The value of honour

The value of honour

Exodus 20:12 (NKJV) “Honor (כָּבוֹד ḵâḇôḏ) your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. The meaning of the word translated honour is the Hebrew word ḵâḇoḏ/kabed which means to be heavy, to make...

The heart of the matter

The heart of the matter

I’ve been hovering over the first chapter of the Book of Revelation in recent blogs, seeking to hear the Spirit of God speak into the current situation we find ourselves in and how we as a christians should respond. To that extent I have embarked on a series of...

No such thing as unanswered prayer. Just delayed prayer.

No such thing as unanswered prayer. Just delayed prayer.

My last blog entry focused on what I called the invisible war. We are at war. Our enemy is not flesh and blood but an invisible host of powers and principalities. We looked at how these invisible hosts are layered, methodically organised and deceptively tucked behind...

The Invisible War

The Invisible War

One of the most significant contributions the apostle John’s apocalyptic writing has given us is a window into the unseen world. The visions John saw in the Isle of Patmos was filled with animals, mystical and Biblical creatures, woven into a narrative that was full...

We shall overcome

We shall overcome

As we have noted in our last blog entry, the New Testament assumes that christians will experience many trials. Not only do the Scriptures assume suffering, the Bible seems to be preoccupied with seeking to encourage and strengthen believers in the midst of trials,...

No Sacrifice?

No Sacrifice?

Sacrifice is not a word we hear too often in Christian life. I wonder how many sermons we have heard throughout our church life focused on suffering and sacrifice. Yet every New Testament book from the Gospels right through to the Book of Revelation talks about...

Eternity in Mind

Eternity in Mind

What’s your plan after you die? When faced with this question, most people’s response would be around their end of life plans. The New Zealand government has a website with information about the sorts of things that you need to think about before you die. Some of the...

Coming out of the shadows

Coming out of the shadows

Today we want to look at Colossians 2:16-18 (NKJV). Paul is correcting a fundamental flaw in the believer’s thinking that is taking them backwards in their relationship with Christ. Colossians 2:16-19 (NLT) So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or...

Child not orphan

Child not orphan

Hebrews 12:3-13 has been a difficult chapter to fully enter into mainly due to a combination of words that create a complex set of emotions. The author is encouraging his readers that we have a child and father relationship with God. At the same time he uses words...

Purposeful not aimless Christianity

Purposeful not aimless Christianity

Are you living a purposeful life or are you wandering aimlessly? Are you circling or spiraling? Life is a circular movement. We go around a 24 hour cycle. As of today, we have completed 5 weeks this year. The sun has risen and set 37 times this year. We have gone...