shepherd
The baby whose birth in Bethlehem was attended by shepherds was born to be the good shepherd of God's people....
Not A Watchmaker
In one of her biggest hit songs, Bette Midler sings that God is watching us from a distance. It's a beautiful song, except that it's not true. God's not watching from a distance; he is personally engaged in the details of our lives....
Christmas Maths
Mathew's introduction to the Christmas story makes one big point: it all adds up to Christ....
Better Together
The idea of a self-made man is a foreign concept to the Bible; we need the support and encouragement of others on our spiritual journey. ...
The Power of Small Beginnings
Great endings are almost always the fruit of small beginnings; faithfulness with little positions us for destiny....
Adopted
What's the greatest benefit of the of gospel? Forgiveness? Justification? Eternal life? Perhaps the greatest benefit God blesses us with is that we are adopted into the family of God and inherit all the privileges and responsibilities that go with being sons of God....
The Reformation
On 31st October 2017, we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, informally started when Martin Luther nailed 95 theses (talking points) to the church door in Wittenberg. What began as a call for conversation called God’s people back to scripture and transformed the Church. Here we reflect on the significance of this event....
Stairway to ... ?
What does the Bible teach about how we can be brought close to God? Do we have to climb a stairway to heaven?...
The Harbour Lights
God does not want us to be uniformed regarding his will; he speaks to us in a variety of ways so that we can move forward with confidence....
Turkeys and Eagles
God created us in Christ for a full life of destiny and purpose. But sometimes we forget who we are....
All you need is ...
The balanced Christian life rests on the power-triad of faith, hope, and love....
Fan the Flame
Imagine an NBA superstar with amazing talent ... but too afraid to walk onto the basketball court. Paul challenges Timothy - and us - to adopt a proactive posture towards our gifts....
We Are Your Church
The Antioch church had good thing going, but the apostles in Jerusalem were suspicious: they heard that Jews and Gentiles were worshipping together, so they sent Barnabas to check out the situation. ...
Better Than Wet
Why would Jesus choose something so simple as going down into water and being raised up as a picture of the relationship we have with him through faith? What would he want us to get water baptised?...
The Wrong Way Road Trip
Have you ever hit a moment in life when you felt the need to hit the reset button? That happened to me on the way to a conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. My friend and I were solving all the world's problems: we developed solutions for world hunger, global poverty, ending racism, and how to understand God's sovereignty and human choice. It was an amazing conversation, and it should have been recorded....
What's In Your Wallet?
Acknowledging that Jesus is King is not conceptually difficult; submitting to his Lordship is a daily way of life for those who seek to follow him....
A Destination and A Journey
It's not about the destination - it's about the journey. Or is it? While the encouragement to 'smell the roses along the way' is good, it's also important to realise that direction and destiny are connected. ...
Lost!
Normally, my wife is madly in love with me and thinks I'm great. But the time she was off the chart angry with me was when I lost our daughters....
Dynamite!
Have you ever tried to hoover your lounge without the vacuum cleaner plugged in? It doesn't do any good to go through the motions if you're not connected to the power source. ...
The Happy Land
God's presence with us in the Holy Spirit provides many benefits; knowing this is only the first step - encountering and enjoying God is the goal....
The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit
The fellowship of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14) is one of the core benefits of following Jesus. But what does the Holy Spirit do in our lives?...
Better Than a TED Talk
If you had 18 minutes to deliver the message of your life, what would you say? Paul gives us some pointers on maximising opportunities to deliver a profound, powerful, and trans-cultural message....
Fountain of Life
Imagine crawling across a desert, attacked by the scorching sun, desperate for a drink of water. How cool would it be - in more ways than one - to encounter someone handing out cups of water. For anyone with spiritual thirst, Jesus gives something much better than water....
The Heart of the Gospel
What's the best news you ever heard? When Paul went to places like Rome, Corinth, and Athens, he gave people the gospel - absolutely the best news he had ever come in contact with....
The Link
Even when it feels like the wheels are falling off the wagon, God is at work behind the scenes. In surprising moments, the relational links God builds in our lives can be part of the chain of events that bring his salvation to others....
The Rise, Wreck, and Restoration of Samson
Did you ever wish that you had more gifts, more talents, and more abilities? Samson had all that - and more - and still failed. God, however, is the master of writing a new chapter in our lives....
The Mighty One
We live in a constant tension regarding which narrative about ourselves we're going to believe: are we going to be shaped by the many voices around us, or will be be shaped by what God says about us?...
Following Jesus
Someone recently asked me: 'What does it mean to follow Jesus - practically - on a day to day basis?' That's a great question - and here's my answer....
