Being intentional Having recently begun writing the Asked Questions BLOG, I have also looked to extend my online network of ‘friends’.  I deliberately choose to invite contact from those whom I anticipate might find my writing helpful in one way or another.  This involves being selective, researching profiles for clues as to where folk stand biblically.  You may feel that … Read More

The story Do you know where in the Bible we find the words: “…. for such a time as this”?  That was a question asked at our small group meeting recently, a phrase that summarises the whole of the book of Esther.  Here we read of the story of a young woman, a Jewish girl who, along with her much … Read More

Seasons Over the past couple of weeks, I have been rejoicing in the autumn beauty that is displayed in the trees and bushes in our surrounding area.  I rather like this time of year when the foliage almost takes on a floral form, but on a much grander scale.  This autumn seems to have been especially beautiful, and the weather … Read More

Lamentations How do you feel about change?  You might respond by asking what form of this is being referred to – there are obviously many dimensions of change that we encounter in life, both personally, within ourselves, and externally.  Maybe you have heard older members of your family bemoaning things that are different to how they used to be, or … Read More

Heresy? In posing such a question, you may wonder if I have strayed into heresy – I can assure you that this isn’t the case!  I am not asking the question theologically.  Evangelical Christians recognise and assent to the statements of the various creeds, some even reciting them as part of a religious litany at Sunday services.  No, what I … Read More

Outworking Over breakfast this morning, Jean and I found ourselves discussing spiritual motivation and ministry.  God works through us both in very different ways, but this isn’t unusual, as we are all unique human beings.  We are called to conform in the area of character, but not personality, and certainly not in terms of the outworking of our spiritual motivation.  … Read More

Ownership I wonder what would go through your mind if the preacher on Sunday used the expression “My gospel”.  Have you ever noticed that this is exactly what the apostle Paul has done in his letters?  This doesn’t seem to be an accidental turn of phrase because we find that he has used this same expression in three places: Romans … Read More

Deceipt We live in a world where deceit is rife.  Perhaps this is most apparent in the political sphere, where many seem to have the view that if something is stated often enough, then this will make it ‘true’, that is to say, it will become generally accepted as valid, even though it has little, if any, basis in fact.  … Read More

Perspectives When I began writing for this blog, I had no thought that I would be commenting on current affairs, but it seems to me that the present situation requires this.  The news has been heavily focused on the killing of an American political activist whom I, for one, have not previously even heard of.  Christians have been commenting on … Read More

Encouraging My wife, Jean, very clearly has the spiritual gift of encouragement – I don’t, but that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t be encouraging towards others.  Being encouraging is something that I have tried to foster over the years, although I am somewhat hampered in this in that I am scrupulously honest, which means that I am unwilling to say … Read More