The Bible often charges Christians to wait patiently for the Lord [e.g. Lamentations 3:26]. The Hebrew word translated patiently in many Bible translations suggests enduring patience in the person waiting that is also silent or quiet. Take the context of the verse above as an example. The author is lamenting the destruction of his beloved …
Four times the Bible says: “…the just shall live by (his) faith” [Habakkuk 2:4], and elsewhere, it also says: “…for we (believers, or the just) walk by faith, and not by sight” [2 Corinthians 5:7]. These are just some of the many verses in Scripture emphasising the truth that faith is an essential virtue in …
Hang around Christians long enough, and some well-meaning person is going to tell you to “just have faith” when you’re in a quandary. Is it just me, or are there others who find that a little vague? Faith in what? That what I want to happen will happen? I know we’re meant to walk by …
I’ve been thinking of the lyrics of Be Magnified recently. The song begins with the lines: “I have made You too small in my eyes, o Lord, forgive me. I have believed in a lie, that You were unable to help me. But now, o Lord, I see my wrong”. I find those words convicting …
I don’t know anyone who likes waiting, especially when they don’t know how long they will be waiting for. Many of us are naturally impatient – a problem exacerbated by a culture that often promotes instant gratification. For many Christians, waiting for God is often the most challenging part of the Christian walk. I struggle …
In Luke 9, there’s a sad account of at least 2 men who missed out on their destinies. These men received an invitation from Jesus to follow Him and they both responded: “I will follow you but first, let me…” [Luke 9:59-62]. These men may not have fully understood what they were turning down, but …
Sometimes, we Christians are terrible at acknowledging reality. We act as though we’re exempt from the consequences of living in a fallen world, something Jesus categorically refutes [John 16:33]. The truth is that we live in dual realities, often at odds with each other. That’s the tension we must acknowledge and deal with. God is …
It seems to me that many Christians like the idea of Jesus as Saviour, but not Jesus as Lord. We like the part of the Gospel that tells us that Jesus saves us from Hell, but not the part that tells us how to behave on earth. Jesus once asked: “Why do you call me …
If you have kids and they are anything like mine, you’ve probably had to deal with one or two big questions. I’ve been asked; “if God has all the power, why doesn’t He stop bad things from happening?” and “why did God put that tree in the garden if He knew that Adam and Eve …
I recently heard a preacher pose the question “can God trust you?”. It’s not a question I’d ever contemplated but I’ve been wrestling with it since I heard it. When I scrutinize some of my prayer requests, it’s a question that requires significant introspection. God is good, able and willing to bless us because of …