How to Fail with God
Positive learning involves drawing on the successes of others who can show us what to do. Negative learning is about observing the mistakes of others so that we don't do what they've done. The book of Judges is a grand lesson in what NOT to do....
Strength and Courage
Have you ever faced a moment of genuine intimidation? Have you ever been gripped with fear to the degree that you were paralysed - unable to move? This is what Joshua felt as he stood at the threshold of his moment of destiny....
Living Close to God's Presence
When navigating transitional moments, it's good to live close to God's presence....
A King, His Dogs, and Forgiveness
In the 14th century, Robert Bruce of Scotland was leading his men in a battle to gain independence from England. Near the end of the conflict, the English wanted to capture Bruce to keep him from the Scottish crown. So they put his own bloodhounds on his trail. ...
Minority Report
We often found ourselves surrounded by a cacophony of voices competing for our attention. And often, the majority of these voices are not encouraging faith; rather, they are dispensing doubt. But it is through the minority report of faith that we inherit God's promises....
Three Pathways To Love and Faith
After observing - and participating in - my daughter's wedding, I found myself wondering, 'How does this happen? How does anyone get to this point? How does love work?'. Although marriage is a destination many people reach, the process of how they get there can be quite different. Faith works in a similar way....
What does it mean to be a "child of God"?
This revelation from scripture absolutely changes everything. It changes our relationship with God, it changes how we view ourselves, how we view life and will impact every relationship.......
Heart and Soul
Over the years, 'Heart and Soul' has been a common theme in pop music: lovers express the intensity of their feelings for another as encompassing the totality of our being, captured in the phrase 'heart and soul'. The song writers may not know they're quoting Moses, who used this phrase as a way of encapsulating appropriate devotion to God....
Justice, Jubilee, and Generosity
What would it be like to hit the economic re-set button every fifty years? Jesus proclaims the year of the Lord favour and draws on Jubilee themes to explain the significance of salvation. ...
Dwelling in God's Presence
God's presence is the greatest place there is. But getting there is trickier than we might imagine....
From Good To Great
What does it look like to live an extraordinary life? Is it possible to make the journey from 'not bad' to 'pretty good' ... or beyond?...
Playing With Fire
Israel’s sinful idolatry led to a distortion of true worship and brought about God’s righteous condemnation. Idolatry is dangerous because it distorts our view of God and corrupts our behaviour, leading us away from God as He has revealed Himself and toward a false god who is powerless to save and transform us. In response to Israel’s just condemnation, Moses stepped in between God and the people and interceded on their behalf. As those who have Jesus Christ as our mediator, we trust in His power to overcome our idolatries and empower us for His mission. ...
From Bitter to Blessed
The Negev is a dry, hot desert region in the southern part of Israel. If you were wandering through it, heading towards the northwest, you would eventually come to a large body of water. After the dry, arid, dusty journey through the desert, you would be excited about seeing so much water. The problem is that that the body of water is the Red Sea, packed with so much salt content that people easily float. It's water - but you can't drink it. ...
Our Great Savlation
Our salvation in Christ is rich beyond measure. By understanding what God did to deliver his people from Egypt through blood, water, and smoke and fire, we have a greater appreciation for what Christ has done for us....
An Encounter With God
Have you ever felt like running away and hiding from God, his people, and his purposes? That's exactly where Moses was. His failure was so large he assumed he was irredeemable. The good news is that God creates us on purpose and fills us with purpose in Christ, but we are easily knocked off course by our own desires or our failures. In his love and mercy God finds us, reaches out to us, and brings us back on track. ...
Faith in a Faithful God
Sometimes when we look at the pain of our past, or it seems like God is not with us in the present, we question whether he will be faithful to his promises about the future. Scripture teaches that God is faithful to heal our past, to be with us in the present, and to fulfil his plans for our future. ...
Visionary Praying
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have been a Christian during the period described in Acts when Peter, John, Barnabas and Paul were local church pastors? Whatever else may be different, hanging out with these apostolic leaders would mean that your prayer life would take a huge step forward....
The Vision of Jesus
Perspective is a function of location; to gain a clear vision, sometimes we have to leave the valleys of everyday life and ascend the mountain tops God provides in his word. When we do this, we see that God has called Centrepoint to empower people to follow Jesus in community, worship, and mission....
A Spiritual MOT
Every year our cars undergo an MOT test to validate their road-worthiness. Are our hearts ready for the new year? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus provides a series of diagnostic teachings to evaluate what's happening in our heart. While challenging, his teaching exposes our need for his grace so that we will open our lives to the working of God's Spirit. ...
Peace On Earth
When we look around the world, we may be wondering, 'Where's the Peace?' When we work so hard to exclude God from our lives, it shouldn't surprise us that there is a peace deficit in the world. More than peace at the geopolitical level, God offers us peace with himself. At Christmas God promises peace on earth; we experience this peace through Christ's presence in our life....
