Weekly Article (Page 42)
COLLEGE THANKSGIVING SUNDAY
“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2) Here we see the marks that are essential for godly and effective ministry, ministry that is trans-generational. 1. Study rightly – Timothy is reminded that during the many years of association with Paul he had…
What good does it do to pray?
Good question. And there’s a really good answer! Charles Spurgeon explains: ‘The act of prayer teaches us our unworthiness, which is a very salutary lesson for such proud human beings as we are. If God gave us favours without constraining us to pray for them, we should never know how poor we are, but a true prayer is an inventory of wants, a catalogue of necessities, a…
Prayer for Illumination
Startle us, O God, with your truth and open our hearts and our minds to your wondrous love. Speak your word to us;silence in us any voice but your ownand be with us now as we turn our attention,our minds and our hearts, to you, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. This is the weekly Prayer for Illumination by the Rev. John Buchanan at Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago. In…
Feared the Lord Greatly
How would you like that on your tombstone, or for those in the modern techno-age as your Facebook ‘Status’?
Sin’s Madness, and God’s Mercy
Sin’s madness …. These verses tell us not only how God’s judgement had stamped it scorching trademark on the fields of Canaan and seared the lives of the people but how the people – especially the king and the court – responded to the drought. Though there is a cycle of natural events that include times of drought, no one in Israel could legitimately comfort themselves…
Character from the Bosom of God’s Grace
‘The Christian life is not lived to the honour of God without effort,’ writes John MacArthur on 2 Peter 1:5, “giving all diligence…”. Having described what God has done in and for us, Peter is saying that we are to give ourselves to the task of developing Christian character and maturity in Christ Jesus, and that this should be don’t with serious commitment and energy or…
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Paul is talking about death, but more specifically that when we die, when we leave the body behind, we go to be with the Lord. How could Paul be so sure? Paul says that we walk by faith. We take God at His Word. Our security is not found in the things we can see and feel, but in the living God who has given His Word to us. As we return to Elijah we see that this is not…
What’s going on?
‘What’s going on? How am I supposed to respond? What are we to do now?’ Here we are enjoying the blessing of God upon our lives, family, ministry, local church – when suddenly the resources that God has given us start to diminish, and despite our prayers now they have dried up, just like a creek in a drought. Where is God in this ‘drought’ – especially as it affects…
Surprise!
Isn’t it true that the unexpected gives life a certain freshness.
It can be little things or big things. Maybe it’s a bunch of flowers when it’s not your birthday or Valentine’s Day. Maybe it’s a surprise birthday party, or a visit from someone you haven’t seen for ages. Maybe it’s the boss calling you into his office and giving you a bonus – now, you’re thinking,…
When was the first Mother’s Day? When did it begin?
The modern Mother’s Day holiday was created as a day for each family to honour its mother by Anna Jarvis who in 1912 trademarked the phrases “second Sunday in May” and “Mother’s Day”. She also lost a lawsuit aimed to stop its over-commercialisation. Anna had hoped for a day of reflection and quiet…