Are We There Yet?
The word 'Christmas' brings many thoughts, images, and feelings to our minds. For me, it will forever be associated with a road trip. Every year, a few days before Christmas, we would hop in the car and make the long trek from Black Mountain, North Carolina to a little town called McRae, Georgia. This is where my grandparents lived. Even though the journey was long and arduous, it was worth: along with getting to see my grandparents and lots of good food, I knew that this process always ended with presents....
Matthew's Math
Great books often start with gripping introductions; we get hooked and so we keep reading. So then why does Matthew start his gospel with a geneology?...
More Than A Feeling
Charlie Brown Christmas remains one of my favourite Christmas films. It tells the story of how a boy - Charlie Brown - just isn't feeling it in the run up to Christmas. So he goes on a quest to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Have you ever felt that way - like you're just not feeling it? The great news emerging from Luke 2:1-20 is that Christmas is so much more than a feeling. ...
Three Days In Vienna
The New Testament churches described in Acts perpetually challenge me for this reason: they were consistently probing opportunities to advance the gospel of Jesus. And no church exemplifies this spirit better than Antioch (Acts 13:1-3). Not content to build a local dream team of pastors, when the leader spent time praying and fasting and listening to the Holy Spirit, their response was to send their best guys (Paul and Barnabas) on mission. Rather than trying to hang on to gifted people, they were compelled by the command of Jesus to 'Go!'....
The Call of Christmas
The opening scene of the Christmas story is a giant advertisement for God's capacity to use ordinary people for extraordinary things. Like Mary and Joseph, saying 'yes' to God means we step into a realm of remarkable grace, a very high price tag, and the amazing opportunity to share the love and truth of Christ with others....
Dreams, Darkness, Destiny
Children are inspiring because their dream-machine has not yet been damaged. They live with the hopefulness that if they can dream it, it can happen. Somehow life seems to relentlessly torpedo our instinctive dream machine until it is broken, domesticated, or forgotten. ...
Time for a Change
The gradual change in colour, and then the disappearance, of leaves from tress during the autumn season is a reminder that change is a built-in component of human life. But sometimes we need a different kind of change - a change we can't produce, a change that can only be effected by God. This is what Jacob needed in Genesis 32....
Digging Wells and Building Altars
Living in dry places is difficult unless you have access to springs of water. God has given us covenant promises including his perpetual presence. Time, tradition, neglect and doubt can cover over these wells and block access to God's provision. Following Jesus involves learning how to dig wells and build altars. ...
Jesus Our Substitute
When God tested Abraham, he provided a ram to be sacrificed in place of Isaac. Jesus is our substitute, the lamb of God sacrificed in our place. The essence of the Christian life is a perpetual looking to Jesus, trusting in Jesus, and thanking Jesus for what he has done for us. Jesus is the perfect substitute....
A Sign of Grace
We don't deserve grace, but God gives it anyway. Like the ark of Noah, Jesus is the one who takes us safely through God's judgment against sin. ...
The Power of GO!
The first word God spoke to Abraham was 'Go!'; the last word Jesus spoke to his disciples was 'Go!'. When we follow Jesus and go into the new place, people, and purpose He has for us, good things happen....
City on a Hill
Jesus calls his people to be a city on a hill, revealing the truth, life, and love of Christ to a world in need....
Unashamed
Paul was unashamed of the gospel; when we understand the power of God as revealed in the gospel, neither will we be ashamed....
The Story Begins
In the beginning God created everything good through his son. ...
Keep ReadingThe Forever View
We are surrounded by temporary things. What would life be like if we lived in the context of eternity?...
Keep ReadingA Gospel Vision
The Philippian church is a fascinating example of what happens when the gospel gets hold of a faith communinty. There are a few things we can learn from them....
Keep ReadingBoxing God
Can we put God in a box? The right answer is both no - and yes....
Keep ReadingReasonable Faith in a Toxic Environment
Faith is central to being a Christian - without it - we can't know or please God. But in the cultural undercurrent of skepticism that pervades contemporary Europe, how can we we grow strong in faith? God's Word gives us some answers. ...
Keep ReadingFighting Words
Words are not neutral; not only do they chart our destiny, they affirm the reality that defines our lives....
Keep ReadingRest for the Weary Soul
David wrote that "The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul" (Psalm 19:7). To enjoy the refreshed soul on offer by God, we need to learn how to love God's law. ...
Keep ReadingThe Prayer From Hell
What do you when there's no way out? What do you say when the game is up? A little prayer in a little chapter in a little book of the Bible gives us a BIG answers....
Keep ReadingThe Portable Well
In warning the Corinthians about idolatry, Paul paints a powerful picture of God's perpetual provision for his people....
Keep ReadingIssues of the Heart
David, Paul, and Jesus all teach that, even though our hearts may be polluted with sin, they can be cleansed by faith. ...
Keep ReadingLet's Have A Drink
Have you ever felt the need or the desire to thirst for more? The Psalmist invites us to be refreshed as we meditate on God's glorious character....
Keep ReadingFirst Things
Getting our priorities right is central to ensuring that arrive at the right destination. In 1st Corinthians 15, Paul reminds the Corinthians about "first things."...
Keep ReadingFor!
The power of the death of Jesus is captured in one little word that can change our lives....
Keep ReadingThe Pathway To Maturity
God has a vision for our lives, and a pathway that will lead to the kind of maturity we hope for....
Keep ReadingSurviving The Storms
In life we face a variety of storms types. How do we respond? What do we do to navigate each storm?...
Keep ReadingRevelation
Hope in the future God has planned is one of the hallarks of the Christian faith. Following Jesus isn't only about enjoying and honouring Him today; it is also about living in expectation of the beautiful future he has created....
Keep ReadingRestoration
God is not nostalgic; He works forward to bring greater blessing to his His people, even when they have difficulty believing....
Keep ReadingAbout This Word Preach
Stop preaching at me! Instead, just be a nice person. Isn't this the Jesus way?...
Keep ReadingNot What You Asked For
In John 17, Jesus identifies three key things that he has given to us. These are not necessarily what we asked for - but they are what He has given. And they are good things. ...
Keep ReadingThe Indicative/Imperative Dream
Jesus us gives us a new identity and calls us to obey Him. Faithfulness is both - and that's the Jesus dream for his people....
Keep ReadingAn Enforced Peace
Through his life, death and resurrection, Jesus has accomplished more than the personal salvation of lost people: He has laid the groundwork for the ultimate restoration of all things to His intended purpose. ...
Keep ReadingCause and Effect
In life, sometimes we end up between a rock and a hard place. There are moments when the only action we can take is to trust God....
Keep ReadingHating the Name of Jesus
The profile of each person's spiritual journey is unique; those journeys touched by God's grace, however, end well. ...
Keep ReadingA Good View
God reveals Himself to us in the Bible as good; his goodness is the proper lens through which we view and perceive the world....
Keep ReadingOut of the Dark Room
Have you ever landed in a dark room? Almost all of us have had a moment or a day or a week; a month or even longer - where it seems like where stuck in some kind of weird vibe, and we can’t get out. The good news is that God cares about where we are - and He offers a way into the light....
Keep ReadingGrace for a Dysfunctional Family
The story of Joseph is about God bringing salvation to the world by saving a family. And this family really needed the help of God - it was more dysfunctional than most families are today. But God is more powerful than the sin that marked it, and in the end, God wins....
Keep ReadingReasonable Worship
We live in an age when it makes no sense to follow Jesus. Paul reminds the Christians in Rome that - in light of God's amazing mercies to us in Christ, living a life of sacrificial obedience to God is supremely reasonable....
Keep ReadingGump, God, and Growth: The God/People Partnership in Progress
How do we grow? How do churches grow? Is it God or people who responsible? Or is it both? Scripture describes a beautiful synergism where God works with his people to fulfil a breath-taking picture....
Keep ReadingThe Jesus Deal
Following Jesus comes with a high price tag. But the promised pay-out promised makes this the best deal ever. ...
Keep ReadingThe Price On Your Head
We daily exchange time; our value estimation of time resides in our distinction between what is eternal and what is temporal....
Keep ReadingYou've Got A Friend In Me
We all need friends - both human and divine; Jesus offers the ultimate friendship we can experience. ...
Keep ReadingStuck In A Moment
We all have moments of doubt, and Elijah was no different. When God met him in a cave, Elijah was focused on his past. God re-directed him towards a future of hope and destiny....
Keep ReadingPlanck's Constant Change
Although the Bible teaches permanent moral codes, we live in an age seeking to destroy every boundary. God offers a more certain way forward....
Keep ReadingRighteous!
The gospel both demonstrates and conveys God's righteousness: not only is God righteous is justifying sinners; He makes sinners righteous....
Keep ReadingThe Joshua Tree
Life is a spiritual desert in which ultimate satisfaction is found in only one source. ...
Keep ReadingHow We Know What We Know
How do we know what we know? This is the topic of exploration under the philosophical category called epistemology. Epistemology is a big word that simply means 'how we know what we know'. According to Jesus, knowledge is not morally neutral; faith precedes understanding. ...
Keep ReadingWhat About Holiness?
The word 'holy' is used as an adjective for many things - some not nice to say! But what is this word? What does it mean? Why does it matter that God is holy?...
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